Gouldian chick bent

[CandoAviary]

One of my three gouldians that have been under the society fosters has a deformed leg. I started supplimenting thier feedings because I didn't feel the societies were feeding enough. I noticed the leg on one is bent out and back at a very strange angle. I thought at first splayed leg. Then I thought maybe since all 4 societies would sit on him they squashed him and it splayed...or that maybe not enough nutrition and it splayed. But on closer inspection it looks like it was broken and has now healed a little bent, so that it throws the whole ankle foot out of proper allignment. Do you think it could of been broke by the parents that tossed him from the nest. The other leg is fine and I would think if it was nutritional or a deformaty both would be like that. The other 2 gouldians are perfect. The chick can open and grip with the foot, just an odd angle. Any thoughts ?

[Pukasand]

Oh, Candace, that's too bad, but at least it's alive .. for all it's trials and tribulations. Who knows what it went through. I have had many one-legged and deformed birds that turned out to be just lovely little creatures and wonderful parents. I would not breed if it were an inherited trait, though. Look at all the birds you have and all you raise, you are lucky to have such a low problem rate. You are doing something right, but we cant be everywhere all the time. Let us know how it fairs and pics when it's through it's first moult. Probably a beauty.

[L in Ontario]

I agree - I don't think anyone can really guess what happened or when. But that wee bird is lucky to be with you. Best wishes for it as it grows.

[CandoAviary]

Oh I will love this little bird the same...if not more... than the rest. It is a strange off white color chick with red eyes like that last dingy one..... not sure they will be beauties...that remains to be seen

[cindy]

Candace

The bones are so plyable when they hatch it may have been displaced then sat on, healing wrong as the bones hardened. My mother had this happen a few times. One little Zebra had a deformed foot and was one of the sweetest birds, he would come right up to the bars next to her and take food from her. I think he knew she loved him no matter what. If I went to the cage and talked to him he would leave the other birds and come over an beep at me. It is amazing how these little birds adapt. As he develops take his cues as to his needs in getting around the cage. He may surprise you and be quiet the busy bee.

[CandoAviary]

That was my gut feeling is that he was squashed by the societies. I have had this happen with grassketts on wooden bottom nest boxes. Some hens will not allow any nesting material and lay on bare wood. Not the best for developing bones. Also have seen splayed leg and slip claw when I bred canaries.You can tie a splint with a figure 8 to draw the legs in if caught early and sometimes correct it. This little finch is to set for that, also has a ridge in the 'thigh' bone that definately looks like a healed break. Maybe a bite. I had supplimented these chicks earlier and noticed nothing wrong so I think it definately happened with the societies. Hopefully he will be mobile. I had canaries that did fine, ackward, but fine. I have had keets need to be euthanized due to haveing to live on the bottom of a cage or aviary. They would develope sores and just did not have quality of life. We will see. Hopefully it will be able to fly and perch somewhat.

[Sally]

Candace, I have a male Strawberry that has a broken leg that sticks out to the side somewhat. He cannot use this leg at all, it appeared to be broken back at the hip. He gets around just fine, flies, lands on perches, etc. I do have a plastic asparagus fern that provides lots of soft support if he wants, and I also have one of those flat flagstone perches from Bird on the Rock.

[cindy]

It could be a bite, we had a few zebras minus toes and sores on the legs while they fledged, it looked as if they were nipped by a parent pushing them to leave the nest. One mom zebra was like I have had enough of you kids and got nippy chasing them from the nest.

I had one lovebird with an nippy/toss problem, the first time she hatched young she threw all the babies out as they hatched and kept the last two with her. Some where bruised and injured.

After that when she had a clutch I had to remove all the chicks as they hatched leaving the last two eggs for her to hatch and tend to. Odd how each set of parents are different.

Your mom bird may have done this to him, she may have sensed something different about him. Hope he will be ok, and get around well enough to have a nice life.

[CandoAviary]

Little "Gimpy" was hoping around today. They are covered with Pin feathers that are starting to blossom open. It is not splayed leg. One is totally normal The other you can definaely see where it was broken and healed at an angle with a bump. So I am sure it will do okay.
Like Sally does I will give it lots of supported landings..... actually it will have the luxeries of the crazy bird house aviary The original gouldian parent tossed the chick, I found it throug the grate on the bottom of the cage pan. The other 2 were tossed too. I never remove the young from the gouldians until they toss them. Sometime I even put them back to be tossed again. Unfortunately sometimes the chicks pay the price but I still prefer to give the gouldians every opportunity to raise thier own. So I am sure the injury happened early on.

[cindy]

Ah, I am glad the little fellow is doing well for you. Sometimes these little "broken ones" turn out to be the best little birds.