Urgent My baby birds have a splayed leg issue and weird yellow poop. Please help!

[Tanya22]

Good evening!

I have recently been fostering 2 baby egrets (I think they are egrets. not sure) who were found on the road. I was planning on releasing them in the wild once they grew up.

But now they both seemed to have developed splay legs issue. They also have weird yellowish poop which I've heard is a sign of sickness and never seen before in a bird. They generally have green or brown poop as far as I know. Is this a worm issue or something else? I have used a dewormer before for my chicken called Albendazole.

They (the baby birds) eat eggs and fish and eat them very happily and are drinking water just fine but they do not move and their legs are so weak!

I have started to give them supplements for the past 5 days as suggested (Vitamin D3 with calcium and cod liver fish oil) to me by a bird carer but they cannot help me anymore.

That did bring some improvement but the two aren't moving. Their legs aren't paralysed that much I've checked. They move around and change position. But movement is difficult for them because their legs are very weak. They collapsed with their legs jutting out completely backwards. I'm stumped as to what to do and very worried. I have no avian vet near me and would be so very grateful if someone could help me out.

 

[Shezbug]

@Zara

 

[Zara]

Hi Tanya, are there any organisations near you who deal with wild birds? Or rehab centres? Even a farm vet may be able to help as a last resort?

I don´t think I can help I´m afraid


@melissasparrots

 

[Tanya22]

Hi Tanya, are there any organisations near you who deal with wild birds? Or rehab centres? Even a farm vet may be able to help as a last resort?

I don´t think I can help I´m afraid


@melissasparrots

Hi Zara! I'm actually trying to find some but am unable to. Till then I've been advised by people to keep them with me (since I know slightly about birds) until they recover and then release them into the wild.

 

[Shezbug]

I’m not sure if releasing baby birds who have spent time with people is safe. They are usually in need of some sort of help to teach them how to be safe in the wild.

If you’re comfortable giving your general location maybe other members can help you find a rehabber?

 

[tka]

Can you give us a rough idea of where you are? Someone may know of a place. You could also try contacting the Audubon Society if you're in the US, or whatever wildlife and countryside department that you have where you are.

It's rather brief but I found this: https://www.bird-rescue.org/media/16142/baby-bird-class-heron-egret-2012.pdf

It suggests fish and rodents (like frozen mice) as the diet.

 

[Tanya22]

I’m not sure if releasing baby birds who have spent time with people is safe. They are usually in need of some sort of help to teach them how to be safe in the wild.

If you’re comfortable giving your general location maybe other members can help you find a rehabber?

I myself am worried about that which is why I was waiting for them to grow fully before even thinking of releasing them. I have no problems raising them on my own but I was told it would be cruel to them to live indoors.

I live in North India.

 

[Tanya22]

Can you give us a rough idea of where you are? Someone may know of a place. You could also try contacting the Audubon Society if you're in the US, or whatever wildlife and countryside department that you have where you are.

I would stop feeding ham to the birds unless it's uncured ham that you've cooked yourself with no added salt or sugar. A lot of ham that you get in shops has salt, sugar and preservatives, all of which are bad for birds.

It's rather brief but I found this: https://www.bird-rescue.org/media/16142/baby-bird-class-heron-egret-2012.pdf

It suggests fish and rodents (like frozen mice) as the diet.

I live in North India.

Oh also I don't feed them Ham at all. Their diet is boiled eggs and fish plus vitamins. I have started to give them fish since yesterday only since before that I was told to give them only boiled eggs.

I have bought frozen fish fillets and give it to them raw after it has thawed. I clean it with water and chop it into bite sizes.

They also get unfiltered sunlight. I keep the glass windows open, so that the sun rays fall properly. Their room gets a patch of sunlight daily for about 2 hours during the afternoon and they both used to love sitting in it. These days since they are unable to walk, I put them in the light after giving them calcium and lunch.

