We have a three week old brahma chick with what we think is a spraddle leg and we're wondering if there's anything we

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I'm so sorry to hear that! :(

Splay leg (also known as spraddle leg), is a common congenital/developmental abnormality in newly hatched chicks. It can involve one or both legs, although it typically affects both, causing them to extend outward to the sides of the chick's body. The severity ranges from mild to severe, and often may take a couple of weeks until it becomes obvious.

There are a number of different reasons chicks can develop splay leg, such as:

• Fluctuations during incubation: High humidity and/or any temperature fluctuations can cause abnormalities
• Hatching-related: The temperature of the incubator while the chick was hatching was too high or low.
• Inadequate diet for breeders: Chickens receiving "layer" feed do not get enough nutrients required for chicks to develop properly. There is an increased risk of malformations and vitamin B deficiencies in the embryos and hatched chicks who are the offspring of chickens fed a diet intended for "layers"
• Improper floor surface: Growing chicks require a floor surface that provides them with adequate traction to move around, otherwise it causes their legs to slide out from under them and prevents them from developing their leg muscles properly, resulting in splay leg.
  

When splay leg is so severe that the chick is unable to walk, it puts them at high risk of starvation or by getting trampled to death by flock mates. These chicks will require supportive care and need to be temporarily separated from the others, at least until they are able to walk on their own again to be able to access water and food.

If splay leg is spotted early, hobbling of the chick's legs can often correct the problem. Bandages should be removed and replaced on a daily basis to allow adjustments for growth.

Excellent! Oh that's wonderful news! :)

I hope she is OK and heals up soon! :)

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