Baby Kak issues

BelindaTomTom

Regular Member
Our pair of Kaks have had 3 chicks. They are about 3 weeks old and all appear to be healthy and growing well. However, one of them seems to have a problem with it's legs. The legs are constantly splayed out and he/she just sits in the box and shuffles around on it's belly. One of the chicks fell out of the box and into the cage last week but seemed okay when it was put back in the nest box. We think it may be the same one but can't be sure. The legs don't look broken so wondering if they may be dislocated or is this just a common thing with some chicks? TIA
 
Our pair of Kaks have had 3 chicks. They are about 3 weeks old and all appear to be healthy and growing well. However, one of them seems to have a problem with it's legs. The legs are constantly splayed out and he/she just sits in the box and shuffles around on it's belly. One of the chicks fell out of the box and into the cage last week but seemed okay when it was put back in the nest box. We think it may be the same one but can't be sure. The legs don't look broken so wondering if they may be dislocated or is this just a common thing with some chicks? TIA

Can you post some pictures up?

What substrate is in the nest box. If you out the chick down with the legs tucked underneath it can it move about normally or do they go back to sticking out?

If it is splayed legs you can get a bit of sponge, make 2 holes in it and put the legs through to hold them in place so they grow correctly.
 
Can you post some pictures up?

What substrate is in the nest box. If you out the chick down with the legs tucked underneath it can it move about normally or do they go back to sticking out?

If it is splayed legs you can get a bit of sponge, make 2 holes in it and put the legs through to hold them in place so they grow correctly.

Thanks for the info. The legs are constantly splayed and it looks like the only way little one moves is on it's belly. We tried to introduce other materials when mum was nesting but she kept taking it out of the box. The substrate now is just whatever mum puts in the box. Largely it's broken egg and seed shell. The photo is pre-cleaning so apologies for the unsightly bits.
 

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Those little legs and body definitely need support on legs and the body.
In my opinion you may have to place little one in a small tub (like margarine type tub)and support it that way and likely hand feed. @CaptainHowdy ?? @Zoe220615 Anyone? We had to do this with 2 senegals many years ago but back then our avian vet showed us how to hobble the little legs together using narrow bandage. place in tub surrounded by scrunched kitchen roll etc. Advice may have changed since then. Also give extra calcium in the feed.
 
Those little legs and body definitely need support on legs and the body.
In my opinion you may have to place little one in a small tub (like margarine type tub)and support it that way and likely hand feed. @CaptainHowdy ??
Right, so that is what we started doing last night but were not sure if we were doing the right thing. I'll continue with that and have now checked online for various ways to correct the splaying. Will it hurt the little one moving it's legs to the correct position? (just preparing myself mentally).
 
Thanks for the info. The legs are constantly splayed and it looks like the only way little one moves is on it's belly. We tried to introduce other materials when mum was nesting but she kept taking it out of the box. The substrate now is just whatever mum puts in the box. Largely it's broken egg and seed shell. The photo is pre-cleaning so apologies for the unsightly bits.

Ah yes that does look to be quite badly splayed. As Diana has mentioned handrearing is an option is you are comfortable doing this? That way you can control the body position easier.

Otherwise you can continue on with the hobbling method using a sponge or some will use bandages etc as mentioned.

But you do need to keep the legs in the correct position for a good couple of weeks at least otherwise they won't grow correctly.
 
Ah yes that does look to be quite badly splayed. As Diana has mentioned handrearing is an option is you are comfortable doing this? That way you can control the body position easier.

Otherwise you can continue on with the hobbling method using a sponge or some will use bandages etc as mentioned.

But you do need to keep the legs in the correct position for a good couple of weeks at least otherwise they won't grow correctly.
Thank you so much for your help.
 
Right, so that is what we started doing last night but were not sure if we were doing the right thing. I'll continue with that and have now checked online for various ways to correct the splaying. Will it hurt the little one moving it's legs to the correct position? (just preparing myself mentally).
Those little legs and body definitely need support on legs and the body.
In my opinion you may have to place little one in a small tub (like margarine type tub)and support it that way and likely hand feed. @CaptainHowdy ?? @Zoe220615 Anyone? We had to do this with 2 senegals many years ago but back then our avian vet showed us how to hobble the little legs together using narrow bandage. place in tub surrounded by scrunched kitchen roll etc. Advice may have changed since then. Also give extra calcium in the feed.
Thanks for the advice. Hopefully we can now provide the right help and support.
 
Back again! We continue with hand-rearing and cobbled together a 'cradle' using a face mask and a pair of little ankle cuffs to draw the legs together. We read that suspending the bird slightly and using gravity to pull the legs down may help. The cuffs were loose to allow natural moment whilst keeping the feet drawn together. Yesterday we saw real progress as little one was able to stand on his feet and walk a little. He/she has been feeding well and looked okay. This morning one of the upper legs is red and slightly inflamed. We've taken the cuffs of the ankle just in case it has anything to do with that. They were mostly positioned round the ankles but we think with wriggling they may have been pushed further up the leg and the rubbing has caused the sore leg. I don't think it's broken. I just want to know if there is anything I can put on the leg to help it heal?

IMG-2767 (3).jpg
 
Back again! We continue with hand-rearing and cobbled together a 'cradle' using a face mask and a pair of little ankle cuffs to draw the legs together. We read that suspending the bird slightly and using gravity to pull the legs down may help. The cuffs were loose to allow natural moment whilst keeping the feet drawn together. Yesterday we saw real progress as little one was able to stand on his feet and walk a little. He/she has been feeding well and looked okay. This morning one of the upper legs is red and slightly inflamed. We've taken the cuffs of the ankle just in case it has anything to do with that. They were mostly positioned round the ankles but we think with wriggling they may have been pushed further up the leg and the rubbing has caused the sore leg. I don't think it's broken. I just want to know if there is anything I can put on the leg to help it heal?

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Hi ive only just seen this thread legs are looking much straighter so that good.
 
I had a tiel with badly splayed legs the vet banded them to straighten them but it can only be done when the bird is young and the bones haven't set yet.
 
Just thought I'd send an update on our baby kak with the spraddled legs. After a couple of weeks hand-rearing and physio where my dad build a wooden walkway with high sides so he could practice walking, Little one is on his feet and now happily back in the cage with the rest of his family.
Little One 1.JPGLittle One 2.JPG
 
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