Splayed legs & curled toes

[Northwood Silkies]

I have a 1 day old chick that has curled toes & splayed legs. Should i try to fix it or should i cull? If i cull, how do you cull a chick?

Thanks

 

[Zahboo]

I would use a bandaid to hobble the legs and tape the toes/glue the toes to cardboard. I think people have had too much success with the two issues to cull without trying something.

 

[pgpoultry]

I agree entirely with the last posting. They are simple measures which can allow a seemingly crippled chick be up and running about normally in a few days,


Good Luck,

Sandie

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I'd cull it. The toe and leg problems may be genetic or it may not. No way to know for sure. I believe we should be breeding to improve what we have not simply hatching anything that can.

A bit of paper toweling in the bottom of a plastic butter tub is what is needed. Put the chick inside, give him a good spray of engine starter fluid (it's mostly ether - an anesthetic) then seal on the lid. He'll gradually go to sleep then expire. In ten minutes you can dispose of the carcass.

It's your call.

 

[buffbeauty]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=41693 - first post has good pic of bandaid splints for splay legs
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=325995 - good pic of bandaid boots for curled toes
http://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces - good ortho care page

Good Luck - Its worth a try. The toes straighten right up in a couple of days and the legs take a few days be patient and it should work. They also suggest polyvisol without iron (found in vitamin section and walmart, etc) to help incase its a vitamin deficient problem as well.

 

[Slater1995]

Quote:
I had a button quail with the leg issue. I made little shackles out of vet wrap and put them on his legs. I made it so that his legs would be spaced right so if he got up and started walking it would correct the problem.

I put him back in the brooder and he flopped around like no tomorrow. I felt really bad, but when I got up the next morning, he was running around like nothing was wrong. In a few days he didn't even know the little shakles were there. I took them off after 7 days and today i don't even know which baby it was.

Hope this helps.

 

[Northwood Silkies]

Thanks so much for all your help. I think i will do the band-aid thing for it's legs and feet and see what happens. Hope i don't have to cull the poor guy. I would hate to do that :-(

 

[kla37]

I had a chick with curled toes, and used the band aid boot to straighten the toes out. It worked like a charm! I used the thick ends of a waterproof baid aid, and she's now 6 weeks old and you'd never know which one she is! It's worth a try, esp if you got them for pets/eggs and won't be breeding it. A lot can go wrong that has to to with incubation instead of genetics.

 

[Zahboo]

Just remember the sooner you do it the more likely it will work and the less time it has to war the hobbles/boots!

 

[Northwood Silkies]

Well, Unfortunately the band-aid and having something on his feet at the same time didn't work well. He can't even stand what so ever. Which means if he can't stand and move around somewhat then he can't eat or drink.
I have decided to cull him

I think it's best.. I hate having to do this but sometimes you need to let nature take it's course.
Thanks so much for all the info...