SPRADDLED?

Rare Feathers Farm

Crowing
11 Years
Apr 1, 2008
13,102
89
326
Pleasant Valley, (Okanogan) WA
My Coop
My Coop
I had 7 BEAUTIFUL Golden Laced Cochins hatch out on Saturday....

However, one of the babies was HUGE and had a hard hatch. I waited until it was pretty much dry and then I put it into my rubbermaid brooder.

I use shelf liner in there for the first few days, along with the heat lamp. The shelf liner is a little squishy, but has little holes in it and doesn't slip.

Anyway, I noticed this chick had weird legs--that almost stuck straight out on either side of it's body--like it's doing the splits?

I read in the McMurray catalog that's called "Spraddle" and it happens when heavy, meat birds are housed on paper?? It also said, "A spraddled chick is a dead chick." This chick was never on paper....

How else is this caused? Is it best to cull it now? My husband offered to dispose of it, but also suggested I give it more time. It is eating/drinking/pooping and lively....

And this morning, one of them (a "normal" one) was dead....which I understand happens...

Any/all advice would be appreciated....
 
So--is it too late if it was born on Saturday?
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All that looks like is a piece of foam....?

I'll try that tonight, if it's not too late. It's probably a roo, anyway...
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but we don't eat our birds....so he may end up as a pet (but don't tell hubby that!)

What causes this? Is it genetic?
 
You can also just use a band aid.

Cut a standard-sized band aid lengthwise to make it narrower (depending on the size of the chicks)

Then wrap one side of the adhesive strip around one leg and then the other side of the bandaid around the other leg. The cotton pad should be in the middle between the two legs.

Did that make sense?? It should pull the legs into a more normal position and give the chick a chance to get on it's feet.

It's not 100% effective, but definately CAN work.
 
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Yeah, that makes sense....I'm going to try the sponge thing tonight (I'm at work right now). The baby is active, eating/pooping and I dipped it's beak into the water yesterday and this morning...so it's trying to live...

Do you put it in a deep bowl or something after it's taped/sponged? I don't want the others to pick on it (they're not, yet)...but still...and I don't want it to get too hot....

Also, this one's legs are REALLY straight out from it's body....is that too serious to try to fix? How hard do I bend them back into place? I sort of moved them around on Saturday and the baby was crying....but I'm not sure if it was in pain, or just being dramatic...
 
My chick had 1 leg as far out as it can get. I put a bandaid on this morning and pulled the leg in about halfway. I checked it a short while ago and the baby was standing! I put a newbandaid on puling the leg in to normal position. It's standing well and walking (as well as it can hobbled), so I'll try taking it off in a couple of hours to see if its permanent.
 

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