Dropped Chick - Broken Leg?

[nonseq]

I dropped one of our three-day-old chicks yesterday. It fell maybe two feet onto the top of the brooder. It's been gimping about on one leg since. I'm not sure what to do. It won't put weight on that leg and holds the leg up close to its body. I've seen little chicks jump/fall greater distances and come up unhurt, so I am not sure what happened with this one. It's eating and drinking and hopping about, but......Can I help it?

 

[bturbo87]

yes you can, make small splints out of popsilce sticks, i would also try and cut them in half lengthwise to make sure they stay on the leg good, i would splint the inside and outside the leg, and when splinting, make sure it extends above and below the joints of the break. for instance, if you broke your forearm, you would be splinted from above the elbow, to below the wrist. attach it with some duct tape, since vet wrap wont stick to the leg. and make it just slightly longer then the leg so whatever pressure is being applied is being applied to the splint and not the foot.

 

[al6517]

Chances are it won't make it, You can try the splint method and you may just get lucky my guess is that people who try this just don't post when the birds finaly pass, so everybody thinks this works.

AL

 

[nonseq]

Yeah. I figured it would be a goner. Poor thing. I was having a bad animal day yesterday. Forgot to feed my dogs. Forgot to let my neighbor's dogs out. Forgot to lock the hens up. Dropped a new chick. TG my kids are old enough to ask for what they need, right?

We're staying home and resting today...

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Oh I wouldn't beat yourself up about it, I think we all have bad day's every now and then, good luck though.

AL

 

[tinychicky]

the same sort of thing happened to me... and the hen is still alive! i didn't splint it or anything, she just recovered on her own. she was no more than 2 days old when i dropped her, bit she's getting along fine, now-4 years later! give the chick something calcium-rich like plain yogurt to help mend the bones.

in my experience splinting has just given chickens deep punture wounds on the keel, so i don't suggest using one. one of my hens once injured her leg, so i splinted it, but the popcicle sticks dug into her skin and the cuts got infected. when i eventually took the splint off, the hen that had been living in the kitchen for about 3 months was better in less than 2 weeks without it. she's alive now, but with a case of sour crop ( see https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362417 )... the poor things been through a lot!

 

[mmaddie's mom]

There is hope! I had a baby that was steped on in a hen fight and his leg was TOTALLY broken above the knee (drumstick part)... dangeling toward the back. No splint but isolated (his mom and brother would come and visit with him and lay outside the cage every day). Fed and watered him and within 2 weeks he was standing on his good leg and holding the bad one up... in a couple more days he was stretching the bad leg ... a few more and he was flexing his toes... then set foot down and tried it out... his mother and brother took him back and he limped for about a month. BUT now is my Head Roo! He's now a georgeous red and black Top Dog! You'd never know it was a problem. PRAYER is the key!

 

[laceynoelle]

Thats nonsence about them dying with broken legs. One on my chicks got her leg snaped by a dog. I set it and isolated her, And used a splint. about two weeks later she was walking normal with the othe hens. Trust me, a broken leg is no big deal as chicken injuries go.

 

[Sillystunt]

wow, mine just got caught inbetween the fence and the wire. She was there all night, i could have died when we found her. Her ankle is broke and she gets around and perches. i would like to try to save her and i will try the splint with her. She is really a trooper and the other pullets are embracing her. It is so cute, they snuggle and walk with her over to ther food. CRAZY............................. I know

 

[jeska180]

My 2 year old dropped one of my day olds just hours after I picked them up! Hes resting in his new home now but not really using one of his legs. Fingers are crossed for him! I cant see where the problem is, his legs not floppy and he still grips with his toes. Guess we will see what morning brings.