***URGENT*** Baby Chick leg issues

[2cool4school]

Hello BYC, I'm posting on two chicks that I've hatched out of 21, the first chick seems to have spraddle leg so I cut a bandaid in half the long way and am using that as a brace. However, it doesn't seem to be working as the chick is not even trying to walk at all. As for the second chick it's feet seem to be pointed inward but I don't know if this is serious as it hatched between last night and this morning.

 

[2cool4school]

These are the pictures for chick 1, chick 2 is below this line.

I honestly don't think either one will make it and it's pretty sad considering that I'll only have 19 left out of 30 eggs I put into the incubator.

 

[LaFleche]

It is quite normal for chicks that just hatched to have their feet and toes still a little bent as this is the position they had inside the egg.

It will take a while for their legs, toes and feet to acclimate to their new position and you can help by providing some bedding like fine meshed grill or similar for the first few days. Some coarse terry cloth will also provide grip for their little toes.

Don't put them on smooth surfaces as this can lead to splayed legs.

They need a lot of sleep to recover after hatching, but usually will start to explore, eat and drink the next day.
Watch them closely and show them what to eat and where to find water and they will soon gain some strength to train their legs.

 

[Irishdescended]

I agree. I have a large piece of commercial carpet that I can just hose off to clean for babies. Spraddle leg is common and easy to remedy if kept up on.

 

[gimmie birdies]

It doesn't look that bad. I had one rooster chick I had named Quazzy because he walked all hunched. I didn't put band aids on him because he didn't like it. Since he didn't walk well I kept him separate, then got new baby chicks for him when he was 2 weeks old. At 2 weeks his legs were not the best, but he didn't have to compete with other chicks that had full use of their legs. He sat on his belly and showed the new chicks where the food was. By the time they started to walk well so could he. Below is a pic of him with his friends.

 

[2cool4school]

Thank you guys for the support and comments, I actually took the bandaid off as he/she wouldn't walk with it on. This sounds stupid but I think it walks better without it. The other one maybe I'm just overeacting to a weak chick. But I'll try my best to do what I can I'm just hoping I can save them as I had to euthanize a chick a year ago. It was the worst thing I could do it felt so gruesome and I hope I never have to do it again.