splayed leg in 3-4 week old chick

[pickchic]

Hello,
I just joined so this is all new to me. Raising chickens is new to me as well. Long story short my daughter brought a 3-4 wk old chick home that according to our research has splayed legs. Is she too old to help rehabilitate? We tried attaching "flip flops" to help straighten her toes as well as hobble her legs & the first 2-3 days she's was able to stand & even take a few steps. She has since stopped trying to stand & is content to lay & eat, etc. We do have her spoiled but would like to know what we can do if anything to help her be able to stand & walk? Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Usually chicks do best with a hobble for splay legs at a day or two old. I'm not sure how she has survived this long without treatment, or do you think she has just developed the problem? I would give her poultry vitamins daily in her water or food. The you can try splay leg treatment by trying to use vet wrap to bring her legs gradually together, but I'm afraid that it could be painful so late in the game. I hope you can help her. Google the site: Poultry Pedia Podiatry or splay leg chicken for more help.

 

[pickchic]

Thank you so much for replying! The person that had her said she was not born like that. I'm not really sure. We have hobbled her legs but she still doesn't stand on her own. We do "physical therapy" several times a day. She is eating & drinking well & doesn't seem to be in any pain. She is spoiled. We will continue to work with her legs in hopes of her being able to stand. Thank you for the website. I will definitely look into it!

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she have any other symptoms such as lying on her side, or flipping over onto her back. Any signs of tremors or shaking if you hold her onto her back?

 

[pickchic]

No tremors or shaking. When we first hobbled her legs she would flip on her back when she tried to move. Since we have been working with her legs she has stopped flipping on her back & now lays with he regs under her & sometimes they slip out to the side. If we let her legs loose she will lay upright with her legs spread out in strange directions. Usually one to the back or side & the other to the other side.

 

[Eggcessive]

I was wondering if she could have avian encephalomyelitis(AE,) a virus that causes lameness and tremors, and affects chicks just after hatch. Also, Mareks disease can cause symptoms as young as 3 weeks, but is more common up to 25 weeks old. Here is some reading about each of those, although I'm hoping that it is just a vitamin deficiency or a slpay leg:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/9/avian-encephalomyelitis-epidemic-tremors/

 

[pickchic]

Thank you so much for the links. I will look into them. I've talked to several people & the general consensus is that her legs may not get better & she may never be able to walk. At this point we are going to continue to work with her legs but I'm thinking I will soon need to remove the hobble/vet wrap, so that she can simply learn how to scoot around to be able to get to her food & water. She seems very happy being tended to so I'm hoping she'll be content in a separate pen within the coop so that no other chickens can hurt her. As long as she can manage in her pen & doesn't seem to be in any pain we'd like to keep her even if it means extra work on our part. She's the sweetest little bird. Thank you again for all your help. I really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

 

[mleena]

Curious if you could update what you decided to do with your little hen with leg issues? I have a silkie chick who at 3 weeks all of a sudden had the same symptoms- legs in funky directions and unable to stand. I separated her & have been treating with vitamins. After a week on her own she is willing to try her legs again but can only do a few steps at a time. She is eating and drinking well but for sure would end up trampled if she was in with her clutch mates. I know it has been 3 years since your post but would love an update if you care to share!