Nutritional deficiencies of calcium and vitamin E and selenium are also a possible cause. I have used adequate vitamins and mineral and unless the bird has a genetic inability to not absorb or utilize these, I do not think that is the problem.
Injury is another possibility so with that in mind, I carefully examined the leg. The right was normal and the foot could grip but the left leg was stretched out straight and resistant to moving. So the poor is trying to navigate with one leg.
Examination of the upper leg showed a break.
Carefully I bent the leg in position and applied a splint which I made by cutting the plastic brushpick to the length of his broken upper leg and secured it with paper tape.
I also started hand feeding it with CeDe hand feeding formula. He will eat hard boiled egg himself.
After all that, time for a sugar-free treat for Big Bird!
Linda
ReplyDeleteI have used layered paper tape to repair a broken leg numerous times, you don't need to include the splint, just align the break and pinch the tape up close to the leg until it acts as a splint itself. A veterinarian taught me to use this method. I am happy you caught this break. That is a drawback I think to the wire grates in the cages, I've had birds break their legs in that manner by dropping down through the grate. Also, they can stretch the ligament which takes months to heal and has to be splinted in the same manner. The leg break should heal in 10 - 14 days. Good luck with the baby. Big Bird is now Dr. Big Bird, Orthopedic MD.
The bird was not on wire grates when it broke its leg. This is one of the three borders fostered to the nest of three Staffords. They were quite a bit littler than the Staffords and Borders take longer to wean. I provided two nests, they fed well till their chicks were weaned and the hen decided to lay again.
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