Six hour old chick - spraddle legs?

[lemuckley_flock]

This chick is about six hours old. It hatched with no assistance and was sort of flopping funny, different than they usually do straight from the egg. I've been watching closely, and when s/he gets excited both legs start kicking and the babe ends up on his/her back, legs kicking around. S/he can't seem to get up on his/her feet at all. We tried the band aid deal, but it only just lays there on its side, unable to get up at all. I just moved a batch from the incubator to the brooder and moved this one as well. Does this look like spraddle? If so, is it normal for them to not be able to get up at all with the band aid deal at first? What should we do, if anything - does this baby have a chance, or would it be better to cull now?

 

[Kevin565]

Looks like spraddle to me. I only had one Turkey with it but unfortunately I couldn't fix it. However, many people have had success fixing it so hopefully they will chime in with some advice.

 

[chickenzoo]

Awwwwwwwwww. So cute. I would do two things
1) splint for straddle leg....make sure it is not too tight..its legs should line up vertical to its shoulders.
2) use the shot glass trick. Take a heavy narrow glass, like a tall shot glass. Take a paper towel and make a little donut and place it in the bottom of the glass. Take the chick and place the chick inside the donut with legs correctly underneath him.. The donut will help support him in the proper position so his muscles can develope. Do it a day...then see where he is....do another day if not....etc. take out for him to eat and drink then put back... Make sure he stays warm but not cooks in there...

 

[lemuckley_flock]

Thanks. It appears as though another chick has the same problem - it just hatched an hour ago and is still in the incubator, but s/he has the same leg deal. On a positive, s/he seems more active and is able to hold his body upright, where the first was just flopping over on its side. The first one is NOT splinted right now because I was unsure what to do...I just checked and for the first time it is able to get its body over its legs, so I'm happy. The new one will stay in the incubator until the morning most likely, so after I get the kids on the bus I'll be mommy doctor and fix them both up.

Two in one hatch...problems with our temps or humidity I guess, although I monitored both closely and both stayed right where I wanted them. The only thing I can come up with is the age of the eggs. They both hatched from eggs that were laid on 8-19 but not put in the incubator until 8-30 (long story). That said, I've had several others hatch from eggs laid on the 19th and the 20th who are fine.

 

[chickenzoo]

The quicker it is done the better the recovery...... Often shorter legged chickens have this trouble, their little legs don't get the full range of exercise.