Spraddle Leg - Splay Leg Treatment Instructions

[Chrystal Dawn]

I have a week old chick that was walking with a bit of a limp but is now just kind of waddling on her "knees" and uses her wings to balance. Her legs are not sprawled out like the pictures I've seen of splayed leg. She sort of holds her butt in the air and waddles with her legs under her. Would this be the same thing? The reason I ask is because her legs are together....they just don't seem to be doing their job. Any suggestions are welcome! I would go ahead and try the band aid thing but if it's not going to help, I'd rather not because she's a silkie mix and I don't want to be pulling feathers off of her legs and causing more stress and discomfort.

 

[Eggcessive]

Vitamins may help your chick--PolyViSol baby vitamins 1-2 drops a day by mouth WalMart and drug stores.) This is a good site for leg issues: https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[Chrystal Dawn]

I'll try it . Been using sav a chick. Thank you

 

[PoultryPedia]

Make sure you get the children's vitamins that do NOT have added iron.

Hobbles probably wouldn't help in her case, I'd think.

I would put her in a short small glass or cup for a period of time several times a day. She will exercise the needed muscles pushing upwards with her legs, trying to get out of the glass.
You can also hold a little treat above her head so she pushes up with her legs, working to grab the treat.

Best wishes

 

[Chrystal Dawn]

Thank you! I'll try that this afternoon. She doesn't care too much about treats yet but she loves me so she'll probably work to get to me. I appreciate the information. Thank you so much.

 

[Liane]

Can I use this method with an adolescent chick? I took him to the vet when he was 2 weeks old, but vet said I should just put him down. I didn't. He hops around on his elbows. I'm afraid he will get too big and get ulcerations on his abdomen.

 

[Chrystal Dawn]

Maybe I should stop reading every article I can find on chick leg problems because maybe I'm getting paranoid but I found a peafowl site that said it could be from them getting too much protien. Has anyone ever heard of this? I did feed her raw egg mixed them Manna Pro Medicated chick starter the first 3 days because she was so weak. She's now eating the chick feed and drinking Manna ProLife Lytes. She is very healthy looking and active now, aside from the leg issue of course, and her feathers are coming in beautifully. I'm at work right now so I'm not able to do anything until I get home. =( I'm going to get the baby vitamins no iron on the way home and put her in a cup when I get home. Should I splint her legs?? I'm sorry for asking a million questions...this is my first hatchling and I want her to make it and live a happy healthy life! Her mom is a Houdan named Annette and her dad is a silkie named Django (well, it was Jane Gay but then ERR ERR ERR ER ERRRRR!!!).

 

[Chrystal Dawn]

Just got home and gave her the baby vitamins and I tried the cup thing but she just crouched in it after about a minute. Couldn't care less about treats or me. I took some pictures of her legs.

 

[PoultryPedia]

It looks like her legs are actually twisted & she probably couldn't stand correctly if she tried right now.

Based on the photos, I would say there is a very good possibility she has Perosis and the Achilles Tendons in both hocks have slipped out of place. You can read about treating this on the Poultry Podiatry page on my website linked in my sig below. You should treat her ASAP!! The tendons need to get put back in place before they shorten up too much.

 

[RochfoKev]

I had a chick with spaddled legs, its legs above its head and looked like it was swimming when trying to move, i searched and found this thread and used the method in the opening post.
I put the band aid on its legs and back into the brooder, for a few minutes it kept falling over on its side so i kept picking it up, after a few more minutes it could stay upright although falling back on its bottom. Maybe after 10 minutes it started jumping around the brooder a little bit. Over the next week i could so the legs getting stronger every day and the chick moving around better, after 1 week i removed the band aid and the chick seemed fine, although when it stood the feet pointed out slightly more than the other chicks.
The chick is 2 weeks old now and running around the brooder the same as the other chicks and the feet are pointing in the right direction, I'm really glad it pulled through, I'm just hoping its not a Roo, lol