Here are a couple of photos...

 

 

Dad

 

Mum

 

Baby... 5 days old

 

 

 

Are his legs okay? Im worried about them being splayed....

Edited September 11, 200717 yr by Loren

The legs dont look too good there loren, but you need to see if its like that all the time, not just when you take a photo. Meanwhile put some calcivet in the parents drinking water. Signs of splay legged chicks is redness to the joints and then the more obvious which is legs splayed out sideway. It appears your chick is looking that way, but it may have just been the way and time of the photo. Keep us up to date.

Hmm it seems his legs are like that all the time. I have been putting Calcivet in their water... is there anything else i can do?

 

Hmm it seems his legs are like that all the time. I have been putting Calcivet in their water... is there anything else i can do?

If you can put just a drop of calcivet into his beak each day for about 5 days it may help. At which point you can then use the sponge method to hobble his legs to try and fix the problem. At the moment he's a bit too little I think.

 

 

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/i...t=splay%20leghs

Edited September 11, 200717 yr by **KAZ**

Hmm it seems his legs are like that all the time. I have been putting Calcivet in their water... is there anything else i can do?

If you can put just a drop of calcivet into his beak each day for about 5 days it may help. At which point you can then use the sponge method to hobble his legs to try and fix the problem. At the moment he's a bit too little I think.http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/i...t=splay%20leghs

 

I was just going to ask you about the splints Kaz, didn't realize he was still too little for that.

Hmm it seems his legs are like that all the time. I have been putting Calcivet in their water... is there anything else i can do?

If you can put just a drop of calcivet into his beak each day for about 5 days it may help. At which point you can then use the sponge method to hobble his legs to try and fix the problem. At the moment he's a bit too little I think.http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/i...t=splay%20leghs

 

I was just going to ask you about the splints Kaz, didn't realize he was still too little for that.

Give him just a couple of days and then try the splints Loren. Its when they are just a bit too little, its hard to handle them and put the splints on.

 

PS a handy tip for passing the legs through the holes in the sponge is....get a small section of plastic drinking straw, slit it lengthwise. Put the legs into the drinking straw and pass through the holes in the sponge. Then pull the drinking straw away.

Thanks for that Kaz. I'll give him the calcivet and prepare for splinting later on!!

I would have liked to see some more food in his crop.

 

I would have liked to see some more food in his crop.

 

Good point Daz

I just want to point out the possibility that too much calcium may actually cause hypercalcemia, which is calcium toxicity. I don't really know how high the levels in calcivet are and how much a budgie can tolerate, but I am wondering, because nobody here has seemed to consider it. Here is an article on it:Hypercalcemia in budgies

CALCIVET

Liquid Calcium and Vitamin D3 supplement for birds. Calcivet is also suitable for small animals. It is in a palatable syrup that can be diluted in drinking water or administered directly to the bird.When used as directed Calcivet will not only supply Calcium but will supplement the birds Vitamin D levels and will boost magnesium intake. These three elements are necessary for the production of egg shells and strong bones.Calcivet can be used in egg bound birds to aid in the expulsion of the egg and in cases of soft shelled eggs to deliver calcium to the shell glad. Calcivet should be administered to breeding birds for approximately one month prior to egg laying and through the chick rearing period.

 

 

Loren, the advice I have given you works for me and many others.

 

I have considered the calcium levels in Calcivet. I have drawn upon the experiences of many, many seasoned budgie breeders who use this product regularly as well as the advice of an excellent avian vet who is supportive to our show breeding fraternity. I also have seen calcivet work in most positive ways, or I would not be advising its use.

 

The calcivet is in suspension with glucose, vitamin D3 as well and not a pure calcium powder. Treat your baby for about 5 days a drop each day to the beak AND calcivet in the parents water. You will not overdose the bird on calcium done this way and with calcivet.

 

Quite frankly, if you do have a bird with splay legs or a rickets problem then a calcium supplement is necessary to aid in the chicks possible recovery.

Edited September 11, 200717 yr by KAZ

Awe Loren...I hope he comes good for you.....when are beginners...we don't need the disapointment....

 

Hope he picks up...

Loren,

You can call on me anytime. I will be in your area tomorrow if you need me to look at the chick for you. Cheers kaz

Thanks Kaz, however I'll be at work tomorrow.

 

He is being fed... I just took this picture - is that a huge air bubble in his crop??

 

Loren, he shouldn't be on his back all the time. He'll never develop any strength in his leg muscles if he can't stand up. Can you get a photo of him right way up so we can see how he sits? I know the parents sometimes feed them on their backs, but they should never stay that way.

 

KathyW.

Because of his legs he just sort of lays on his belly... If i put him on his front he manages to flip onto his back.

 

 

Loren,I am 99% sure your budgie,has splade legs.I would treat it as Kaz has recommended & use the sponge to pull the legs together in a few days, if you can arrange for Kaz,to look at it,she will be able

to steer you in the right direction.I have had the odd splade chick & doing as Kaz said,the chicks have come good. :feedbirds:

Loren no one has asked you if you have plenty of nesting material in your nest box? Like sawdust, wood shavings or even sand, something that will stop the legs from slipping sideways. I have had some start off with legs that were splayed, but as soon as I noticed it, I added more material & within a few days it was okay. I think also that most things have a genetic component, so I would suggest that birds “repaired” with the sponge method would be best just kept as pets & not used in breeding.

Look at this picture Norm it shows nesting material in with mum and bub. Looks like wood shavings.

Look at this picture Norm it shows nesting material in with mum and bub. Looks like wood shavings.

 

Your right Nerwen Sorry I looked at that picture a few days ago, but didn't notice today...looks fine.

Loren, I can help you splint the legs Saturday if you like :bluebudgie:

That would be great Kaz

Poor little tyke, I've got 2 leg splayed birds. It is very disheartening when you find one in your nest.

Good luck with the correction.

I splinted the legs today. Baby was well fed at the time, and, once splinted, the Mum pulled the chick under her to keep it warm again. So far, so good

LOREN....how is the baby ?