Update - baby chick dislocated hip - PICS

[katiek]

My 10 day old baby chick has a broken leg/dislocated knee

I came home and instead of the knee bending backwards as normal, it's bending to the side. It bends directly to the outside and the chick falls over. It will move around and stand there, then POP, out goes the knee.

I tried splinting it, but I am all alone (bf is out with the guys and won't be home tonight, ugh).

I used 2 Q-tips taped together to splint from foot to hip, but the chick just freaks out and can't stand, because it can't bend the knee. It keeps flopping all over. I'm afraid with this splint, it won't be able to get up and move around to get food and water.

What do I do?!?!?!

ETA: pics of chick's leg popping out below at post #7

 

[thechickenchick]

Poor baby! I have never had this happen before but I hope someone helps you soon. Good Luck! You sure have some cute chicks there!

 

[katiek]

Thanks, I really have no idea what happened and have no clue what to do.

 

[happyhensny]

I have a Comet that has a bum leg. She is now 1 yr old, lays eggs almost daily and is so sweet. Loves to be carried. When she was a chick people told me to cull. I am too weak-just could not do it. Her name is Wanda, as in wounded Wanda and we love her!

 

[thechickenchick]

I guess in the mean time you could water her with a dropper. Maybe feed her some mash this same way. I wish I could help. I am so sorry.

Could this be spraddle leg? I have read it here but I am not sure what it is. Maybe you could do a search here and find some info?

 

[thechickenchick]

Quote:
How sweet is that!

I am glad you decided to keep Wanda. She sounds wonderfully sweet!

 

[katiek]

I don't think it's spraddle leg, as they've never lived on anything but rough paper towels.

I took off the splint, because I'm not sure it was the right thing to do.

I've been trying to watch closer, and I can't tell if it's in the knee or the hip where it's popping out. But when it does, the knee goes out to the side, the leg turns out and the chick lumps over to that side.

Happyhensny, what was Wanda's leg like when she was young? Was she in pain?

My chick doesn't seem as alert and happy as the others. She's shaking, I'm not sure if she's scared or in pain.

Here is the best picture I could get, I'll try to get something better when it's better.

Here is the chick standing normally:

Then it pops out some:

Then it pops out some more:

 

[katiek]

Should I just leave it alone?

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

Strange. I've never seen anything like it. Could you splint it in a slightly bent position to match the way it is when when she is standing normally? Has it always been this way, or is this a new thing? Also, even though it isn't spraddle leg, some tips from spraddle leg problems might help. I used a padded cup to hold the c hi c k in an upright position while the legs were splinted together, and would take the chick out several times a day and support it while giving her the opprotunity to eat and drink.

 

[yotetrapper]

I dropped an atari on a baby chi ck once. I was set to cull it, as the leg was free swinging, but my mom was here and was freaking out LOL, so I splinted it just like you had it in your first picture. He calmed down eventually, and learned to walk with the splint. The first whole day though, he flopped and dragged himself about. You must keep him seperate so the other ones dont bother him. Within a few days, he was walking with the splint, within 2 weeks the splint was off and he was walking, but limping. Now he's a huge rooster, and doesnt limp at all. I'd put the splint back on, and seperate him.