Splay leg chick unable to walk when splinted. What do I do?

Jada22

Songster
Feb 24, 2022
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does this “splint” look wrong?
he refuses to walk with the splint on- he will just fall to the ground and keep screaming until I pick him up and then he falls again, not even attempting to walk, he’s fallen on his back a few times so I can’t leave him like this. I actually removed the splint now.
He can get around fine on the splayed legs but obviously I want to try fix them.
I put my hand by his back to try support him and encourage him to walk but he barely tries, I kept at this for about 20 minutes. He is content with my hand on his back and will just sit there. I try to encourage him to move but he only tries to walk on his toes. He is not weak- without the splint he runs around on the splayed legs.
I tried this also last night.
He’s not the only chick with splayed legs (unsure what caused it) but the others are splinted and getting around fine.
Unsure if I should just keep putting on the splint for short periods of time- will it help at all if he’s then running around on splayed legs?
I’m Worried that it’s too cold for cup therapy but he didn’t do much in the cup either…
 

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It's too big. Try trimming the wrap to a skinny width or using just one width of the wrap and tape it closed instead of a knot.
Tried that and after a few minutes it comes loose and his legs are back to splayed position
 
When I had a chick with splayed legs I started out with wrapping the legs further apart and every day I decreased the distance in between the legs until they were at the width they should be. This took about a week or so for my chick. After I took the splint off for good she still had a tiny bit of a hobble but after two weeks or so she strengthened her legs up enough to walk perfectly normal now. I used the self adhesive vet wrap and cut it to about 1/4" thick. They will make a huge fuss about being in the splint but you just have to let them learn.

As you can see in this photo I started out with barely splinting the legs (it helps to have something like a shelf liner on the bottom to help them grip onto the floor). Her splay leg was so bad she couldn't stand up so I had to syringe feed her a raw egg/electrolyte/water mixture for the first 2 days.
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This was after a couple of days, her legs still weren't perfectly straight but definitely a lot better (put food on the floor so she could eat easier).
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After 2 days with her legs completely straight like this in the splint I took it off and checked to see if she could get around easily on her own before re-introducing her to the other chicks.
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IMG_6659.JPG


The rest of the pictures are of her completely healed and growing up into a perfectly normal hen who runs, jumps, and everything.
IMG_6725.jpg

IMG_0082.JPG

IMG_1937.JPG
 
When I had a chick with splayed legs I started out with wrapping the legs further apart and every day I decreased the distance in between the legs until they were at the width they should be. This took about a week or so for my chick. After I took the splint off for good she still had a tiny bit of a hobble but after two weeks or so she strengthened her legs up enough to walk perfectly normal now. I used the self adhesive vet wrap and cut it to about 1/4" thick. They will make a huge fuss about being in the splint but you just have to let them learn.

As you can see in this photo I started out with barely splinting the legs (it helps to have something like a shelf liner on the bottom to help them grip onto the floor). Her splay leg was so bad she couldn't stand up so I had to syringe feed her a raw egg/electrolyte/water mixture for the first 2 days.
View attachment 3404967

This was after a couple of days, her legs still weren't perfectly straight but definitely a lot better (put food on the floor so she could eat easier).
View attachment 3404970

After 2 days with her legs completely straight like this in the splint I took it off and checked to see if she could get around easily on her own before re-introducing her to the other chicks.
View attachment 3404973
View attachment 3404974

The rest of the pictures are of her completely healed and growing up into a perfectly normal hen who runs, jumps, and everything.
View attachment 3404978
View attachment 3404979
View attachment 3404980
Thank you. I will try this
 
Tiny piece of straw. Cut to fit between legs. Small rubber band.

Tie knot in middle of rubber band. Each loop should be similar size. Maybe a few knots depending on size of band.

Put knitted band thru straw piece. Now slide each loop over a foot of splay leg chick. Keeps the legs together…yet separate. Any we have done this to can walk pretty well.

Also good traction on floor. Puppy pee pad or as noted, shelf liner.
 
Tiny piece of straw. Cut to fit between legs. Small rubber band.

Tie knot in middle of rubber band. Each loop should be similar size. Maybe a few knots depending on size of band.

Put knitted band thru straw piece. Now slide each loop over a foot of splay leg chick. Keeps the legs together…yet separate. Any we have done this to can walk pretty well.

Also good traction on floor. Puppy pee pad or as noted, shelf liner.

An illustration -- the elastic band here being a hair tie. (Chick is also wearing a tape "shoe" for curled toes).

0310221958a-jpg.3020853
 

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