Does this baby have splayed legs? Her left leg is pretty much okay but her right one is red and slips out from under her all the time. She is about 5 days old. If it is splayed legs what can I do to fix it and what could have caused it? Will I need to handfeed her?

 

 

 

Also, the second baby of this clutch died at day one, was discovered fed and warm but dead. Out of the 8 eggs in total, many were DIS and it seems only 3 babies will survive now. What could be the problem, I do not want a repeat of this!! What can I do, what am I doing wrong?

 

And another question, this was the pair's second clutch, but because there will be only a few babies..once I can fix whatever the problem is would it be alright to let them have a third clutch in about 6 months? The first clutch only had one baby, and it was healthy..unlike these other eggs apparently..

Maybe I shouldn't really breed anymore, it keeps going wrong..this pair is the only pair I have ever bred but they usually lay about 5 eggs and only raise 1-2 chicks, the most they have ever raised was 4! Almost every clutch in the 3 years they have been breeding (same mother each time, but different dads) has only had one baby fledge. I don't even know why so many don't make it to hatching..I try to do everything right but it obviously doesn't work.

Need replies asap please, I need help with this..I really don't like so many babies not making it :rip:

Edited October 4, 200915 yr by Jen144

Does this baby have splayed legs? Her left leg is pretty much okay but her right one is red and slips out from under her all the time. She is about 5 days old. If it is splayed legs what can I do to fix it and what could have caused it? Will I need to handfeed her?

 

 

 

Also, the second baby of this clutch died at day one, was discovered fed and warm but dead. Out of the 8 eggs in total, many were DIS and it seems only 3 babies will survive now. What could be the problem, I do not want a repeat of this!! What can I do, what am I doing wrong?

 

And another question, this was the pair's second clutch, but because there will be only a few babies..once I can fix whatever the problem is would it be alright to let them have a third clutch in about 6 months? The first clutch only had one baby, and it was healthy..unlike these other eggs apparently..

Maybe I shouldn't really breed anymore, it keeps going wrong..this pair is the only pair I have ever bred but they usually lay about 5 eggs and only raise 1-2 chicks, the most they have ever raised was 4! Almost every clutch in the 3 years they have been breeding (same mother each time, but different dads) has only had one baby fledge. I don't even know why so many don't make it to hatching..I try to do everything right but it obviously doesn't work.

Need replies asap please, I need help with this..I really don't like so many babies not making it :rip:

Jen if you go to HEALTH QUESTIONS AND TIPS you will find a pinned article about splayed legs by Kaz. Very great help. I followed this and fixed badly splayed leg chick. I also used pipe cleaners on another with good results. Placed pipe cleaner gently around ANKLE AREA. Hope this helps, the quicker you do it, the better result. I can't help with other advice but I'm sure others can. I wondered if wings on this little one looked quite right? Maybe just picture. good luck and hope this helps a bit.

 

P.S. I left mine in box with others, parents continued to rear them, apparently you can sometimes have parents reject them but if you keep check you would soon know if they are feeding it. Check crop etc. :rip:

Okay thank you very much. I've put pipe cleaner around her legs (rather hard to get it on and keep it on her tiny little legs) at what I hope it close enough together? I did a pink pipe cleaner, because it matches her colour the best and maybe will help stop the mum from picking at it or anything. Just thought it would help, better than using a brightly coloured and more noticeable one.

 

I'll have to check on her every day won't I, especially to make sure it stays on and doesn't get too tight? How long will it take to be fixed?

Okay thank you very much. I've put pipe cleaner around her legs (rather hard to get it on and keep it on her tiny little legs) at what I hope it close enough together? I did a pink pipe cleaner, because it matches her colour the best and maybe will help stop the mum from picking at it or anything. Just thought it would help, better than using a brightly coloured and more noticeable one.

 

I'll have to check on her every day won't I, especially to make sure it stays on and doesn't get too tight? How long will it take to be fixed?

