Splayed Leg Quail Chick, HELP

[Shadow Source]

Hello everyone,

For the past few days I had some quail hatch out of the incubator. This is my first time incubating quail eggs, and need the most healthy quail as possible, because I need to start a breeding flock. I had 17 quail hatch out, but one has a splayed leg. I always incubate eggs with a shelf liner.(To Prevent This Problem) I also put shelf liner in the brooder. I have a brooder plate, so the chick with the splayed leg has trouble getting under it. This chick is only 20 hours old, and the rest are slightly older. Now I am willing to fix his leg, if it is not a genetic issue, and if I knew how to do it. I got these quail eggs from Kansas city quail farms, and all the rest of the chicks seem to be doing just fine. My question is, Should I risk the splayed leg being a genetic issue or should I cull it? And if it is not a genetic issue how do I fix it on a quail?

All Input is Helpful
Thanks

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Shadow Source,

Splayed leg can also occur when the incubator temperature is too high. If this was the last chick to hatch, the temperature most likely was a bit higher than when the other chicks hatched. Temperature will rise as the eggs hatch.

I would correct the legs as you would with a chicken chick. Here is a video, you may want to mute the music.

Articles on quail specifically:
https://www.solwayfeeders.com/news/article/treating-splay-legs/

Here is an different method for tiny quail chicks.
https://104homestead.com/fixing-spraddle-leg-drinking-glass/

These are my thoughts on your little quail's issue. I hope this is helpful.

God Bless

 

[Shadow Source]

Yea the music was pretty bad
Thanks for the help, I will run and get these supplies and get him all fixed up. I noticed that my thermometer that came with the incubator was off by 0.8 degrease. when I put in a thermometer a few days ago the temperature was at 100.5 - 101.5.

Thank you So much God Bless

 

[Shadow Source]

UPDATE: So I tried the method shown above, and it did not work I tried a few more methods, but his legs are just too small. I am worried I will have to cull this one. Does anyone think I should cull him? I tried everything I could. Could he have a chance of recovering on his own? Please let me know ASAP, he is just getting weaker and weaker.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

@007Sean

 

[JaeG]

You do get the odd quail chick that doesn't recover from hatching and splayed legs often create more of a challenge for a weak chick. I've had a few with splayed legs and some were easy to fix and have made it, others don't (and they are usually the kids favourite ones!). It really isn't unusual to lose one or two chicks in a batch of quail so don't beat yourself up if this little one doesn't make it. For splayed legs I use a strip of bandaid to bring the legs into line and often after only 24 hours of wearing these hobbles it has corrected and you can carefully cut them off with nail scissors. It is really fiddly getting it on there though (and getting it off again). Good luck!

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

UPDATE: So I tried the method shown above, and it did not work I tried a few more methods, but his legs are just too small. I am worried I will have to cull this one. Does anyone think I should cull him? I tried everything I could. Could he have a chance of recovering on his own? Please let me know ASAP, he is just getting weaker and weaker.

Why don't you try putting the little quail in a flat bottom glass, with some paper towels, as described in the article for tiny quail chicks. You may have to do it an hour at a time, several times today and tomorrow, before seeing results.

Or maybe, a new technique...a cotton ball between the legs, and a tiny piece of self stick vet wrap around the legs to hold them straight.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

A quick diagram...

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I am sorry to hear the little guy is getting weaker.

It's hard when a chick is struggling to live. I just went through that two weeks ago. I had two chicks that just couldn't make it out of their eggs. They were a day late, after all others had hatched.

We do what we can, so we don't have think...what if?

God Bless and peace to you.

 

[Shadow Source]

UPDATE: I tried the Band-Aid trick, but I messed up and stuck in the wrong spot on his leg, so he could not do any thing, I cut the band aid, and now two pieces of band aid are stuck on his legs and I can't get it off. I don't know how this situation could get worse. Any suggestions one how to get the band aid off his legs? Please any thing helps