Mereks??

[drea1014]

Hi everyone,
Our little chick is about 10 days old. She has had no problems until this morning. Now she is standing on her "knees" and not really moving. If she does it is really awkward and she falls. She will eat if you help hold her up. We originally thought she had spraddle but after posting on a different thread someone said it might be Mereks.

We tried doing the rubber band and straw method but now I am wondering if it is really straddle or not. I have attached some pictures. Any help would be great! We have separated her from the other chicks because they were fussing with her too much:

 

[Sonya9]

Never heard of a 10 day old chick getting Mareks. That isn't the problem.

Possible vitamin deficiency? I would supplement with B vitamins and brace the legs.

http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com/2011/06/chick-leg-problems.html

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am curious what feed they are on.

I am reading up on the vitamin deficiencies and would like to look up the label of the feed you are using for comparison.

 

[drea1014]

This is our food

 

[21hens-incharge]

That is one I am sadly not familiar with. I did compare to the one I had used and it does differ but not significantly.

 

[drea1014]

Any suggestion on the best place to buy the Vitamin B? We have a Tractor Supply store here and I saw on their website they have Vitamin B 12 but I need the complex B right?

 

[Eggcessive]

Most poultry vitamins contain the B complex vitamins, such as Rooster Booster Vitamins with Lacrobacillus, and Poultry Booster, Poultry cell, but I would stay away from Poultry NUTRI-Drench sinc eit lacks vitamin B2 (riboflavin.)

 

[drea1014]

Thanks for all the advice!!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Wondering how the little one is doing today.

 

[drea1014]

Here is the whole story. We got 2 Barred Rock chickens as 3 days old chicks. About the 3 days later one of the chicks suddenly stopped eating and drinking and died within 2 days. A few days later I went back to where we purchased the chicks and got another Barred Rock. Then on Sunday, our 2nd Barred Rock started doing bad. This is the one list above. I went out and bought rooster booster B-12 and rooster booster vitamins with electrolytes with lacto bacillus. We put the vitamins with electrolytes in all of the chicks water and them I started giving B12 1cc 3x a day to the chick. I also binded her legs in case it wasn't a deficiency and was spraddle leg. She seems to be doing better now getting up to eat and drink. She has only been on the B 12 for 2 full days and the water vitamins for 4 days. Now all of a sudden the 3rd Barred Rock is taking a turn for the worse. I also have 3 other chicks that are the same age but different breeds that are fine. I am thinking it may be something with that breed and that breeder.

Thoughts? Am I giving them too much vitamins? Thank You for the support this forum is amazing!!!