Ringneck pheasant chick with leg problem

[torilovessmiles]

I hatched a single ringneck pheasant a little over a week ago, and I noticed something wrong with her left leg about two days ago. It appeared splayed and she was completely unable to stand or walk properly! I used a Band-Aid to brace the bad leg to the other leg so she can at least stand and walk, but the leg still turns out rather than facing forward!





It's kind of hard to see in the pictures the exact issue I'm having. I'm concerned about my solution, it just doesn't seem to work as well with spindly pheasant legs as it does with chickens. If I take it off, though, she can't stand. It does seem to be fixing the problem in the long term as her leg is still turning outward! She did not hatch like this, in fact she was perfectly healthy before a couple days ago.
She is currently eating Dumor chick feed for turkeys and gamebirds, but was fed regular chick feed by accident for a few days.
I can't feel a broken bone in her leg.
From now on, I am sticking to chickens and this little one will be a pet and therefore not bred, so if it is genetic somehow, I do not want to cull her/him
What do I need to do? Is there another way I should splint it, or will I just have a crippled pheasant?
Thanks in advance!

 

[nchls school]

I think you will have a crippled pheasant as a pet. Many years ago when I was in high school I had a similar problem. My high school Ag teacher said our area in Wisconsin lacked nutrients in the soil that pheasants have to have. He told me to give my pheasants a cheap aluminum pie plate with cow manure in it. The problem was solved and any chicks I hatched after that were completely normal.

 

[torilovessmiles]

I think you will have a crippled pheasant as a pet. Many years ago when I was in high school I had a similar problem. My high school Ag teacher said our area in Wisconsin lacked nutrients in the soil that pheasants have to have. He told me to give my pheasants a cheap aluminum pie plate with cow manure in it. The problem was solved and any chicks I hatched after that were completely normal.

Thinks for replying! Will she be able to act fairly normal as she grows, and do you think the leg gain enough strength that she can walk and stand without some sort of brace?

 

[nchls school]

Thinks for replying! Will she be able to act fairly normal as she grows, and do you think the leg gain enough strength that she can walk and stand without some sort of brace?

Keep on with the band aid brace. Try to brace the leg as normally as possible. Keep the chick on a rough surface to make it easier for the bird to stand and maybe in a few days she will be able to get around without the brace. It is very important that the surface be something that is easy to stand on. Good luck

 

[nchls school]

Keep on with the band aid brace. Try to brace the leg as normally as possible. Keep the chick on a rough surface to make it easier for the bird to stand and maybe in a few days she will be able to get around without the brace. It is very important that the surface be something that is easy to stand on.

The problem may be the result of those few days with the wrong feed, but there is no way to be sure. Good luck

 

[torilovessmiles]

Thank you for your advice! I've braced the leg as normal as I can, and the chick is getting up and walking around better than it was yesterday, so hopefully she's gaining strength!

 

[nchls school]

Thank you for your advice! I've braced the leg as normal as I can, and the chick is getting up and walking around better than it was yesterday, so hopefully she's gaining strength!

That's great news. I look forward to reading about her progress. A super day to you. I've had the brace idea work in the past so just maybe...

 

[torilovessmiles]

After 2 weeks of wearing a brace with no progress, we decided to take it off. She barely moves when she has the brace on, which lead to a lot of fat gain around the breast, and I mean a LOT. Even though she can't use her left leg, she moves a lot more with the brace off, so I am leaving it off. Better a crippled leg than a crippled heart! I'll take her to the vet soon to see if they can help her any

 

[Gingerwood]

Make sure this chick is on wire at all times. I have had completely splayed legs in years past (sometimes the egg shell is too hard from grain feeding and it takes too long for the chick to hatch) but after placing on wire they can sometimes straighten themselves out. Clearly you really care for this bird and thats what it takes to be successful with pheasants. Oh I almost forgot but you probably have already put him by itself so other chicks dont sit ot walk on him causing the therapy not to take. Put just one chick with that one to help teach.Good luck, we are pulling for you. Make sure the splayed leg (knee) doesnt get stuck in the wire. Have a spot that covers the wire that will allow this chick to rest its bad leg. This is something we all go thru at some point and if it doesn't work out, you come away with the feeling in your heart you did everything possible. Have a great day!

Keith at gingerwood

 

[torilovessmiles]

Make sure this chick is on wire at all times. I have had completely splayed legs in years past (sometimes the egg shell is too hard from grain feeding and it takes too long for the chick to hatch) but after placing on wire they can sometimes straighten themselves out. Clearly you really care for this bird and thats what it takes to be successful with pheasants. Oh I almost forgot but you probably have already put him by itself so other chicks dont sit ot walk on him causing the therapy not to take. Put just one chick with that one to help teach.Good luck, we are pulling for you. Make sure the splayed leg (knee) doesnt get stuck in the wire. Have a spot that covers the wire that will allow this chick to rest its bad leg. This is something we all go thru at some point and if it doesn't work out, you come away with the feeling in your heart you did everything possible. Have a great day!

Keith at gingerwood

Thank you!
I have her on a non-slip mat type thing, rather than wire, because of her little knee being rubbed raw. Her leg now appears strangely twisted rather that splayed and points directly behind her, while the knee points forward. It's extremely strange. She can only use the leg to balance herself while hopping on her good leg.
Unfortunately I don't have any more pheasant chicks, and all of my chicken chicks are more than twice her size. They peck at her and she's not quick enough to get away. I'll update with a picture of how this chick looks soon!