# weak legs



## Joel (Mar 6, 2001)

I have a youngster that is spraddle-legged. Its nest mate is fine. Can this become a permanent condition? I put straw in the nest so they wont slip so much.

Thanks
Joel


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## t-bird (Mar 29, 2001)

I had a young bird about 3 weeks old and it broke its leg and the mother and father stopped feeding it I tried but it still died.I hope this dose not happen to your young one.


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## t-bird (Mar 29, 2001)

I had a young bird about 3 weeks old and it broke its leg and the mother and father stopped feeding it I tried but it still died.I hope this dose not happen to your young one.


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## peter (Oct 22, 2001)

Joel 
Your problem can be easily corrected in the future by buying nest bowls Order from www.globalpigeons.com. These are very cheap $.25 cents a piece. As for your current pigeon I think that He will have that for life. You can get a bowl under him right away and mabey it will change.

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peter


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## peter (Oct 22, 2001)

http://www.globalpigeon.com/main.html is the correct address for thi site sorry.


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## Marian (Feb 17, 2001)

Hi Joel,
Your pigeon's splay legs can probably be corrected if the leg is not broken and if you act now. Putting straw into the nest isnt enough. The bird does not have the muscular development to correct the splay.
At a veterinary supply place or from your vet, buy a roll of Coflex or vetwrap. It isn't expensive.
Cut two strips, each 5-6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. You will be wrapping one strip around the upper legs and one on the lower legs. Then press the strip against itself between the legs to secure.
Have someone hold the bird toward you. Wrap a strip around the upper legs so that the legs and feet are in normal position under the bird. Do the same to the lower legs, making sure the wraps are placed evenly. The vetwrap sticks to itself but not to the bird.
The bird will have trouble balancing itself at first, so help it along. 
Straw is not good to use in a nest as when it gets moist, fungus grows and the birds develop fungal infections in respiratory tract. I line the nest cup with Contact brand Grip Liner (buy rolls at grocery store) that lets the bird have traction.
After a week remove the wrapping for half an hour to see how the legs are doing. If the legs immediately spay out again, put new wraps on immediately. It takes 2-5 weeks of this to correct the splay. Make sure that the feet are always both warm and with color, and that the bird can move its toes. This checks the circulation. If the wraps get wet, change them. 
I assume the parents are still feeding the bird. Don't put a water dish where the bird could accidentally drown.
This sounds like a complicated thing to do, but it really isn't. Don't be discouraged if you have some difficulty putting wraps on for the first time. Cut several as you'll probably have to throw away the first few tries.
Good luck
Marian


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## Marian (Feb 17, 2001)

Hi Joel,
I forgot one thing. After you remove the wraps and decide that you can leave them off, give the bird a flooring of the Grip Liner so that he can practice walking on a traction surface. This will let him build strength which he will need to keep the legs together.


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## Joel (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for the response everyone. Marian, thats a lot to take in but i'll try it. Today i took a shoe string and tied both the lower and upper parts of the leg together making sure it wasnt to tight or loose but the tape sounds like a better idea. I sure hope things work out for this little guy. Thanks again.

Joel


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