Hi Jen, looks pretty good. I know its a bit difficult, but mine stood up better with p.cl. it kept lying on it's side with make-p sponge. I think mine took a couple of weeks but as yours is so young it may be less, leave it a few days before checking. It's sort of trial and error. The pipe cleaners are soft on it's skin as long as it's not overtight or rubbing . Another suggestion was a drop of liquid calcium to the beak each day, as it could be lack of calcium, or, as in my case slippery insert in box. I think the calcium was for about a week 10 days. About 1/2 inch between legs was about right. Just keep check Mum is still feeding it. BUT, looking pretty good from pics. Keep us posted and good luck. :rip:

Okay the mum has fed it again and doesn't seem at all bothered by the pipe cleaners on her baby's legs. I'm pretty sure it isn't a calcium problem, because I gave the birds cuttlefish and liquid calcium in their water before and during the egg laying etc..I don't even think it is because the nest is slippery, as I have used that nest every time for their clutches and no problems before...So I'm stumped as to what the reason is..

But just in case I'll give the baby some liquid calcium as you suggested. Just one drop per day, the instructions are to put a particular amount in their water, but one undiluted drop won't harm the baby will it? Also, because of her legs being tied together, the baby finds it very hard to stand up (though she is only 5 days old and so isn't very good at standing up at all yet) and just lies on her front. This is okay?

Edited October 5, 200915 yr by Jen144

Put the pipe cleaner higher up the leg, past its " knees" and bring legs in a little closer....overcompensating is more beneficial.

I'm pretty sure it isn't a calcium problem, because I gave the birds cuttlefish and liquid calcium in their water before and during the egg laying etc..

Cuttlefish is pretty much a useless source of calcium as most budgie just play with it more than ingest it. Liquid calcium is fine. Crushed powdered eggshell is the very best source of calcium. Some hens just dont process the calcium to their chicks well enough.

So putting it past its ankles it okay? I'll do that then, that'll probably make it easier for her to stand up.

Also, about the cuttlefish, I put crushed up cuttlefish in their seed so they didn't have much choice but to eat at least a little. But maybe the mum can't process the calcium very well as you said...she is 3 years old and this is her second clutch this year so maybe she's getting worn out? If that is the case, does that mean she shouldn't really breed again? Or at least only one clutch next year, I was planning on stopping her breeding after next year but maybe this year would be better for her...And on that subject, maybe that is why so many eggs died in early stages of development this clutch..is that a possible reason?

Edited October 5, 200915 yr by Jen144

Above the knees lets them make use of their feet to get around.

Okay the mum has fed it again and doesn't seem at all bothered by the pipe cleaners on her baby's legs. I'm pretty sure it isn't a calcium problem, because I gave the birds cuttlefish and liquid calcium in their water before and during the egg laying etc..I don't even think it is because the nest is slippery, as I have used that nest every time for their clutches and no problems before...So I'm stumped as to what the reason is..

But just in case I'll give the baby some liquid calcium as you suggested. Just one drop per day, the instructions are to put a particular amount in their water, but one undiluted drop won't harm the baby will it? Also, because of her legs being tied together, the baby finds it very hard to stand up (though she is only 5 days old and so isn't very good at standing up at all yet) and just lies on her front. This is okay?

Great that Mum is still feeding, that's one less hurdle. Try Kaz's above the knee but mine kept slipping down so did ankles instead of doing it too tightly. The idea is to align hip joints into right position before bones calcify so whatever works has got to be better than doing nothing. Keep posting to see how you go.

Thank you all for the help, and I have one more question at the moment. The baby is lying on her front with her legs out behind her because she doesn't seem to be able to sit up with the splint on her legs, she is only 5 days old so she isn't very strong yet. That would be bad wouldn't it, we are doing this to make sure her legs grow right and she has them stuck out behind her! Do I worry about this or just leave it?

If necessary I can do what I've seen someone else do..keep her in a container in a brooder, the container having tissues in it do it forces her legs in the right position, and they handfed her..Will I have to do this? I need to find out as soon as possible so if I do need to handfeed her then I can get everything ready.

Edited October 5, 200915 yr by Jen144

The hobble you are using is heavier than she is to a degree making her out of balance. Try something lighter...........and up past her knees.

It is past her knees now, and what else can I use?

It is past her knees now, and what else can I use?

Lightweight guaze and sticking plaster ( no sticky directly onto the legs )

I'll try. If I can't do that what can I do about her legs sticking out behind her?

I'll try. If I can't do that what can I do about her legs sticking out behind her?

She lays like that due to the splint thing you are using being too big, too heavy too out of balance for her size. You will just have to try a few things till it works out.

