Spraddle leg chick, how do I make a Band-Aid brace?

[cicene mete]

I went to TSC today to get chickenwire and came home with a sick baby chick instead. She has spraddle leg, and I know that other people have had success making a brace out of Band-Aids, but I don't know how to do it. Can someone help me with this?

I used the search feature, but I guess I'm not using the right terms or something because I've got a lot of references to it, but no directions.

thanks!

 

[TaLani]

See if this helps: http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html

 

[horsejody]

Take a bandaid and cut it in half horizontally so you have 2 long skinny strips. Use just one strip. The width of the cotton part is the proper width for the legs to be separated so put that in the middle and wrap the 2 sides around the legs just below the hocks. Don't worry if he can't walk right away. It takes them a bit to figure it out. Just make sure he isn't laying on his back. He made need them for a couple of days or even a week.

 

[cicene mete]

Thanks guys

. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

read my article on orthopedics made easy at top of this page

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
Where?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Where?

Here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=164672

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

Orthopedics for Poultry Made Easy for Beginners POSTED WITH PERMISSION BY GLENDA HEYWOOD
"D. C. Townsend" <[email protected]>

http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/1 onto your browser location bar. It IS there
D C T
ORTHOPEDICS FOR POULTRY MADE EASY FOR BEGINNERS
By D.C. Townsend

These treatments have been tested and proven effective. I developed them for peafowl but they
may be used for any poultry. The key to success is to begin treatment promptly. In some cases delay
will kill or cripple the chick.

CROOKED TOES
Sometimes a peachick hatches with toes rolled into a fist. They may straighten out on their own
in the first day of life. If they do not do so, I make a CHICK SHOE (see illustration below) from
black pipe cleaner available in the crafts department at Wal-Mart. I use black ones because
bright colors are more likely to be pecked by other peachicks. One packet of Westrim Crafts Chenille
stems costs 89 cents and will last for years. Any kind of half inch wide tape can be used to attach the CHICK SHOE to the toes, but I prefer Johnson and Johnson First Aid clear tape. I cut a piece a quarter inch long for the middle toe. I cut another piece the same length and split into two quarter inch-wide pieces for the other toes. Eight hours of treatment is usually enough time to end the problem on a day-old peachick.

CHICK SHOE
Not Actual Size
HALF SHOE
Not Actual Size
In the 1995 hatch, I had a number of peachicks with a kink in the outer toe of one or both feet.
They were well past a week old when I decided that I must do something about it. I made HALF SHOES of black pipe cleaner. I tore off a quarter inch-wide stripe of duck tape several inches long and secured
the HALF SHOE to the middle and the outer toe. Several days of treatment were needed. Some of the
HALF SHOES came off and had to be taped on again, but all treated peachicks had straight toes at the
end of the treatment. There is a young peacock that I missed treating. Now it is too late and he will
always have a kink in his outer toe.

STRADDLE LEGS
This problem can occur even if you take the precaution of having quarter inch hardware cloth
under your peachicks. Sometimes it is caused by the struggles of a chick with its toes rolled into
fists. In that case, both problems must be treated at the same time. I cut a piece of tape four or
five inches long and from the HOBBLE BRACE with the legs far enough apart so that the peachick can walk. The tape must go the whole way around and cover its sticky side so that it does not stick to the
peachick's fuzz when it sits down. Usually 24 hours of treatment is sufficient, but sometimes more is
required. CHICK SHOES and the HOBBLE BRACE can be used at the same time.

HOBBLE BRACE
ACHILLES TENDON OUT OF THE GROOVE
When the Achilles tendon slips out of the groove on the hock joint, a peachick will not be able to
straighten its leg. The problem needs prompt attention because the struggling peachick will put
its weight on the hock joint which will damage the skin and cause swelling in the joint. The tendon
can be pushed back in place with just one finger or a very gentle squeeze between the thumb and index
finger. Sometimes just one treatment will give a complete cure that seems like a miracle. Other
times several treatments are needed. Stubborn cases require advanced treatment that is too difficult to
explain here. I treated both legs of a peachick for two weeks; She grew up to be a healthy peahen.

