Slipped Tendon

Slipped Tendon: The gastrocnemius tendon runs behind the hock joint, similar to the
Achilles tendon in a human. In a healthy chick, it sits in a groove
at the back of the hock. If that tendon slips out, it usually slips
to the inside or outside of the joint, causing the leg to twist
backward or outward. You can usually feel this groove by palpating,
almost like the groove between 2 of your knuckles.

If the chick has not been like this very long, you have a good chance
at fixing it. As time goes on, it becomes harder to correct. Prompt
treatment is very sensitive here.

1. Secure the chick by wrapping it in a towel, or have someone else
hold it, with the injured leg exposed. Hold it gently but firmly, so
it can’t kick or struggle and injure itself further. Be careful to
not tip it upside down; avoid causing aspiration.

2. Find and reposition the tendon. Locate the hock joint (it’s the
middle joint of the leg, between hip and ankle, and looks like a
backwards knee, with that ‘knuckle’ mentioned above. Gently flex and
extend the joint, while feeling behind it with your fingers. You’ll
likely feel the tendon off to one side, “slipped” out of its groove;
it’ll feel almost like a round rubber band. Gently guide the tendon
back into the groove using slow, steady pressure. Be careful to not
press too hard, and do not overstretch it. This may take a few
attempts – the tendon will slip away easily. Don’t force it – if
there’s swelling or the tendon is stuck, don’t push hard.

If there’s inflammation, or the tendon is stuck and won’t move, you
can try an epsom salt soak. Use a small container, like a yogurt cup,
and fill it with very warm water and a few pinches of epsom salt.
Hold the chick in one hand and the cup in the other, and soak the leg
5-10 minutes. This should relax stiff muscles in the leg, and reduce
inflammation a bit, allowing the tendon to be moved back into place.
Dry the chick with a hair dryer set to Low.

3. Stabilize the joint. Once the tendon is back in place, you need to
keep it from slipping out again while the joint heals. Wrap a small
piece of gauze or cotton around the joint for padding (you can even
use Kleenex for this). Then use vetwrap or medical tape over the
padding, just firmly enough to hold the joint in place. Recheck every
12 hours to ensure circulation hasn’t been cut off.

Leave the wrap on 3-5 days, checking for circulation and pressure
sores. Chicks grow very quickly at this age so the wrap may need
adjusted or redone.

Make sure the chick is on nonslip substrate: rubber shelf lining,
papertowels, rough cloth, puppy pads, etc. Shavings can be difficult
to walk on with the leg braced. Avoid slippery surfaces like
newspaper and bare plastic.

Ensure proper nutritional support during healing. Add an appropriate
vitamin to the chicks’ water while the leg heals – Poultry Cell would
be best. Make sure the chick is eating and drinking well on its own.
It can’t heal if it isn’t getting nutrition it needs, or it gets
dehydrated.

Be sure to check the tendon wrap daily. If the tendon slips again,
treat it as you did before to get it back into place. In most cases,
the chick improves drastically in 3 to 5 days with good nutrition and
care.