 

 

****EDIT...........recently in a nestbox I had a young one like yours at same sort of age with splay legs and redness at the joints. As I didnt want to splint legs on a baby that small I tried giving extra calcivet in the water to parents and a drop of neat calcivet to the baby every second day. It fixed itself with calcium alone and no splint in the end.

Edited October 5, 200915 yr by KAZ

It is past her knees now, and what else can I use?

Hi Jen, maybe little( litle finger size) hair loops, stretch material types, looped figure 8 around both legs may hold them in position until it can get it's legs under it. Apparently it takes a while for them to push themselves upright. Anythings worth a try.

Does this baby have splayed legs? Her left leg is pretty much okay but her right one is red and slips out from under her all the time. She is about 5 days old. If it is splayed legs what can I do to fix it and what could have caused it? Will I need to handfeed her?

 

 

 

Also, the second baby of this clutch died at day one, was discovered fed and warm but dead. Out of the 8 eggs in total, many were DIS and it seems only 3 babies will survive now. What could be the problem, I do not want a repeat of this!! What can I do, what am I doing wrong?

 

And another question, this was the pair's second clutch, but because there will be only a few babies..once I can fix whatever the problem is would it be alright to let them have a third clutch in about 6 months? The first clutch only had one baby, and it was healthy..unlike these other eggs apparently..

Maybe I shouldn't really breed anymore, it keeps going wrong..this pair is the only pair I have ever bred but they usually lay about 5 eggs and only raise 1-2 chicks, the most they have ever raised was 4! Almost every clutch in the 3 years they have been breeding (same mother each time, but different dads) has only had one baby fledge. I don't even know why so many don't make it to hatching..I try to do everything right but it obviously doesn't work.

Need replies asap please, I need help with this..I really don't like so many babies not making it

Hi Jen any update on your splay legged little one yet?

Yep, she's going fine. I put tissues in the nest, just to see if that would help stop her from slipping around (which worked), and used hair bands as a hobble until she got a little older then put the pipe cleaners back on. She is improving, I haven't taken the splint off yet though..she can stand up and move around now.

She is 12 days old, any clue when I can take it off without her legs going back to the way they were?

Yep, she's going fine. I put tissues in the nest, just to see if that would help stop her from slipping around (which worked), and used hair bands as a hobble until she got a little older then put the pipe cleaners back on. She is improving, I haven't taken the splint off yet though..she can stand up and move around now.

She is 12 days old, any clue when I can take it off without her legs going back to the way they were?

Well done, I think others advised me to leave it a week then check to see if there was improvement, if it was better, but not completely fixed put the splint back on for a few more days, but a little closer than before. Because yours was younger it might be quicker than an older one. I think it's trial and error but a couple of extra days shouldn't hurt to make sure. Good luck and keep us posted. It's good for future reference either way. :fingerscrossed:

Yep, she's going fine. I put tissues in the nest, just to see if that would help stop her from slipping around (which worked), and used hair bands as a hobble until she got a little older then put the pipe cleaners back on. She is improving, I haven't taken the splint off yet though..she can stand up and move around now.

She is 12 days old, any clue when I can take it off without her legs going back to the way they were?

A week to ten days is usally enough. One way to find out...take it off and observe, and if you think it still needs correction hobble it again.

I figure I'll ask this here, it's on the same subject.

Out of the 6 eggs Storm laid, 2 were infertile, but the other 4 were fine. But out of that four, two hatched, one of the two died at one day old (reasons unknown) so there was only one baby that survived. The one baby that did had splayed legs. Last clutch only one out of 5 survived. Storm is 3 years old this year, and has laid and raised two clutches per year since she was 1 and 1/2.

Does she need to retire permenantly? Is it her age that is causing these problems? I'm not sure, as every clutch except for one has raised only 1-2 babies. Is this normal? What possible reason could there be for not very many eggs at all hatching? What can I do to fix it?

Please answer these questions, so I know what to do. Thank you.

You would retire her from breeding at age 4 years mostly.

She may be addling the eggs........knocking them about when she gets in and out of the box..if so those eggs wont hatch.

Some hens are only interested in the first couple of hatchings, then they tend to those babies and stop incubating the rest of the eggs resulting in the other chicks dying partway through.

It may just be the way she is as a mother. Not the best if you are hoping for more than she can give you :angel: