Chick with broken leg? Or slipped tendon?

[Violanna]

Look carefully for a small hair or string that could have gotten twisted around her leg. It looks like a twisted tibia leg bone deformity (not treatable,) but a slipped tendon (sometimes fixable) could be possible. There was some discoloring of the upper leg seen in your second picture. I would probably try to let her get around as well as she can on her own. The chick chair can help with feeding and watering though. Many of these chicks don’t make it, or are culled unfortunately. Let us know how she gets along, and good luck. Here are some articles about leg deformities:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/leg-health-in-large-broilers#:~:text=Common leg problems observed in heavy broilers&text=Valgus (VVD), crooked toes,skeletal pathologies causing leg problems.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

You may be right about the tibia. I’ve been reading sooo many articles on chick podiatry. I had to take her out of the chair because she is too spirited. Even with her wings wrapped she broke free and flipped herself upside down through the tiny butt hole.

I’m a stay at home mom and homeschool my 3 kids. So I have all the time in the world to care for her. Plus I have some veterinary training. I am well verse is adult chickens but man it’s harder on a tiny chick!

Today is the first day she is able to move around really well and she is eating and drinking a ton! She did get lonely though, so I added one of her hatch mates to her brooder. These 2 hatched just 10 hours apart and you can see how stunted Pancake’s growth has been by this.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, they will be slow growing when they are not getting enough food. Maybe feeding her moistened feed and vitamins several times a day would help. Just to show you another chicken with a leg bone deformity who survived, here is one with varus valgus deformity, although the person thought it was a slipped tendon:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ster-egger-who-walks-like-an-egyptian.881786/

 

[Blue Raptor]

I’ve done before. And she wasn’t able to move at all. Plus I had the two hobbled together under the chair all day yesterday. It’s 100% NOT splayed leg. The leg is badly injured.

It was not easy to get her positioned to get a pic with both legs she has sooo much energy!

Don’t worry, I’m not assuming it’s splayed leg.
You can try massaging it a little to make sure blood’s getting to the foot.
Experts, would some form of a prosthetic help, or no?

 

[Violanna]

Don’t worry, I’m not assuming it’s splayed leg.
You can try massaging it a little to make sure blood’s getting to the foot.
Experts, would some form of a prosthetic help, or no?

I was wondering that as well, like maybe making a boot that holds the leg correctly that she can fully stand on.

 

[Violanna]

Yes, they will be slow growing when they are not getting enough food. Maybe feeding her moistened feed and vitamins several times a day would help. Just to show you another chicken with a leg bone deformity who survived, here is one with varus valgus deformity, although the person thought it was a slipped tendon:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ster-egger-who-walks-like-an-egyptian.881786/

That’s what I was doing the past 2 days. I’m not worried today! She is moving around and eating and drinking like a champ. We tested putting her in the outside brooder with the other chicks and a few were curious and pecked her at first but she seems to be doing well now. She just wouldn’t stop chirping at the top of her lungs inside. She found the food and water right away outside then picked a sunny spot and settled down and was finally quiet! Watched over her for an hour before we let them be. Will continue checking throughout the day. But I’m really hoping that the other chicks help encourage her, I hated seeing her so sad.

 

[MGG]

To tell if it's slipped tendon, can you extend her leg straight back behind her and feel the tendon while you do it? If it's the problem you should be able to rock it on and off the bone. If it doesn't move at all its deformed and not slipped.