Slipped tendon at hatch?

[Naolove]

Hey everyone! I had a chick hatch out yesterday in the bator that had a bent leg from the second she came out. She is unable to straighten it herself I can stretch it backwards and get it mostly straight but not completely. Can they hatch with a slipped tendon? Or would it be more likely to be a birth defect?

She gets around decently well and is ruling the incubator so I'm not planning on culling unless she starts showing signs of pain. I have a couple other disabled hens and a rooster so she can add into their pen.

I am going to try to get some pictures of her this afternoon to show you guys what it looks like if that would be helpful. They hatched out on paper towel surface if that helps give any ideas. Thank you if anyone has any advice or ideas!

 

[Quarterhorses1]

Hey everyone! I had a chick hatch out yesterday in the bator that had a bent leg from the second she came out. She is unable to straighten it herself I can stretch it backwards and get it mostly straight but not completely. Can they hatch with a slipped tendon? Or would it be more likely to be a birth defect?

She gets around decently well and is ruling the incubator so I'm not planning on culling unless she starts showing signs of pain. I have a couple other disabled hens and a rooster so she can add into their pen.

I am going to try to get some pictures of her this afternoon to show you guys what it looks like if that would be helpful. They hatched out on paper towel surface if that helps give any ideas. Thank you if anyone has any advice or ideas!

I’d guess a birth defect. Pics would be great!

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

I had to take care of a slipped tendon chick for about a week, unfortunately it passed away despite my efforts but that's apart of chicken keeping sometimes. When that happened I hardly could find any info or videos about it or what to do. I had to pretty much figure it out myself. Here's one video I found that determined my chick had slipped tendon. The video says fixing slipped tendon on a turkey but it would be the exact same for a chick.

 

[Naolove]

Here is her curled leg. She does cry if you try to stretch it but it's very very frozen in the bend so I'm not wanting to force it back too far. I have felt for a tendon but I don't feel what I've seen described. However this is the first time I've delt with this so I might be feeling for something not correctly

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

To see if it's slipped tendon, she may not like it but take the injured leg in a position like a chicken stretched out which is straight back. Then where the leg bends you will feel and see the difference of tendon placement. The tendon is supposed to sit straight going over the joint and straight down. You may just have to try to feel around if it seems to be a slipped tendon. If it is when you move it, the tendon will pop in and out of place. Here's another video demonstrating that so you know what to look for.

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

See how she was able to put it back in place, it can very easily pop back out of place so you will need to vet wrap it or use self-adhesive tape which is what I used to try to maintain a fixed position. If slipped tendon doesn't get fixed when they are young, when they grow, the bone will eventually cut the tendon.

 

[Naolove]

See how she was able to put it back in place, it can very easily pop back out of place so you will need to vet wrap it or use self-adhesive tape which is what I used to try to maintain a fixed position. If slipped tendon doesn't get fixed when they are young, when they grow, the bone will eventually cut the tendon.

Omg thank you so much for the video! I'm going to try that when I get home from work and see if I can work with her if it's that or maybe get some insight if it's a deformity. Thank you!

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Omg thank you so much for the video! I'm going to try that when I get home from work and see if I can work with her if it's that or maybe get some insight if it's a deformity. Thank you!

No problem!

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

@Naolove, how is the chick doing today?

 

[Naolove]

@Naolove, how is the chick doing today?

I'm fairly certain it was a birth defect. Myself and my neighbor that has chickens tried to get the tendon to move and it wouldn't. So she just has a short leg. So far she is my most active and healthy chick, she gets around hoping just as well as the others on 2 legs and I've just been watching for signs of stress. If she becomes in pain or starts having issues I'll put her down but as long as she seems good I'm going to keep supporting her. I do therapy with her daily to try to keep the joint from completly freezing up