Leg problems - Please help!

I have 9-10 week old Cornish Rock Giants. We are feeding a mixture of wheat chop and grower ration. They are not remotely close to butcher weight. In the last week I have had four lose the use of their legs. They seem fine and healthy in every other way. Are they lacking a vitamin or nutrient or? What am I doing wrong?! Please help!

I think you need to look into Mareks' disease and see if you think that matches the symptoms. Just a good place to start, it's quite common.

Best wishes.

chooks4life said:

I think you need to look into Mareks' disease and see if you think that matches the symptoms. Just a good place to start, it's quite common.

Best wishes.

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The only symptom that matches is leg paralysis...no deaths...doesn't sound like Marek's?

DuckCommander said:

The only symptom that matches is leg paralysis...no deaths...doesn't sound like Marek's?

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There are different strains and some are much more virulent than others. Normally I would have thought injury first, then, because they're meat birds, the usual leg issues and incapacity experienced by that sort --- but you mention they have not gained weight. Next likely thing is deficiencies but you're apparently tending to that, or aware of it at least, so that's probably not it. However people seem to use Niacin for that, if it's caused by a deficiency issue, B group vitamins in general. I'm of the opinion most vitamins should be used in combination as the body utilizes them by processing them in conjunction with one another. Next random theory would be aflatoxins but I don't know how likely that is in your case.

The reason I thought Mareks' is because it seems most of the time I hear about some bird with paralyzed or weak legs, which is otherwise acting normal, it turns out to be Mareks'. Generally we expect the head twisting as well but that doesn't always occur, especially with vaccinated stock as the vaccine apparently doesn't stop them getting Mareks', it stops most of the standard symptoms showing in most infected birds. That paralysis, combined with the lack of development, made me think that Mareks' is possibly what you have. But, might not be.

Anyway, definitely a good idea to supplement nutritionally to begin with and hopefully that's all it is.

Best wishes.