Slipped achilles tendon in newborn ...possible rotated femur

[renk777]

Anyone know how to treat this? I received some advice in an FB forum to place her in a teacup so that kicking would help strengthen her leg but it hasn't helped and I can't help but feel it's dislocated or deformed. I did try the teacup and she's currently in one now in the bator so that the other chicks don't sit on her (they're in the brooder). I planned to hobble her legs and was given that as advice as well, but before I did, I decided to look up leg deformities in chicks and came across pics of a slipped achilles tendon. And I'm certain that's what it is. I found a site that described fixing it by pulling upper part of leg back further than normal and then straightening leg as though in a stretch but that didn't work. I did find one vid on youtube where the woman appeared to sort of massage the tendon back in place but she doesn't talk or describe anything as she does it. I did try both methods to the best of my understanding but neither seemed to work and I fear I'm hurting the little bird. At this point, it can't stand at all and if the best option is culling, I'd rather do so before it suffers anymore. I can't imagine a dislocated joint feeling very well in a forced bend in a teacup...though it looks just as painful sticking out behind it at a gruesome angle. Can anyone offer any advice?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry, I would cull.

Is it splay leg you are describing?

I saw one person take their chick to the vet who showed them how to out the tendon back in place. I imagine it's very hard just from a video. Might be worth it if you are going to fix others in the future. Trip to my vet is around $48. I won't fix it though, so I don't need the skill.

I did try the hobble once... and got both success and failure.

Sorry.

 

[renk777]

Sorry, I would cull.

Is it splay leg you are describing?

I saw one person take their chick to the vet who showed them how to out the tendon back in place. I imagine it's very hard just from a video. Might be worth it if you are going to fix others in the future. Trip to my vet is around $48. I won't fix it though, so I don't need the skill.

I did try the hobble once... and got both success and failure.

Sorry.

Not splayed at all..pretty sure it's a slipped tendon as the result of a rotated femur. She hatched like that so I'm pretty sure it's a deformity. Our vets around here are insane...just to walk in the door is over $150 for a bird...then to be transferred to avian and exotics is another $300 something and then for treatments and meds is even more. I called to have a vet treat bumblefoot that wasn't responding to epsom salt soaks and removing the plug, treating, etc. I was floored. Ended up having to make an incision and remove the infection myself. That was not fun. But the bird healed wonderfully and didn't hold it against me. But this little one is in pain...I can tell. And when I try to manipulate it and slip the tendon on or bend the joint to hobble, she goes silent and just starts shaking which probably means it's unbearable pain. I'm crying just writing this. I think the humane option right now is to cull but it breaks my heart. What's the fastest way with such a young chick? As a child, I used to use a shovel blade to the back of the neck of animals my cats brought home that were ripped apart and still alive. I must've been 4 or 5 years old when I did that and I found it to be quick and painless. But is there a less barbaric way with young chicks? My husband usually handles dispatching so that I don't have to...I prefer to save animals. But he won't be home for hours and if she's suffering, I'd like to take care of it right away. If anyone else has dealt with this and successfully treated, please, please let me know!

 

[Eggcessive]

It probably is a leg bone deformity. Varus valgus deformity and TD (tibial dyschondroplasia) are the most common ones. In some cases when the chick grows, the hock tendon can rupture. Unfortunately, there is very little that can be done for these. Some people try remedies, such as splinting, or let the chick try to survive as well as it can, but it can be hard to get enough food and water.

You may want to go up to “search forums” or Google methods of euthanasia for chicks. Sorry that your chick has this problem.

 

[renk777]

It probably is a leg bone deformity. Varus valgus deformity and TD (tibial dyschondroplasia) are the most common ones. In some cases when the chick grows, the hock tendon can rupture. Unfortunately, there is very little that can be done for these. Some people try remedies, such as splinting, or let the chick try to survive as well as it can, but it can be hard to get enough food and water.

You may want to go up to “search forums” or Google methods of euthanasia for chicks. Sorry that your chick has this problem.

Thank you....I also posted in another FB group as per a member's suggestion and the unanimous response was to cull. I'm aware of a few different methods and I'll check out the link for future reference but for me, a knife or scissors would be impossible. I'll wrap her in a warm towel with her head out and bring her outside since it's cold and I'll use the blade of a shovel. I know that will be quick. I hate this side of chicken raising

 

[Eggcessive]

I had to euthanize 2 chicks that I hatched who were brain damaged. I used equal parts of plain vinegar and baking soda in an air tight container, such as a coffee can. It produces quick death from carbon dioxide gas within a minute or two. Others have reported using car starter fluid from an auto parts store, which is ether, and and the chick is dead quickly as in an overdose of anesthetic. No one enjoys having to put a chick down, especially me.