D.C. Townsend has a great article on Poultry Orthopedics on the UPA Website complete with illustrated drawings. That is an important article to go to for info on how to fix spradle legs and curled toes in a newly hatched chick. D.C. and I became friends last year when in desperation I called her for help on some really challenging chicks. One was a chick that had hatched with slipped tendons on both of his legs. This problem manifested with the chick unable to stand. It laid down or scooted about on it’s hocks. His legs were not spradled but with slipped tendons he simply couldn’t stand. I was stewing on how to help the wee pea when I decided I had to have help. I called D.C. and told her what was going on. By this time the chick was 2 days old and was beginning to wear holes in each of his hocks. The hock/knee area of both of the chick’s legs were feverish as well. I knew this wee pea only had a few hours to live before he would go septic and I would loose the battle to save him. When I told D.C. about Scooter, and told her how quickly he was going down she told me to make hock guards for the little fellow. I happened to have a pack of thin sheets of craft foam from the dollar store. I cut 2 small strips of the craft foam to tape on the back of each leg at the bottom of his leg. He needed his hock/knee joint free to move. Before I taped the foam hock guard on his legs I straightened his legs and gently pushed the slipped tendon back into the groove. Then I wrapped the lower leg with a thin piece of craft foam, taped it into place with a small piece of tape and set the chick down. I was hoping with all of my heart that the hock guard would protect the little fellow’s hocks while I tried to figure out how to fix both tendons. I was thrilled when I set the chick down to discover that he quickly stood up for the first time. He took a few tentative steps, sat down then stood up again a bit more confident. Then he took off running across the brooder box. I was amazed that something so seemingly simple could fix a chick that was destined to die with out help. I shared this story at the 2016 UPA. Feed back from one person was that the tendons would slip back out in a week or two. It had already been 3 weeks. I had taken the hock guards off after 4-5 days and Scooter showed no other signs of weakness. I’ve kept a close eye on Scooter and am happy to report that he has grown into a stunningly, beautiful, pied male. If I ever had another chick with a slipped tendon, they will get the same treatment.
Above is a picture of Scooter with his hock guards on and taking his first few steps.
As a bit of history, before Scooter’s success story, I’d had 2 other chicks with one slipped tendon each, several years apart. Both died after a lot of work and attempted intervention. So my track record had been 0 out of 2. I was so thankful for D.C.’s help!! She has taught me so much. FYI, D.C. just sent me a video that she made several years ago on how poultry orthopedics. I’m hoping to get this copied onto a flash drive or C.D. or posted onto the website to share with others. D.C. would like that. Thanks again D.C. Townsend!
Loretta Smith
TLC PEACOCKS