URGENT: Wobbly Chick! Photos/Video Included UPDATE: losing ground

[wistlindixie]

I just want you to know how impressed I am with the care you're giving these guys. I LOVE the chick chair. They are so lucky to have you as their keeper. I can't wait to see their progress.

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Another morning for the little guy

. He's back in a new chick chair I made out of a sock and a small rodent carrier. MUCH EASIER to get him in and out for cleaning his legs and putting medicine on them. I'll need to get a tissue box for him soon so that once his skin/infection gets better I can try traction to get the tendon back in. I hope all this can happen by Saturday because I'm leaving for several days and he needs several drinks daily etc. Maybe I can find someone to chick sit

 

[StephanieD]

Shucks, if I lived closer I would do it in a heartbeat!

 

[PoultryPedia]

I've ended up busier than I'd hoped & can't contribute much right now, but will paste here a PM I sent to ZOO:

It's going to take me a little longer than planned to post on thread, but a quick bit of advice--With its hocks injured, the first chick will be trying to bumping them since they hurt. It will hold its legs out to the side or twist them to try to avoid pain of scraping on floor. I know chicks HATE it, but ****I would keep the chick in a chair until all painful things on the hocks have HEALED****. Otherwise it will get habits of moving its legs in funny ways. That will cause increasing leg deformities to develop that almost certainly can't get fixed. It's hard to deal with chick chairs, but things will be MUUUUCH harder later if chick practices using its legs wrong.
This situation is what caused the progressive deformities in the pullet pictured with foam braces near the bottom of my webpage. She started out scooting along with bent legs, scraped one hock, started twisting it to avoid pain, learned incorrect movement habits, & got progressive deformities. I'm not sure if she had tendon problems, but I SOOOOOOOOO wish I'd made her stay in a chair until her hock didn't hurt any more. I only kept her in it less than 1 day. It should have been at least a week, probably.
There are additional ideas on making chick chairs at http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/faqleg.htm. I think it is beneficial for the chick's feet actually not be able to touch the floor while tendon problems are healing, but I am not positive on that.
Best wishes to you!!

Later note--If you make a chick chair's seat high enough that the chick's legs can't touch the ground, this also helps keep the chick from being able to wriggle out as easily. You can probably also leave off any hock padding while a chick is actually in a chair, and that will minimize possible chafing, but that's probably not critical.

ZOO--I am impressed with your caring spirit for these first chicks of yours. You are being really resourceful, too!

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Thanks for all of the support everyone! Here are some pictures of the babies today

Unhappy with the hobble

New Chick Chair

Swollen hocks

On a sad note the little guy in the chair doesn't seem to be as peppy today. He really isn't growing like his hatch mates. He's still eating and drinking but I'm sure the stress is getting to him. I hope that if he passes that at least I have made his existence a bit more comfortable. I will not give up on him!!

 

[TNGuineaGirl]

Hi Jessica,

I raise Guineas and had 12 chicks hatch on 3/16 and one of my chicks had a slipped Achilles tendon as well. This is my first time in dealing with this and I have been desperately trying to find a solution. Thankfully I found the poultry podiatry website that one of the members on this thread is responsible for and I am ever so gratefully! I have had my chick named "Baby" in a chick chair for three days now. In my online research of this problem, I found this discussion thread on the backyard chick forum and decided I had to join so I could to talk to you. You chick chair is great! I just used a Kleenex box and he seems to be doing OK. I think that I was able to put the Achilles tendon back in place and he is stretching both legs straight out now, so I hope to take him out on Friday (that will be 5 days in the chick chair). I have had several chicks with splayed legs and some would be fine in a day or two and some took a week or more of having band aids on. Please keep me updated and good luck with Phoenix! Best Wishes, Amelia

 

[StephanieD]

Jessica,

You are the best chickie momma around!

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Unfortunately, it isn't looking good for the little guy. He's very weak and isn't eating/drinking anymore. I'm not even seeing his eyes open much. Today is the first time I've felt like it is best to let him go. It is obvious that it isn't a matter of just fixing his legs any longer. He isn't strong enough to survive like this. I don't feel as though I am helping him anymore. It's more like torture at this point I suppose. I've shed a few tears today which seems so illogical since he only hatched 5 days ago. I just hate feeling like I couldn't save him. I keep saying to myself that if I had recognized sooner that he needed help, he wouldn't have been so bad off and would be fine. The fact is that I tried my hardest and did everything I could possibly do to help him. Tonight, I took him out of his chair, bandaged his legs again to give him some comfort from the open wounds and put him in a small box with food and water. At least he will pass comfortably on the ground instead of miserable in his chick chair. If he makes it through the night, it will be a miracle.

 

[StephanieD]

oh, I'll be thinking about you tonight. And praying that the lil guy goes fast if it's time. You did a great job and learned alot and taught us alot too! So sorry....

 

[TNGuineaGirl]

I think you did a great job and your chick is lucky to have had someone who cares so much and tried so hard. I hope you and your chick have a peaceful night.