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Splayed Legs

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Posted

I'm wondering, what does splayed legs look like on chicks? I never seen any picture of it...

 

And is it common?

Edited by Michelle

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ooh, I didn't see the picture of the baby with splayed legs in there. I missed the post. Thanks!

 

Do they ALL have redness like that when it's splayed?

Do they ALL have redness like that when it's splayed?

 

I haven't had one for such a long time I would have said "no". But yesterday while checking my chicks I noticed one about 2 weeks old that had developed one splayed leg. That leg between the knee joint and body was quite red!

 

It was having trouble trying to use the leg on the slippery floor of the nest box. I'd used some pet litter as lining but obviously not enough and what was left had been scratched away to the corners. So I promptly removed the chicks and added another 2 cups of Coprice to the bottom, enough to have a good 10mm depth all over, and put the chicks back in. When I checked them yesterday evening they had both assumed a much more natural stance balanced properly on both feet.

 

This morning (thankfully a lot milder than yesterday's >1C ) I removed the chicks to check the leg. I say "chicks" plural as when I picked out the larger of the two (who had the splayed leg yesterday) I could not find any sign of the redness or splayed leg! They both seem fine. The difference is absolutely amazing! Needless to say I will be keeping a close eye on both and have started adding some calcium supplement to their soft food as an added preventative.

 

Had the redness and splay not disappeared I was going to try the foam pad "knobbling" referenced in the previous post as I think it is a brilliant solution. Hopefully I'll not need it.

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

Redness in the joints is usually the first thing you will notice in a chick with splay leg problems. It indicates inflammation and calcium supplements are the first thing you must add. One drop of calcivet or similar into the beak of each individual chick with the inflammation, plus additional into their food or water. If in the water they will get it through the parents, but I do one drop into the beak every day for around 6 days. If severe spaly legs, then it is necessary to apply a sponge splint as directed.

Splay legs arent specifically down to nesting box materials and a hen sitting too tight...it CAN be a combination of things, lack of calcium being a major part. Even if you think their calcium levels for chicks and parents are right, often a mother hen is an issue as she cannot process and deliver the calcium needed for the chick. :D

Redness in the joints is usually the first thing you will notice in a chick with splay leg problems.

 

okay, I'm confused. Both this photo posted by another member (Duth):

dscf0765nv4.jpg

 

... and my own chick clearly indicated redness in the muscle BETWEEN the joints. The joints themselves do not seem to be affected. I've read the articles posted and linked and they clearly say "a dark red discoloration of the knee joint". That is not what I see in the photo and not what my chick had yesterday. However inflammation in the muscle would be consistent with muscle strain from over-use (trying to stand on a slippery surface).

 

Or have I missed something here?

 

Even if you think their calcium levels for chicks and parents are right, often a mother hen is an issue as she cannot process and deliver the calcium needed for the chick. :D

 

She is an older bird I was about to retire off. This will probably be her last clutch now.

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

The redness indicates inflammation in the area. In any chicks I have had with splay legs, it looks just like that photo or as close to that as you will get, depending on when it was first observed. With infections and very small chicks, I would expect the discolouration to be in the general area when it is first noticed, as it may have begun just at the joint. I dont know. I guess there will be some variation. However, a splay legged chick is easy to spot. There are a combination of reasons for splay legs, I feel. It's what I have observed in my chicks.

Earlier this year I noticed two chicks in a nest, with splayed legs, where the mother completely cleared any nesting material I had place in the box. I immediately placed plenty of material in the nest & replaced the chicks. Within a couple of days, all symptoms of the splayed legs had vanished & the birds grew up normal.

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