 

[tka]

Sorry, I re-read your post, realised that I read it wrong and edited my post to reflect that

What vitamins are they getting? They may need vit A and vit D as well as calcium. I do think you need someone with more experience to either advise you or take over their care.

 

[iamwhoiam]

@Birdbabe

 

[Shezbug]

I myself am worried about that which is why I was waiting for them to grow fully before even thinking of releasing them. I have no problems raising them on my own but I was told it would be cruel to them to live indoors.

I live in North India.

The problem with you keeping them till they’re fully grown is that the longer you keep them the less they learn that they need to learn. Obviously releasing too early (or not helping at all) has its own problems/consequences too- I think this is why so many people who want to help baby birds decide that letting nature take its course is a better option- it is such a hard call. There is more than just finding food that birds must learn from parent birds in order to survive outside on their own. Lots of times when people think they’re doing the right thing by keeping an abandoned chick alive then releasing it once fully grown all they’re really doing is releasing the bird to either be dinner for another creature or to slowly starve to death. You need to know how to safely rehab and release wild baby birds once old enough otherwise it’s just a death sentence for them anyway.

Hopefully you can find some help from someone who knows how to safely raise and release baby birds. I’m so sorry I can’t be of any help.

 

[Tanya22]

Sorry, I re-read your post, realised that I read it wrong and edited my post to reflect that

What vitamins are they getting? They may need vit A and vit D as well as calcium. I do think you need someone with more experience to either advise you or take over their care.

No issues!

I've started them on a course of Calcium + Vitamin D3 and Cod Liver oil for the past 5 days. I've been guided to continue this for the next 1 month.

I'm trying so hard to find someone who can help them, but them most I've been told is to give them fish. Right now if anyone could just tell me how to make them get well, I would be so grateful because I am unable to find any avian vet over here.

 

[melissasparrots]

I am no expert on egrets at all. Do they eat eggs in the wild? If so, what was the reasoning behind boiling it first? I only know parrots and birds of prey. With raptors, cooking food is bad. This may not be true of egrets. If it were me, I'd call every vet within traveling distance to see if they will take the babies or refer you to someone who can. They might even be able to get you in touch with someone willing to come get them or set up a transport chain. Even vets that won't see wild birds can often refer you to a rehab place. Failing all that, I'd feed the babies as close to what they would eat in the wild. Also, see if you can set up a little cushion for them to brace their legs into the proper position. You might have to use google or youtube to try to find pics or videos of babies in the nest of your species to know what normal leg position is. For parrots with splay legs, we hobble them into the correct position. You might be able to google "splay leg treatment" and find some pictures that you can adapt to your situation.

 

[Birdbabe]

I'm afraid. you need a wildlife rescue for these babies. your doing ok, but dont want them ":imprinting " once used to humans. It's hard to release and know they can forage on they're own..

 

[Tanya22]

I am no expert on egrets at all. Do they eat eggs in the wild? If so, what was the reasoning behind boiling it first? I only know parrots and birds of prey. With raptors, cooking food is bad. This may not be true of egrets. If it were me, I'd call every vet within traveling distance to see if they will take the babies or refer you to someone who can. They might even be able to get you in touch with someone willing to come get them or set up a transport chain. Even vets that won't see wild birds can often refer you to a rehab place. Failing all that, I'd feed the babies as close to what they would eat in the wild. Also, see if you can set up a little cushion for them to brace their legs into the proper position. You might have to use google or youtube to try to find pics or videos of babies in the nest of your species to know what normal leg position is. For parrots with splay legs, we hobble them into the correct position. You might be able to google "splay leg treatment" and find some pictures that you can adapt to your situation.

I'm giving them raw fish too. I've just started it day before yesterday and have been told to find anchovies as well.

I have folded up a thick velvety pajama and I noticed today that the bigger one (Tara) was able to stand on one leg today. The little one (Chand) tried as well and I saw him jump and perch on the top of his nest box. I have researched the splay leg treatment and it mostly talks about using a brace. I'm unsure if it might not end up hurting them even more. Could you explain what you mean by 'hobble' them into the correct position please?

