Hi, as per my previous post we have had 5 chicks hatch at the weekend. I noticed yesterday that one of the chicks is crawling with its feet straight out forward rather than walking. It was fine earlier but not sure what may have caused it. Any ideas what may be wrong or what I can do to help? The chick otherwise seems well and eating and drinking.
Chick not walking - need advise please.
- Thread starter serama1
- Start date
chrismahon
Well-known member
Do you mean as in dragging its bottom on the floor ? Have never seen that. What happens if you try to stand it up ?
yes, it is dragging its bottom on the brooder floor. I had posted this on another forum and was advised that it could be spraddle leg...the following link was provided which i found very helpful:
http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html
http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html
chrismahon
Well-known member
Thanks for that Serama. I know you need a non-slip surface, like kitchen roll (which we use), but have never seen the results without using it. Is your chick like that then, spraddle legged ?
The only problems we've had are club foot, which is due to a vitamin deficiency (it had 5 and 6 toes so couldn't do anything like splint them) and badly cut feet due to using Aubiose for bedding instead of soft wood shavings or kiln dried sand. Had to wrap pieces of lint arouned a 4mm drill and feed them over its toes.
The only problems we've had are club foot, which is due to a vitamin deficiency (it had 5 and 6 toes so couldn't do anything like splint them) and badly cut feet due to using Aubiose for bedding instead of soft wood shavings or kiln dried sand. Had to wrap pieces of lint arouned a 4mm drill and feed them over its toes.
Just a quick update: used a bandaid prosthesis on the chick, and pretty soon she was able to stand and before long started to walk, a little wobbly at first but as it grew in confidence it was almost normal. Will keep the prosthesis on for a day or two and see how it goes.
trouble106
New member
hi, how did you make your prothesis please ???
I also have a wobbly chick with a funny leg, think this might help !!
Thanks,
DOnna.
I also have a wobbly chick with a funny leg, think this might help !!
Thanks,
DOnna.
Hi kegs,
Sorry, didn't see your post yesterday. Please have a look at the following site as a guide: ttp://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html
Basically I used a medium sized bandaid plaster, the material based one. The non-sticky middle bit fits just about right between the legs, thus sticky ends wrap around both legs on each side. This forces the chick to stand up, and will pretty quickly get used to it and start walking. I left the prosthesis on for 5 days, after this the chick fully recovered.
I hope your chick does well too with this.
The following site also explains this procedure: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html
Sorry, didn't see your post yesterday. Please have a look at the following site as a guide: ttp://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html
Basically I used a medium sized bandaid plaster, the material based one. The non-sticky middle bit fits just about right between the legs, thus sticky ends wrap around both legs on each side. This forces the chick to stand up, and will pretty quickly get used to it and start walking. I left the prosthesis on for 5 days, after this the chick fully recovered.
I hope your chick does well too with this.
The following site also explains this procedure: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html
I had an odd chick hatch 2 days ago - ebay eggs and only one hatched it was a little hamburgh bantam, it too had a funny leg and was dragging it's bum about - I thought it had a twisted foot to start with but on closer inspection it's little hock joint was totally dislocated and even if clicked back just kept popping back out, it didn't have the groove that the tendons sit in, which meant it had no use of the foot and was walking on the joint - needless to say I had to put it out of its misery - but it's not one I've had before! I've had 2, a duckling and a gosling, with the splay legs - I used a rubber band loosly wrapped round each leg and twisted in the middle so as not to restrict blood supply and allow it to move it's legs backwards and forwards - both were right as rain in a few days!
