splayed legs in CHICKS How to Identify, Prevent and Treat

To Help Prevent Splayed Legs in Chicks.

• The N. box base must either have a concave or something that the chicks can push against when moving
  about, while their legs are developing. 

• If you don't have a layer of  bedding that the chicks can get a purchase on and push against or concave
  sides to the base, then you could get "Splayed legs", which can be a big problem.

  • (Lack of calcium, while the hen is feeding the chicks, can also predispose to this condition).

• The worst thing you can have is nest box with  a slippery, flat bottom and no bedding.

Splayed legs

• Congenital abnormality

• Inadequate bedding and/or slippery surfaces

  • Towelling or paper towelling too smooth or tight woven

  • Feeding surface smooth and slick

  • Particulate bedding too shallow
     

• Parents sitting too tightly

  • Injury

  • Fracture

  • Contracted tendons or hyper extension of knee

  • Rotational deformity of femur

  • Luxation of knee, usually turns medially
     

• Chick too fat - can't get legs close enough together for good footing
   

• Malnutrition

  • Improper calcium/phosphorus ratio especially for parent reared chicks

  • Vitamin D3 deficiency

   

• Premature closure of lateral growth plate of proximal tibiotarsus

• Radiography

• Cautery of growth plate

• Hobbling or splinting

AVOIDING SPLAY-LEGGED BABIES
Click on this link and have a read it's quite inspirational :  http://roseicollis.net/Splayed.php

You know it when you see it:

• A poor chick's legs are spread sideways out from the body and the chick is unable to get a grip and sit up with its legs properly underneath its body. 
   

  • If the chick's legs are thrust forward and it appears not to want to bring them back into the normal position with the joints bent - it may be nothing to actually do with the legs but it may be experiencing digestive discomfort - worth checking the crop is emptying properly after each feed and also the condition of the droppings.
     

• Splay legs can be very traumatic for the novice breeder. 

• The best way to deal with this is to PREVENT it.

• Even the best nest-builders should be given a basic substrate for the nest box. 

• I recommend  Easibed

• Easibed is non-toxic and easy to get -

• Put about 2 inches into the nest box. 

• Then give the hen her usual nest-building materials.

  • + willow branches (which is the Lovebirds personal choice)

• She will build her next on top of the substrate

• This prevents the chicks from ending up on the bottom of a nest box on a slippery wooden floor, where they can't get a proper grip. 

• It also cushions them if they have an overzealous mother who sits very tightly on them. 

• If you've already got chicks in the nest and realize they are hitting the wooden floor, remove chicks, remove the nest built by the mother (try to keep it basically intact).

• Add 2-3 inches of Easibed, replace mother's nest on top of the substrate, replace chicks

  • Problem hopefully resolved

  • DO NOT FORGET to add a Calcium supplement to the soft feed 2-3 times per week to help prevent this.

TREATMENT for a chick with splay legs

• the best way to treat it is to double-band the legs, 

• Use flat, broad dental floss to tie the legs together (not too tight) to hold them in the proper position under the body.

• Place the baby in a cushioned cup to help hold it in the proper position.

  •  Obviously this can entail pulling the baby from the nest and hand-feeding it separately from other chicks,

  • as the string between the legs could strangle other chicks in the nest. 
     

• If you are having difficulty, take the chick to the vet. 

• You do not want to let this go, as these birds are often severely crippled and will need special caging and extra help all their lives. 

Crooked toes

• Congenital/developmental

  • Improper calcium/phosphorus ratio (should be 2/3 calcium 1/3 Phos)

  • Standing on hard flat surfaces

  • Nails of third toes are often rotated laterally

  • More common in heavier birds  -

    • Use deeper bedding, trim toenails, earlier perching available

Dry skin on feet

• Dry, bedding such as wood chips may cause drying of skin of feet and constrictions that cause deformities of developing feet - especially in lories

• A measured quantity of water can be added to shavings to prevent this problem.

Crooked neck/back

• Congenital/developmental

• Improper calcium/phosphorus ratio

• Injury Falling Improper lifting

• Inadequate nutrition of parents resulting in calcium deficient egg

Chick won't sit up

• Normal posture at various stages of development for some species

• Injury / Fracture 

• Inappropriate bedding - slippery

• Fear - Stress 

• Spinal deformity - scoliosis

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