Slipped Tendon in 4 Day Old Chick...Any Hope?

[speckledhen]

joletabey just left here with 16 Del chicks and 1 Orp, but before she arrived, possibly sometime overnight, one of the Del chicks developed a slipped tendon (not spraddle leg) this morning or last night, so we kept it, and Tom is trying to see if he can splint it before we decide we have to cull it. Only had one slipped tendon in a chick before, a BR cockerel about 3 weeks old, and we culled it. Not sure if there is any way for this one to be fixed. The joint at the top of the leg just pops forward and seems painful. Poor little thing would have been knocked flat by the rambunctious Dels. Tom cut a drinking straw and wrapped it around the leg, including the joint, and taped it to see if it's held in place for awhile, if it will fix itself or become stronger. Could be just a freak congenital defect. Can't be a vitamin deficiency since the chicks get vitamins in their water, alternating with ACV and fresh with each change. So, I have a lonely chirping baby still here.

We will probably have to cull, but wanted to ask if anyone had ever fixed a slipped tendon in a chick this age before.

 

[Yvonne37894]

Never had one with a slipped tendon, I wonder if a joint supplement would help. keeping it from moving would let it heal.
good luck

 

[Wildsky]

If anyone can do it - you can!

 

[al6517]

Good luck, hope it works.

 

[kittyacid]

I had the same thing happen to the first chicks I ordered from MPC. Here is my original post (titled almost exactly like yours!) with the rescue detailed. Violet is 21 weeks old now and you would never know her tendon ever slipped!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=201834

 

[speckledhen]

Aw, I just lost my Violet this year to internal laying/infection. Glad yours made it!! I'll go check out your thread now.
Just read the thread and I appreciate your input!Thank you so much! We'll try the vetwrap. Still, here I am with one lone chick again. Was looking forward to having my DR table back to quilt on.

Well, if I can fix the leg, maybe I can find her a home with a BYCer.

 

[speckledhen]

We did the vetwrap this afternoon, but tonight when we checked, the foot is very swollen at the ankle area, even though we didn't have it on tight. We removed the vetwrap. Poor little thing. Have to keep on trying.

 

[chickygirl2]

Now , this is going to sound strange, I know. I have had a few over the last few years with this condition. Up until the last one, I could never help them. The last time, I tried something different and it worked. I wrapped the chick in vet wrap from the waist down and stood it "straight" up in a container. - kind like they were a little mummy, if you know what I mean. After a couple days of this , the leg seemed to slip into the proper position. I hope you an help the little guy : )

 

[speckledhen]

That's interesting. We have a bandaid wrapped around its leg right now. The joint is red and swollen, we noticed when we put on this new bandage. Sure hope it helps. This chick is so personable and just sings and chatters all the time. It loves being in my DH's shirt pocket, LOL.

 

[seminolewind]

How did the chick turn out?