HELP!! Chick can't stand or bend leg, leg is sticking out behind it!!

[mommyofthree]

We're on our first hatch and have had several hatch so far. I just took one chick out of the incubator and put it in the brooder and the leg is sticking straight behind it, I tried to pick it up and correct it but the leg feels kind of stiff. I don't know what to do, is this normal for a little while, should I wait and see if it gets better? fl Or is there something I should do for it?? Or.....should I just cull it? I feel so bad!! hit hit

 

[mommyofthree]

I got the leg to bend a little, but when the chick has both feet under it it seems to try to tip backwards. I put a bandaid on it like they show here http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html so hopefully that helps.

I put it in a shoebox in the brooder because the ducklings are picking on her, and I set her in the corner of the box so she can't tip backwards. Is this spraddle leg if just one leg is sticking out???

 

[mommyofthree]

Anyone?? I'm so worried about my chicky.

The leg will bend underneath her the right way, but she seems to want to stick it back out behind her, and with the bandaid on, that just pulls both legs back. I don't think it's dislocated because she can move the toes on that foot. Earlier I held her in a towel holding the foot in the right position for a couple of hours and that seemed to help for a little while. Not sure what else to do, I think it hatched around 24 hours ago so maybe with time it can straighten out..?? Are there any other things I can/should do for it?

 

[epeloquin]

From what I've seen u need to give it a day or two and the chick should start walking right.

 

[Lacrystol]

I have had a chick doing the same thing only to the side, I got a hair band this was an idea I got on this website, I put it on her leggs because bandaids didn't work for me, I will send you the link. I have had it on for 1 day and the leg is bent but not quite where it should be so I will go a little longer with the hair band. I have had several chickens with spaddle and with this ideal, usually it takes care of the problem within 8 hours but my current chicks are a lot worst then the ones in the past. Let me find the link, you have to try this, it worked wonderfully for me..

 

[Lacrystol]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=318395

The only thing I did differently, is tied a double knot in the middle because my hair bands, didn't have the metal bar, so there was no need for me to cut it.

 

[mommyofthree]

Thank you for the replies!! I don't think this is normal, I know some chicks have a hard time walking for a couple of days but the leg bends straight and almost the opposite way at the knee (if you'd call it that??) joint. I was able to cut a thin piece of vetwrap and wrap it around to keep the joint bent the way it is supposed to be. So far so good!! The leg isn't going out behind her now, and she's sitting fine and trying to hobble on it. Time will tell....

 

[Lacrystol]

How's the chick doing? I had one that was having problems and tied it up with a hair band, he is doing great, hasn't had the band on for two days but then comes along another silkie with a leg going straight out like yours again, I got out the hair band and tied his up, so far we are not having the best results as the other one. This one is taking a little longer then exspected. It's been 4 days and one leg is great but the other still to the side. At least it's not going behind him anymore.

 

[mommyofthree]

The chick was not doing very well, it could hobble but was not well balanced at all and I don't think it was eating or drinking. We also had 3 other chicks hatch out with leg/foot problems. One could not even pick up it's head and just tried to wiggle itself around. I did what I could for them for a few days but they weren't improving except for one. One died yesterday so we culled the other 2, since they were not eating or drinking I didn't want them to suffer. Out of 8 chicks (shipped eggs) only 4 were healthy and one other seems to have a chance. We also hatched out 5 of our own duck eggs, 4 were healthy and 1 had a crooked spine, it couldn't stand up without tipping over. That one hatched 3 days after the rest and was stuck in the egg after it started unzipping so I helped it out, I probably should have left it. Hubby culled that one too. I don't know if it was something I did during incubation or if it was genetics..?? This was a really depressing first hatch.

 

[Lacrystol]

Wow that's horrible, my little one I have been giving him polyvisol, Mine wobbles does try to use the leg but wobbles a lot. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I ever seen mine eat. Well he has to be because it's been 5 days now, if he wasn't I would think he would be dead. I don't have enough courage to cull mine off. I can see mine tring very hard to use the leg but it just keeps sliding out to the side and twists upside down. Usually they don't take this long but I will keep working with him as long as he wants me too.