UPDATE: Slipped tendon in 4-day old bantam chick - any hope?

[kittyacid]

Thanks! I'm such a wimp.

I feel like you are my new best friend!!

 

[chickenzoo]

I've gone to many a friends house to help them with their birds, LOL. You are not alone. We all started out somewhere in the wimp department. I was afraid of needles, now chickens have me giving shots, setting broken bones, mending toes , squeezing junk I'd never thought I'd stomach , LOL

 

[kittyacid]

I think something great just happened. I was watching Violet hobble along on the wrapped leg. It kinda sticks out and she doesn't really walk on it, just pegs along. Then she did that cute little leg stretch thing that they do. I am praying that I interpreted it right - it did look intentional and not stressed. I almost started singing I was so happy. Maybe I actually got the thing on there right!

Just in time too - I had just hit the bottom of the ice cream container!!

 

[chickenzoo]

 

[chickensioux]

Sounds like things are looking up. You'll be surprised at how they adapt. I bet it'll be as good as new soon. Good luck.

 

[jenni2142]

I would recommend a slight bend to the leg. I had a chick with severe spraddle and made the mistake of splinting it straight. A chick stands with a slight bend to the leg so I used a pipe cleaner on either side of the tendon. Unfortunately it was too late, the first few days completely straight messed up her bones and she had to be put down.

 

[kittyacid]

To wrap with a bend, would I have to wrap above and below the joint, leaving it exposed in back? Otherwise, I think the bandage will straighten the joint when I wrap it.

 

[kittyacid]

Violet is doing great! She keeps up with the other bantam chick just fine, eats, runs around, jumps on her tree branch and into the feed dish too. And yes, she DOES stretch her wrapped leg out behind her, just like the others! I'm going to leave it on until Friday and pray that it will be okay. As long as it is clean - and not too tight, LOL, do you thing it is okay to leave the same wrap on for the entire week?

Thank you - you people are the BEST!!!

 

[007Dawn]

WE had this happen and were told to cull her. i'm glad we did not. We took her out and started feeding her something I think it was less protein in it. Within a couple of weeks she was up and running around and the tendon was no longer swallen nor was it keeping her from running around.

Sometimes it can look like one but it is not.

She is now 4 months old and out front playing attack with the cat. (Basciallly the cat meewos and the chicken runs up his back. The cat then finds a place to hide.) Sad but true. I'm the only one that can pet her or hold her and she only comes to me.

 

[kittyacid]

That was the impression that I was getting too, that it was pretty much a hopeless case. Then an experienced person told me to move it into place and wrap it and it has worked wonders. I'm so glad that we both decided to get second opinions before culling!