10-day-old Buff Orpington chick with injured right leg (see pix)

[2ndTink]

How is it going today!?!

 

[BuffNumber14]

So ... last night I used a small wooden dowel and vet wrap to splint the leg, but it merely straightened the hock joint somewhat and didn't keep the tendon in place.

Today I experimented with a splint/brace made out of the plastic from the sides of a parmesan container (photos 3, 4, 5 and 6 below).

Two kidney-shaped pieces to roughy match Fourteen's leg size and hock angle, and a piece of the plastic left as a hinge between to accommodate the width of the repaired hock itself. A strip of medical adhesive to hold the splint on.

With her leg straightened, I worked the tendon in place and added the splint, and taped it tight enough so the pressure would keep the tendon in place.

It seems to be holding.

Next was a chick chair -- cut a circle in the bottom of a yogurt container, turned it over, stuffed it with the arm of a sweatshirt and a rubber band at the bottom of the cloth to serve as a sling.

I've placed her reasonably near the brooder plate and set an alarm for two hours to let her come out for food, water, hopping around, then envision returning her to the chick chair with breaks for a while and see how it goes.

THANKS for your SUPPORT and interest.

If you have any tweaks or suggestions, I'm all ears.

 

[2ndTink]

That looks great! You've done a really good job, I hope little Fourteen can hold that tendon in place and heal up completely! You are definitely giving it the best chance possible.

 

[BuffNumber14]

Thanks so much! Your advice has been key, and we'll just try to give this little one a chance at two reasonably good legs.

 

[2ndTink]

How is little Fourteen doing?

 

[BuffNumber14]

She has a new name, Songbird, because she is almost always happily singing.

Yesterday I took off her plastic splint and the tendon had rolled off the correct spot, so I manipulated the tendon back into place and added just a (too-tight, as it turned out) vet wrap and tape covering to keep it in place.

I noticed her leg was cool and a bit reddish after a few hours, and took the tight wrap off, and now the leg looks normal, but the hock joint is a bit swollen.

I'm going to continue with gentle physical therapy on the tendon a few times a day, once the swelling goes down. I think she's just too active for a splint. Maybe eventually the tendon will stay in place?

She's eating and drinking well and growing, as well as being in good spirits. She may just end up having one working leg, as you point out, this can be dealt with.

 

[2ndTink]

She has a new name, Songbird, because she is almost always happily singing.

Yesterday I took off her plastic splint and the tendon had rolled off the correct spot, so I manipulated the tendon back into place and added just a (too-tight, as it turned out) vet wrap and tape covering to keep it in place.

I noticed her leg was cool and a bit reddish after a few hours, and took the tight wrap off, and now the leg looks normal, but the hock joint is a bit swollen.

I'm going to continue with gentle physical therapy on the tendon a few times a day, once the swelling goes down. I think she's just too active for a splint. Maybe eventually the tendon will stay in place?

She's eating and drinking well and growing, as well as being in good spirits. She may just end up having one working leg, as you point out, this can be dealt with.

Songbird! I love it! I'm glad she's in good spirits and doing all the necessary chick things.

Slipped tendons are HARD to fix, so I think the PT is definitely a good plan and try different wraps and splints you can come up with. Doing what you can to keep it as normal as possible even if it isn't 100% will help in the long run. Making a few modifications in your coop to accommodate her should be doable too. She's lucky to have you!