06/14/2026
A Lesson Learned at Odd Duck Ranch
I don’t hatch many chicks, so when three of our newly hatched peacocks developed spraddle leg, I was pretty concerned. I was told that chicks with this condition often die because they can’t stand or walk properly.
After some research, I realized the likely cause was the cardboard surface I had them on. I thought it had enough grip, but I was wrong.
Feeling terrible, I started looking for a solution and learned about a simple hobble. Using a drinking straw and a hair tie, I made one for each chick.
Two days later, all three are standing and walking properly.
A tough lesson, but a good one. I’ll never use cardboard again, and hopefully this post helps someone else save a chick too.
