Chick with splayed legs, help?

[Featheredfuffs]

hi,
I have a single 10 day old society finch chick with splayed legs, I bandaged them under her in a normal position, but I'm worried on what I'm going to do of the legs don't heal. Does anyone have any experience caring for a bird with splayed legs? If so, I'd love the help!!!



Thanks!

 

[Anneka]

I don't know how badly his legs are splayed, but if they are bad, then bringing them to a normal position should be done gradually.

As long as he will be able to fly, has a well adapted cage (for ex. platform perches if needed instead of regular perches, easily for him accessible food and water dishes) and he is not bullied by his cage mates, he should adopt well.

Best of luck.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

They're not terrible, but they definitely would be if I didn't act while he was still young. I definetly could adapt some perches for him... should I have him in my flight cage (with two spice finches that can be a little pecky if fledgling societies come close, due to waaayyy to many flight collisions),and other societies, or I could house him with one or two specially picked friends that are with her in a cage for designed for his needs?

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

i vote for a cage with a few that can be friends

 

[Laurie]

If you have them bandaged in the proper position they should heal and develop normally. You may want to consult a vet to see what timeframe to expect. When I had had a couple of caique babies who's legs where beginning to splay the vet told me about how long to tape them for. As soon as I did it the babies could sit and walk normally, after a couple weeks of the added support they were totally normal. The younger the babies the less time it takes to fix them.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

If you have them bandaged in the proper position they should heal and develop normally. You may want to consult a vet to see what timeframe to expect. When I had had a couple of caique babies who's legs where beginning to splay the vet told me about how long to tape them for. As soon as I did it the babies could sit and walk normally, after a couple weeks of the added support they were totally normal. The younger the babies the less time it takes to fix them.

Okay, I think I will see a vet. One of the legs has responded to treatment and is perfectly normal, and the other one has gotten a tiny bit worse. What did you use to bandage the leg? I've been using a tiny sliver of a human bandage, but she keeps on slipping her bad leg out of it.

 

[galah!]

i have raised chickens from eggs before, one had splayed legs (we named him Wilbur my mum and i massaged his legs every day and fed him soaked starter chick through a syringe, after about a month he was all better! He was a rooster however so we couldn't keep him

 

[Laurie]

Okay, I think I will see a vet. One of the legs has responded to treatment and is perfectly normal, and the other one has gotten a tiny bit worse. What did you use to bandage the leg? I've been using a tiny sliver of a human bandage, but she keeps on slipping her bad leg out of it.

I used vet wrap and cut it in thin strips and basically tied the two together but you don't actually tie the legs.

The vet tech (I think is the one who gave me instructions), said to make two little anklets out of vet wrap and then tie the two anklets together. The anklets are not tight. The legs can move freely.


You can kind of see how the leg on the right is leaning out. It was totally out from under the baby when it was not tied.



Here is a view from the back. The babies can stand and walk without interference so they will develop normally.



They were so cute I think it took a couple weeks because they were older.

Also excuse their scrawny appearance, they are not as fat as they should be because they also had some temporary digestive issues just prior to the time the pictures were taken.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

I used vet wrap and cut it in thin strips and basically tied the two together but you don't actually tie the legs.

Oh that's so helpful! Thanks for the pictures! Those guys really are adorable

 

[BrianB]

I have a 3 week old Green Cheek Conure that laid on its back all the time while still in the nest box with the parents. Now that I'm hand feeding I have it in a bin with towels. I took one of the towels and twisted it into a tight circle and put the chick in the middle. This has forced it to stand upright with both legs underneath. I've been hand feeding for the last 9 days and it seems to have gotten better. It has pretty good balance when I'm feeding and the legs is almost always underneath now. There is a toe that looks a little weird, but I don't think it will be a handicap.