Spraddle leg rescue from TSC

[BirdBrainBeginner]

We were at TSC picking up feed for our ducks and geese and a tractor supply employee said they had a guinea keet with a birth defect they'd give us.

I used a foam block and zip ties to lightly bind its knees and ankles in the right position and nestled it in a water bottle to keep the legs under it. I've got him settled with food and water; it's eating, drinking, and pooping.

However, I'm concerned because it seems less than a week old, but the severity of the spraddle makes me think they just left it for 3-5 days...

My concern isn't just that it might not heal, but also that we only have the one. We have ducks and geese outside, but he's just a babe and shivers away from the heat lamp. It's there anything we can do for stimulation or entertainment while it (hopefully) mends?

Can it just be a house bird and hang out with people?

I'm looking for suggestions to help it, entertain it, or worst case, humanely dispatch it if we can't help it.

Thanks.

 

[Sydney65]

The foam appears to be too long to let his feet touch the ground. The goal is for him to be able to walk while keeping the legs in the proper position, though sometimes it is so bad that having them suspended as you do is a good thing. Not sure when you started this but you want to release them from the binding after 24 hrs to see if the keet can stand on it's own. If not, replace binding. You can cut a bandaid in 1/2 lengthwise and use it.
Google Napo the guinea fowl- he lives inside w/his owner. It appears Yanni still lives inside as a pet as an adult but goes outside w/her.
I raised one inside over the winter, there's a long thread on her in here -search "Yumi". She joined the flock outside this spring. She did very well inside and transitioning outside.
Spraddle leg can be cured caught early enough and corrected. There are several threads in this site on how to do it,different methods, etc. It usualky corrects in days,

 

[R2elk]

We were at TSC picking up feed for our ducks and geese and a tractor supply employee said they had a guinea keet with a birth defect they'd give us.

I used a foam block and zip ties to lightly bind its knees and ankles in the right position and nestled it in a water bottle to keep the legs under it. I've got him settled with food and water; it's eating, drinking, and pooping.

However, I'm concerned because it seems less than a week old, but the severity of the spraddle makes me think they just left it for 3-5 days...

My concern isn't just that it might not heal, but also that we only have the one. We have ducks and geese outside, but he's just a babe and shivers away from the heat lamp. It's there anything we can do for stimulation or entertainment while it (hopefully) mends?

Can it just be a house bird and hang out with people?

I'm looking for suggestions to help it, entertain it, or worst case, humanely dispatch it if we can't help it.

Thanks.


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That appears to be perosis and not splay leg. Treating it as splay leg will not fix it. You can do a search in the Emergencies forum on how to treat slipped tendon aka perosis. The treatment is the same whether it be a chick or a keet.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

That appears to be perosis and not splay leg. Treating it as splay leg will not fix it. You can do a search in the Emergencies forum on how to treat slipped tendon aka perosis. The treatment is the same whether it be a chick or a keet.

Agree. @BirdBrainBeginner , how confident are you that your keet has splay leg rather than perosis or slipped tendon?

 

[BirdBrainBeginner]

Agree. @BirdBrainBeginner , how confident are you that your keet has splay leg rather than perosis or slipped tendon?

I don't know anything, but I think one side is spraddled and the other could be a slip tendon.

 

[Tricks farm]

Thank you for taking it home !!
We have so many tsc misfits!!

 

[BirdBrainBeginner]

Forest is in his high chair watching movies with us and eating between naps.

I'm not exactly optimistic about the hobbling but we have bigger jars and lots of meal worms if he can manage some level of controlled ambulation without distress.

 

[DeeAnn5]

I'm not familiar with this type of bird, but generally all domestic birds can be kept as an "only" so long as they spend time daily with their people, looks like he is part of the flock now. Good of you to take it. Good luck with the legs!

 

[Sydney65]

Forest is in his high chair watching movies with us and eating between naps.

I'm not exactly optimistic about the hobbling but we have bigger jars and lots of meal worms if he can manage some level of controlled ambulation without distress.

Did you see this thread? It not only gave description of slipped tendon, but tx with pictures. She said to skip to #12 where vet steps in. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/peachick-with-slipped-tendon.1092979/page-6