Chick with twisted/Sraddle legs

[PeepersMama]

We hatched some chicks in school a couple weeks ago, but timed it really poorly and they hatched over spring break (teacher took the incubator to her house so they weren't unsupervised). Nine out of twelve hatched, and one of them has really bad spraddle leg. Problem is, they don't just stick straight out to the side...


The right leg is the worst, it stick out sideways but then turns 90° forward at the hock. I tried to make a brace for her with a rubber band yesterday (I'm hoping to get some vetwrap tonight) but her legs just stuck straight out in front of her.
Putting her down is only an option I'd take if she wasn't acting normally otherwise. I put her in a separate box from the other chicks cuz they're getting really big, but she eats and drinks just fine.



Does anyone know how i can fix this?

 

[SurferchickinSB]

We hatched some chicks in school a couple weeks ago, but timed it really poorly and they hatched over spring break (teacher took the incubator to her house so they weren't unsupervised). Nine out of twelve hatched, and one of them has really bad spraddle leg. Problem is, they don't just stick straight out to the side...

View attachment 1727044
The right leg is the worst, it stick out sideways but then turns 90° forward at the hock. I tried to make a brace for her with a rubber band yesterday (I'm hoping to get some vetwrap tonight) but her legs just stuck straight out in front of her.
Putting her down is only an option I'd take if she wasn't acting normally otherwise. I put her in a separate box from the other chicks cuz they're getting really big, but she eats and drinks just fine.

View attachment 1727048

Does anyone know how i can fix this?

Well, try with the vet wrap, can you post a picture of the legs?

 

[sylviethecochin]

My best success with bracing was with the classic hair-tie through a straw brace, but I used a piece of thick, soft yarn instead of the hair tie. It was softer and allowed a lot more flexibility in the size of the brace.

Since your chick can't stand, I would recommend a chick chair

Chick or Bird Sling (or Chair)
* KEEP IN MIND: You need to daily gently scratch potentially itchy spots that the Sling prevents the bird from reaching with its feet or beak. If you don't, the bird will be pretty miserable and can develop terribly itchy, swollen welts from lack of normal skin stimulation.
* CAUTION: A bird in a Sling can drown if it drops its head forward into a water dish when going to sleep. See "Prevent Drowning in Water Dish"section.

• Used for injured chicks and chickens. Especially helpful during healing time after you put a slipped hock tendon back into place.
• A variety of designs can be used.
• Depending on design, Sling keeps chick either from bearing much weight with legs and walking, or (usually) even being able to touch the ground with its legs or feet.
  • If your chicken is recovering from Slipped Hock Tendon, it may be important for the legs not be able to reach the ground (There is some debate on this). The bird may be suspended with its legs just hanging freely or in not-too-tight casts shaped in gently bent angle. In this position, the chick won't try to use its legs as much. Its legs need relaxed rest in their normal position until the tendon(s) have stretched and adjusted back to the right place and shape.
  • If your bird is recovering from a Broken Leg or Foot, it is important for the legs not be able to reach the ground, so that the bird does not practice using its legs until healed enough that it can use them equally. A bird that uses one leg a lot more than the other will OFTEN develop Twisted Leg, which is usually progressive and is not curable.
• A plastic container or Kleenex box can be used for the suspending frame. Cut holes in the sides to allow you to see the legs to check that they haven't gotten caught in "seat" part of Sling.
• "Seat" part of the Sling is like a hammock. It should be hung in a hole cut in the center of the top of the frame. Seat should be lined with something soft-ish. Cut out a hole for each leg and a poop hole. Seat should be simple enough that the bird's legs don't get twisted around a lot when putting the bird into the chair.
• You may want to add a flap that fastens across the chick's back to help keep it from squirming out of the Sling.

~Poultry podiatry

 

[PeepersMama]

Sadly she didn't make it... I got home from church tonight and it looks like she died in her sleep. She went for a little "swim" in her water bowl (which was really stupid on my part to leave it in her box), and was soaking wet when dad found her this morning, then we got back from church this afternoon and she was roasting hot (also on me). I think that's probably mostly what got her...

Here's a picture of her legs with the brace that i made this afternoon

Her hocks were crazy deformed... Stuck straight out and then forward. She walked on the sides of her legs.

Thank you both who responded, i wish I'd been able to do something to help this baby.