Silkie Chick with strange legs?

[angela hernandez]

Haven’t posted here in a while, but I haven’t seen this before with any of my past experiences. This little one started hatching early this morning and was out of their egg by this afternoon, but it seems to have trouble walking and keeps splaying its legs like this. Is he just getting used to his new body or is it something else? Any solutions?

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello!

That looks like splayed leg… the good news is that it’s easily treatable, especially since he just hatched.

There are several ways to treat it. You can use a bandaid or medical tape to pull the legs together so that they stay in their correct position while it heals. You can also put him in a very narrow box that he can’t turn around in to keep his legs under him. Another option is to use a small rubber band of an appropriate size, tie a knot in the middle so that there are two loops, and stick each leg through its own loop. This is what I do whenever my chicks get splayed leg, and it has always worked for me. Make sure it’s not too tight though, or else it can hurt the chick and cause further damage to its legs. Not too loose either, or the treatment will be ineffective.

Splayed leg is often caused by a newly hatched chick slipping on a smooth surface. What incubator do you use? Does it have a smooth or slippery floor?

 

[angela hernandez]

Hello!

That looks like splayed leg… the good news is that it’s easily treatable, especially since he just hatched.

There are several ways to treat it. You can use a bandaid or medical tape to pull the legs together so that they stay in their correct position while it heals. You can also put him in a very narrow box that he can’t turn around in to keep his legs under him. Another option is to use a small rubber band of an appropriate size, tie a knot in the middle so that there are two loops, and stick each leg through its own loop. This is what I do whenever my chicks get splayed leg, and it has always worked for me. Make sure it’s not too tight though, or else it can hurt the chick and cause further damage to its legs. Not too loose either, or the treatment will be ineffective.

Splayed leg is often caused by a newly hatched chick slipping on a smooth surface. What incubator do you use? Does it have a smooth or slippery floor?

Hello! Thank you for the advice! I had a broody hen who was laying on about 8 eggs, but this little guy and two others were behind the rest and momma got up and left to care for the ones who had already hatched, so I had to buy a last minute incubator at tractors supply The only one in my budget they had was the little starter styrofoam one, the bottom is like a plastic mesh material

 

[ChickNanny13]

https://poultrydvm.com/condition/splayed-leg
cup therarpy for splayed leg

Get some Poultry Cell vitamins, try some boiled egg yolk mixed with chick starter (moister to make a mash), you can also try the band aid brace or I just learned of the mug/cup method that I came across. Nutritional therapy and put the chick in a cup, it will work its legs trying to get out & at the same time keeping the legs "together".

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello! Thank you for the advice! I had a broody hen who was laying on about 8 eggs, but this little guy and two others were behind the rest and momma got up and left to care for the ones who had already hatched, so I had to buy a last minute incubator at tractors supply The only one in my budget they had was the little starter styrofoam one, the bottom is like a plastic mesh material

It’s alright, your chick should be just fine after you fix him up!

If you do a bandaid or rubber band brace or other method then I would suggest leaving it on for about 24-48 hours… that’s usually all that mine needed! Some even took less time, but I left it on for a little longer just to make sure that their legs were completely healed. Hope this helps!

 

[angela hernandez]

It’s alright, your chick should be just fine after you fix him up!

If you do a bandaid or rubber band brace or other method then I would suggest leaving it on for about 24-48 hours… that’s usually all that mine needed! Some even took less time, but I left it on for a little longer just to make sure that their legs were completely healed. Hope this helps!

Definitely! Thank you so much

 

[Es_In_Miami]

Haven’t posted here in a while, but I haven’t seen this before with any of my past experiences. This little one started hatching early this morning and was out of their egg by this afternoon, but it seems to have trouble walking and keeps splaying its legs like this. Is he just getting used to his new body or is it something else? Any solutions?

Splayed. Treat quickly, this is the best window to correct it. Good luck with this little one.