Slipped Achilles Tendon I think

[Starshollow]

Hi
I just picked up 17 barbu d'uccle chicks today.
The lady told me they were a week old.
My intention was to buy 3 as a companion for a broiler that has been in the house a week and not grown much.
She said I could have the whole lot (17) for a great price and stupid me said sure.

I was with my 4 yo daughter so we quickly packed them up and when we got them home I noticed one seemed to be walking funny. I wasn't sure if it was just the way of these chicks and their funny feathered feet.


The more I observed the more I realized it was something wrong. So I searched in here and read about slipped Achilles and that seems to be it.

It's hard to see from the photo but the left side is very triangular. I will try to get a better photo when my husband is back.

I tried rolling it in and it didn't do anything. In the video I watched (it was about peafowl but same diff) it was easy bc the chick was just hatched. I feel like this is swollen and has been like this for days.

Another thing I didn't think about til I got home was they were off heat...is this a bantam thing or are they older then she says....they seem to love being under the heat tho. (They are in a xl dog crate lamp to one corner as high as I could get it.)

I have no where to seperate her to. I have 2 heat plates in my barn with my 47 broilers and the heat lamp in the house with this group.

They are very very skittish.

 

[Starshollow]

I rolled the Tendon in wrapped it straight as best I can. We put her in an aquarium beside the crate. She can't see but can hear everyone else.

Her leg was quivering like crazy. I imagine she is in a lot of pain.

Is there anything else I can do for her?

I plan to unwrap and flex it a bit tomorrow at this time and re wrap for another 24 hours.

 

[Kiki]

What's your weather like?
Heat is overrated, especially during the summer time.

Don't take this the wrong way, but if you're not confident in your leg wrapping skills, you can make the leg worse by wrapping it up.

Is the chick eating?

 

[Starshollow]

Well less then an hour later she slipped out so my wrap skill are less then zero .

The house is about 23/24ish.

To be honest I haven't sat and watched them long enough to see. Everytime I walk in they kind of just scattered to the wall. They all settle and sleep so I have seen some eating but not her necessarily.

She doesn't seem skinny even to hold her shes as big as the rest so she has been eating. She gets around on it but I imagine in a lot of pain.

It is hard bc her legs are feathered and I had a hard time sticking the tape to her without getting feathers caught.

 

[Eggcessive]

Your best bet would be to give the chick vitamins containing vitamin B2 riboflavin, or give a 1/4 tablet daily of crushed B complex. Then let the chick try to get around on her own. Some can and some cannot. Splinting can get too tight and cut off circulation sometimes, and you can end up with a dead leg.

 

[Starshollow]

Ok I will check what vitamins I have and start that in the am. Would the vit b complex I take ok?

Your best bet would be to give the chick vitamins containing vitamin B2 riboflavin, or give a 1/4 tablet daily of crushed B complex. Then let the chick try to get around on her own. Some can and some cannot. Splinting can get too tight and cut off circulation sometimes, and you can end up with a dead leg.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

If it's a slipped tendon, it's still young enough you might be able to correct it.

Splint is not the way to go. You're supposed to make them a seat like a baby walker and stretch the leg with weight so the tendon can pop back in place.

You'll need to put food and water in front of her because she is immobilized. I've seen several posts here on BYC and videos on Tiktok with set ups made from socks and disposable cups, little cardboard boxes and tunes, wire hangers or PVC pipe. Most used the toe of a sock with leg holes cut in it.

Good luck. I personally have yet to have a chick with a slipped tendon. Just splay leg.

 

[Starshollow]

Ok I will check what vitamins I have and start that in the am. Would my vi

Your best bet would be to give the chick vitamins containing vitamin B2 riboflavin, or give a 1/4 tablet daily of crushed B complex. Then let the chick try to get around on her own. Some can and some cannot. Splinting can get too tight and cut off circulation sometimes, and you can end up with a dead leg.

 

[Starshollow]

I gave her some polyvinyl this am.
The chicken chair was good in theory but she hopped right out

I got her in the sock but once I open it up to put it over she pops out.

So I have her dangling like this which will not work long term. (She is pretty cute tho.)

Am I doing any of this right? Do I let the injured leg dangle straight like that?

She fights me at every turn. I don't know if I'm doing more harm then good.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I gave her some polyvinyl this am.
The chicken chair was good in theory but she hopped right out

View attachment 3585622
I got her in the sock but once I open it up to put it over she pops out.
View attachment 3585625
So I have her dangling like this which will not work long term. (She is pretty cute tho.)

Am I doing any of this right? Do I let the injured leg dangle straight like that?

She fights me at every turn. I don't know if I'm doing more harm then good.

Yes she should dangle, but you have to weight her foot. There needs to be a force pulling her leg down and straight.

She's pretty big. Try an oversized take out beverage cup as the base. Once she's weighted, she shouldn't be able to hop out.

I would use pet wrap to attach a 2 or 3 ounce item to her foot. Don't hang it, it could impair circulation and cause swelling.

Maybe a large marble, a ball-bearing, a small stone. A lady I read about used the weight from her pressure cooker for a couple of days until her husband brought home a fishing weight.