I'm trying to contact my nearby vets and will keep you all updated.

 

[Shezbug]

Splayed legs 101 - What is it? How to fix it?

What is it? Spraddle leg, also known as splayed leg(s), is a condition where the legs of a chick are sticking outwards and the chick is not able to support it´s own body weight. A chicks legs should sit vertically under the body and not at an angle. What causes it? Insufficient bedding in the...

forums.avianavenue.com

Not sure if you’ve seen this thread or if it’s helpful for your situation but I hope there may be something in it that you find helpful.

 

[melissasparrots]

Could you explain what you mean by 'hobble' them into the correct position please?

Check the link that Shezbug posted. That is what I was talking about when I said hobbling. Devising a way to hold the legs in the proper position. The younger the bird is when it is treated the better.

 

[Tanya22]

Splayed legs 101 - What is it? How to fix it?

What is it? Spraddle leg, also known as splayed leg(s), is a condition where the legs of a chick are sticking outwards and the chick is not able to support it´s own body weight. A chicks legs should sit vertically under the body and not at an angle. What causes it? Insufficient bedding in the...

forums.avianavenue.com

Not sure if you’ve seen this thread or if it’s helpful for your situation but I hope there may be something in it that you find helpful.

Thank you for this! Apologies I couldn't reply any sooner. I have checked out the thread and put a brace on Chand. With the other bird, Tara, I haven't put the brace on because I observed today that he stood on one leg but the other leg seemed odd. I'm suspecting a break in his other leg and so have been told to take him for an x-ray.

Once again thank you so much for this thread! I'll study it further and more deeply!

 

[Tanya22]

Hi everyone!

I just came back from the vet and he has told me that Tara has muscle dystrophy in one leg (the one that I was thinking was broken). I asked him if he could do a test on their poop for worms, but he said that there was no need. He said that the yellow poop could be a result of the boiled egg.

I have been told to continue the Calcium + Vitamin D3 tablets and Cod Liver Oil for 8 more days. I have also been told to start giving the supplement proviboost (2 drops in the morning and 2 drops in the evening) to them. I have been using proviboost for almost 2 years for my chicken, Mr. Brownie.

But what I'm concerned about is that he has said that nothing can be done for their legs. Actually, we don't really have any avian specialists here so that vet that I took them to was also a dog doctor mainly.

Does anyone know what I can do? Sending them to a rehabilitation centre etc is not an option right now. So, please please if anyone can advice me on what I can do for them at my home, I would be so very grateful.

 

[Tanya22]

An update about Chand and Tara!

I took them to another vet and he confirmed that Tara did have a broken bone in his left leg, which was causing muscle dystrophy.
He has advised me to give him physiotherapy for 3 to 4 minutes daily. What I'm doing is, I massage his leg muscle, rotate the leg and do push and pull motions to give his muscle exercise. I hope that will stop it from wasting away further.

I have also been told to make them practice perching daily. Tara is able to stand and perch on one leg, and Chand is able to with both his legs despite his splayed legs problem. Both slip a lot and fall as well but I stay around to catch them and put them back on the perch. They do this daily for 5 to 10 minutes.

A person also told me that Omega 3 can help in muscle dystrophy. That is present in cod liver oil, so I'm going to give it to him and Chand 3 times a week. Is that too much? Or too less? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Also, the reason that I took them to this vet was because I saw fleas crawling on Chand's head. I rushed them to him the next day and you all won't believe it! Chand was infested with fleas! Such a small body and there must have been hundreds of fleas on him! The vet had to spray him with the fleas remover thrice with breaks in between. Tara got sprayed twice.

I'm going to take them back after a week of this spray for another check up. I really hope that the fleas are gone.

I have also dewormed them 2 days ago using Albomar (it has Albendazole in it) but their poop is still yellow! I'm so confused!