RELATED MATERIAL: ORDER THE VIDEO! The author of this article has an instructional video available. It would be prudent to order yours today and have it on hand BEFORE you actually need it. To order your VHS video, send a check or money order for $25.00 made payable to: D.C. Townsend. PO
BOX 11. Kite, GA. 31049-0011

This article was originally published in the May/June issue of the Peacock Journal. All rights
reserved. Used with permission.
Glenda L Heywood Brookings SD
Now living in
Glenda L Heywood Cassville Missouri

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

Glenda Heywood is now posting to this answer to the question on BACKYARD POULTRY
an article that is posted else where on BACKYARD POULTRY
so these readers can read my article on this subject.

Orthopedics for Poultry Made Easy for Beginners
>

http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/1
D C T
ORTHOPEDICS FOR POULTRY MADE EASY FOR BEGINNERS
By D.C. Townsend

These treatments have been tested and proven effective. I developed them for peafowl but they
may be used for any poultry. The key to success is to begin treatment promptly. In some cases delay
will kill or cripple the chick.

CROOKED TOES
Sometimes a peachick hatches with toes rolled into a fist. They may straighten out on their own
in the first day of life. If they do not do so, I make a CHICK SHOE (see illustration below) from
black pipe cleaner available in the crafts department at Wal-Mart. I use black ones because
bright colors are more likely to be pecked by other peachicks. One packet of Westrim Crafts Chenille
stems costs 89 cents and will last for years. Any kind of half inch wide tape can be used to attach the CHICK SHOE to the toes, but I prefer Johnson and Johnson First Aid clear tape. I cut a piece a quarter inch long for the middle toe. I cut another piece the same length and split into two quarter inch-wide pieces for the other toes. Eight hours of treatment is usually enough time to end the problem on a day-old peachick.

CHICK SHOE
Not Actual Size
HALF SHOE
Not Actual Size
In the 1995 hatch, I had a number of peachicks with a kink in the outer toe of one or both feet.
They were well past a week old when I decided that I must do something about it. I made HALF SHOES of black pipe cleaner. I tore off a quarter inch-wide stripe of duck tape several inches long and secured
the HALF SHOE to the middle and the outer toe. Several days of treatment were needed. Some of the
HALF SHOES came off and had to be taped on again, but all treated peachicks had straight toes at the
end of the treatment. There is a young peacock that I missed treating. Now it is too late and he will
always have a kink in his outer toe.

STRADDLE LEGS
This problem can occur even if you take the precaution of having quarter inch hardware cloth
under your peachicks. Sometimes it is caused by the struggles of a chick with its toes rolled into
fists. In that case, both problems must be treated at the same time. I cut a piece of tape four or
five inches long and from the HOBBLE BRACE with the legs far enough apart so that the peachick can walk. The tape must go the whole way around and cover its sticky side so that it does not stick to the
peachick's fuzz when it sits down. Usually 24 hours of treatment is sufficient, but sometimes more is
required. CHICK SHOES and the HOBBLE BRACE can be used at the same time.

HOBBLE BRACE
ACHILLES TENDON OUT OF THE GROOVE
When the Achilles tendon slips out of the groove on the hock joint, a peachick will not be able to
straighten its leg. The problem needs prompt attention because the struggling peachick will put
its weight on the hock joint which will damage the skin and cause swelling in the joint. The tendon
can be pushed back in place with just one finger or a very gentle squeeze between the thumb and index
finger. Sometimes just one treatment will give a complete cure that seems like a miracle. Other
times several treatments are needed. Stubborn cases require advanced treatment that is too difficult to
explain here. I treated both legs of a peachick for two weeks; She grew up to be a healthy peahen.

RELATED MATERIAL

This article was originally published in the May/June issue of the Peacock Journal. All rights
reserved. Used with permission.
Glenda L Heywood Cassville Missouri 1-20-2016

Edited by Staff

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

Orthopedics for Poultry Made Easy for Beginners
BACKYARD POULTRY
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/164672/orthopedics-for-poultry-made-easy-for-beginners
thanks Glenda Heywood
click on url