Strange legs on my 7 wk old chick

[Eggcessive]

Her back looks like she was feather picked, but there could be something else going on with the white bumps. Her thick legs look a bit like osteopetrosis, a type of avian lymphoid leukosis, which I have only seen in pictures. The scaliness of the legs, though, could be related to leg mites. Mycoplasma synoviae tends to cause the joints of the feet and legs to be enlarged, where osteopetrosis makes the legs look like thick slabs while the feet stay normal size. Another name for it is marble leg disease. Whether the back skin issues and the feet issues and enlarged legs are all related, I cannot say since I am not an expert.

 

[ChandraM]

Her back looks like she was feather picked, but there could be something else going on with the white bumps. Her thick legs look a bit like osteopetrosis, a type of avian lymphoid leukosis, which I have only seen in pictures. The scaliness of the legs, though, could be related to leg mites. Mycoplasma synoviae tends to cause the joints of the feet and legs to be enlarged, where osteopetrosis makes the legs look like thick slabs while the feet stay normal size. Another name for it is marble leg disease. Whether the back skin issues and the feet issues and enlarged legs are all related, I cannot say since I am not an expert.

The missing feathers are from my SLW ‘Piglet’ , the chick went for a bug and Piglet took out a beak full of feathers during a supervised yard visit for the Little’s. It really doesn’t look like scaly leg mites in person.
I’ll look up more on osteopetrosis.
Thanks!

 

[ChandraM]

Her back looks like she was feather picked, but there could be something else going on with the white bumps. Her thick legs look a bit like osteopetrosis, a type of avian lymphoid leukosis, which I have only seen in pictures. The scaliness of the legs, though, could be related to leg mites. Mycoplasma synoviae tends to cause the joints of the feet and legs to be enlarged, where osteopetrosis makes the legs look like thick slabs while the feet stay normal size. Another name for it is marble leg disease. Whether the back skin issues and the feet issues and enlarged legs are all related, I cannot say since I am not an expert.

Whatever was going on with her neck has cleared up and new feathers are coming in, so it seems that was feather picking based. I've read up on osteopetrosis and it seems to me that this is what she has
I haven't decided what to do about it yet.
Thank you & MasterOfClucker and everyone else who took the time to read and help.

 

[ChandraM]

For people who find this thread later. I will also try to keep this updated as things progress with Raquel Welsummer.
I found a vet to see Raquel. They are almost 100% certain it is osteopetrosis. The only way to be absolutely sure was to do an x-ray, and I'm not that crazy chicken lady.
So the vet did some research and there is no viable treatment. Because of the age of my girl (8 weeks 1 day today), she had to have gotten this via vertical (from the mother through the egg) transmission. They said there is varying theory on the virus that causes this - it could be that most chickens have the virus and only some show symptoms but it is unknown why, or it could be that there are direct lines of transmission.
I have decided to cull Raquel when she shows signs of pain (not running around, mostly laying down, possible isolating herself), or if the disease is progressing rapidly and she starts to develop a bunch of tumors. I know not everyone would choose that, but here are some of my reasons:
There is a 4 month incubation period, and all of my other chickens have been exposed to the virus. If they are going to get it, they probably already have it, especially the 5 other chicks that have been in the brooder with her for the last 8 weeks. Some may get it, but it is very unlikely. The disease has high mortality rates, but low morbidity rates. It is possible that she could have 6 great months of life and nobody else will get it. It is possible that everyone already has it, only time will tell. One thing I can do to manage this is to keep a very clean coop. I already practice good coop management, so stepping it up for a few months won't be that much more effort.
Again, I'll try to post updates as things progress.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you for the update, and sorry that she may have osteopetrosis. I was contacted in Jan 2016 by a professor at at medical school who was doing research on osteopetrosis in chickens. Her name was Sarah Werning at Des Moine University, and I can contact her if you wish, or send you the contact info.

 

[ChandraM]

Thank you for the update, and sorry that she may have osteopetrosis. I was contacted in Jan 2016 by a professor at at medical school who was doing research on osteopetrosis in chickens. Her name was Sarah Werning at Des Moine University, and I can contact her if you wish, or send you the contact info.

I saw it on a previous thread. I'll contact her to see if she wants to do a necropsy when the time comes.
Thanks again, BYCers are always so helpful