respiratory issue, weak legs

hi,
my flock have had pox. a 6 mo pullet has some respiratory issue (rattling breathing) and hardly walks. she lost weight, her legs have an x shape but she eats and drinks normally. she does sleep on the roost and pecks the others as if she was ok. I give her baytril, her breathing seems better but her walking is the same. what is the reason for weakness in her legs? and why did they change the shape?

There are some common leg bone deformities in chickens that cause either a knock-kneed or a bow-legged appearance, called varus-valgus deformity. It tends to get worse as a pullet ages, and the hock tendon may give out. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? Mareks can cause lameness and lowered immunity, among other symptoms. Here is some reading about varus-valgus deformity:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1051/leg-health-in-large-broilers/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1790586/

Eggcessive said:

There are some common leg bone deformities in chickens that cause either a knock-kneed or a bow-legged appearance, called varus-valgus deformity. It tends to get worse as a pullet ages, and the hock tendon may give out. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? Mareks can cause lameness and lowered immunity, among other symptoms. Here is some reading about varus-valgus deformity:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1051/leg-health-in-large-broilers/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1790586/

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thank you.

she is about 6 months old and has been like that for just a few days. I am not sure if her legs are deformed - she is too weak and cannot carry the weight of her body. I had a pullet like that who had IB, got well and about 2 months later could not walk at all. after 6 days treatment with baytril got better. she is still alive.

this one might have been vaccinated, I bought her as 1 month old. they always say birds are vaccinated. she does not look as bad as the above picture. I think her legs get an x shape when she is walking only.

is there anything I can give her to help that? I am feeding her 18% protein grower feed with added vitamins. she eats a lot of greens as well. the other pullet never lost her appetite as well. my vet wasn't sure what it was, said maybe salmonella that got into the bones.

Usually there is nothing that can be done for bone deformities, but I would try a poultry vitamin that also contained trace minerals, just to try and arrest any further damage, since many deformities are thought to be from a deficiency of trace minerals. In the US, products such as Poultry Nutri-drench, Poultry cell, and Rooster Booster Poultry Booster contain minerals as well as vitamins.

Eggcessive said:

Usually there is nothing that can be done for bone deformities, but I would try a poultry vitamin that also contained trace minerals, just to try and arrest any further damage, since many deformities are thought to be from a deficiency of trace minerals. In the US, products such as Poultry Nutri-drench, Poultry cell, and Rooster Booster Poultry Booster contain minerals as well as vitamins.

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thank you. I have already got good vitamins with trace minerals although the feed I am giving contain them. I guess the only thing I can do is wait and see.

Eggcessive said:

Usually there is nothing that can be done for bone deformities, but I would try a poultry vitamin that also contained trace minerals, just to try and arrest any further damage, since many deformities are thought to be from a deficiency of trace minerals. In the US, products such as Poultry Nutri-drench, Poultry cell, and Rooster Booster Poultry Booster contain minerals as well as vitamins.

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my pullet seems to be getting better. thank god no deformities. she is weak (probably due to fowl pox) and still cannot completely stretch her left leg. her right leg is in better form. this evening I found her on the highest roost! but she is still far from being well. I continue with vitamins.

thank you for your help. I am still learning about chickens.

I hope she gets better, and that her leg may just be sprained.

Eggcessive said:

I hope she gets better, and that her leg may just be sprained.

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well, I forgot to say I have 2 roos and a cockerel in the same run with her. this might be their job. they are taking advantage of the weak girls as the other ones run away.