Baby budgie with splayed legs

[Shelly]

Okay, (I posted this in Squawk talk last night), but here is what I've done.

Baby Aussie was born sometime on or before Australia Day so she/he (let's call her she) is approx 3 weeks 1 day old.

She was the only bird in the clutch that hatched, we left all the eggs there but mum threw them out, this has resulted in mum sitting too hard on the baby.

Her legs are now all splayed out to the side so last night I got a make up sponge (as per John's instructions) and have propped her up in an empty moisturiser container). Today I had a look and her left leg is not reacting to touch at all (right one is fine). It was all clumped up in baby poo and she could not even move her claws (sorry don't know the proper word for it) at all.

So I have given her a wash, dried her off and put her back in, she does appear to be a lot happier now and the leg is now moving, so fingers crossed that the problem corrects itself.

Here's a couple of pictures, can you tell me if I have done this wrong, or if I should change anything please.

This was taken before I gave her a wash, she's all clean now and legs are pulled through more (to the next joint if that makes sense)



this is how she is all the time, I'm worried about her head falling forward when she goes to sleep but I can't put anything there to prop it up or she tries to eat it, lol



please give me any suggestions, I'm trying to keep this little one alive and healthy (when all everybody else tells me to do is 'break it's neck', my god I could slap people sometimes.

Shelly

[vankarhi]

Shelly I have no idea if that is correct or not, but someone will come on tell you. Gee she is feathering up quickly now isn't she??

hope she will be ok.

[AussieBirds]

She looks okay to me Shelly, don't worry too much about the head falling forward she will pull it up and make herself comfortable. The best thing you can do now is just keep her warm and fed and let the legs heal themselves. They look about the right distance apart to me and just ignore the morons that tell you to break it's neck, just think if it were a person would you give it every chance to live, I would, God I hate those people.


John

[Jane]

Shelly, she looks like you've done a great job
People's attitude's are just appaling aren't they? I'm happy you're giving this little one a chance. I have a few birds who can't fly or who have 1 leg, some of which I've been given because people don't want them if they're not perfect. One is Stumpy the scarlet chested parrot who has a disabled foot and he fathered 4 chicks this year!
I did this splint thing with a baby budgie last year and got 1 leg perfect and 1 sticks out the side abit, but he can walk. fly and land on branches no problems.

[Phill]

the pics dont work for me but im glad to hear that things are coming along.

[Shelly]

Jane, can they live if they can't walk (I guess what I mean is will they squash their tummies and not be able to breath properly), and how do they land after they fly. I'm prepared to have her as an inside bird if it comes to that, but I just don't want her to be in pain.

thank you everybody, I feel very at ease now with what I'm doing. (I did buy a bag of hand raising mixture just in case but mum and dad are fine with it, she is back in the breeding box in the jar and they don't have a problem with it, they've already fed her twice)

[Jane]

Shelly, now that you are helping her I'm sure she'll be able to walk and live in the aviary, do her feet grip things? So long as she can do that she'll hold on. Birds even with only 1 leg can land on perches they use their wings to balance until they get a good grip.
Budgies are great parents, its good they are still feeding her.
In a week when her legs are getting used to being under her try her on a grid of small sticks to see if she can perch (you can leave the splint on) I think holding a perch while the splint holds the legs together will help the muscles develop in the right places.

[Shelly]

Oh well the poor little thing died overnight.

I'm feeling really sad about it, (for the first time ever), I think because I had to intervene with this one and was rooting for it to survive. At least the kids aren't upset because all along I'd been warning them that it might not live. I guess it's life but gee it's sad.

thanks for all you advice everybody, I'll keep an earlier eye on this bird next time she lays eggs.

Shelly

[Phill]

so sorry to hear that!!

[AussieBirds]

Yep it's always sad when that happens but by the same token you should proud of yourself because you gave the little one a chance, don't let one sad experience put you off from trying to help other babies in trouble, we all learn from our experiences.

John

[silvercloud]

Oh Shelly I am so sorry to hear about the little one. You gave her the best chance but unfortunately they can die for no apparent reason. You did a wonderful job with her.

[vankarhi]

Oh i am so sorry Shelly

[Jane]

Oh Shelly, that's so sad after all you did. You should be proud you tried so hard though.