1 month old chicken w/dislocated or broken legs(s)

[ChickNanny13]

I would not hesitate to start something with riboflavin in it, since vitamin B2 deficiency has to be treated quickly to be successful. Beef liver chopped finely, plain yogurt, nutritional yeast, and B complex tablets all contain riboflavin. Even though your feed may be balanced and no other birds have symptoms, they can inherit B2 deficiency. There is a good link that you can read by The Poultry Site on "riboflavin deficiency in chickens" if you Google that. Curled toe paralysis is the term that they use for it. She almost looks like a splay legged chick, so she might benefit by a hobble, getting the legs closer together about 1 1/4 inches apart with a bandaid or vet wrap tape. You can also make a shoe for the curled toes with tape and cardboard on the foot.

I had a 3wk chick out of 38, develop the same problem, totally agree with Eggcessive! I purchased PolyVisol (w/out iron) Vitamins, fed the chick 3 drops to the beak 3x day, fed it boiled egg yolk mixed with it's crumbles, taped it's toes (from what looked splayed turned to Curly Toe Paralysis). Use a towel/carpet to line to bottom of it's enclosure, gives it traction. Seemed like forever but checking my notes it was about 2wks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My experiences has been it does seem to happen overnight on most. They just can't stand on their legs one day, I do believe they can still move them around a bit.

 

[ChickedFarmer]

We talked to our local feed and garden store. Apparently Marek's is very uncommon in our area. They don't even vaccinate their chicks due to the rarity of the disease. So I'm not so sure of that being the case anymore.

It could still be a Vitamin B12 deficiency. We're going to start her up on something today. See how that goes. She isn't looking so well, poor thing.

 

[ChickedFarmer]

We talked to our local feed and garden store. Apparently Marek's is very uncommon in our area. They don't even vaccinate their chicks due to the rarity of the disease. So I'm not so sure of that being the case anymore.

It could still be a Vitamin B12 deficiency. We're going to start her up on something today. See how that goes. She isn't looking so well, poor thing.

Now that she's situated, it does look like her right toes tend to curl up. That could help with the Vitamin B deficiency. We've retaped her legs and have crushed up B Super Complex (Niacin, Thiamine, Riboflavin and B-12.) into both her food and water. We're trying to put a little boot over the curled foot. It kinda looks like she curls it up by herself. When I pick her up she twitches and her right foot curls up. Her left doesn't though.

Her appetite it fine if that means anything.

 

[Eggcessive]

Riboflavin is B2, not B12--two different vitamins. Please keep us updated on how she is getting along, and good luck.

 

[ChickedFarmer]

Riboflavin is B2, not B12--two different vitamins. Please keep us updated on how she is getting along, and good luck.

Well, this B Super Complex has both Riboflavin and B-12.

I'd assume it can't hurt to give both.

 

[ChickedFarmer]

I'm happy to report that she's back on her feet! She's a bit wobbly, but she's up and eating. She was also able to get the shoe off aling with the bandaid around her legs. Her curled up foot also looks better. It's easy going, but I think she's on her way to recovery!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Glad to hear she's better

 

[ChickedFarmer]

She has officially been reintroduced to her brood! She's a bit wobbly, but other than that she's back to normal! I can't believe how fast the turn around was once she got her medicine. It's quite astounding. Thanks to everyone who gave advice. I'm very grateful for it. Now if I could only think up a name for her.