1 week old chick with SERIOUS leg issues- PLEASE READ

[ChickNewbie24]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
-not sure aside from chicken, 1 week since hatching, weight... same or slightly less than fellow hatchlings...

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
-one leg sicks straight out in front, parallel to the ground. Began 2 .5 days after hatching with no apparent reason, has not healed, has had to be removed from peers as they were pecking it and sitting on it.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
-4 days
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
-no
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
-not sure... joint neatest foot is very stiff even when I try and push it in the correct position... foot is starting to become a dark color and are becoming scaly

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
-nothing I know of. They were hatched at a daycare but this began over the weekend when children were not present

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
-water and chick feed, no idea if it is medicated (is there any way to tell?) it was provided in a ziplok bag with eggs from farm.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
-same as other chicks, I assume normal

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
-TLC, towel on the bottom of the bin, leg almost appear "dead" but protruding frontward straight...

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
-I would like to treat on my own, but will seek help if it will help the animal

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. I have pics how to I add them?


12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
now an individual bin with a towel hot glued down away from pers with own water and feed.

 

[chkn]

It seems like I've seen problems with vitamin deficiencies in the little ones related to vitamin B (I believe). You have them on chick starter right? I'm not sure but I think those could also be symptoms of Mareck's however I think that would be a longshot. I think you need to look into nutrition, supplementing, hydrating with a little electrolyte.

 

[ChickNewbie24]

ok, I spoke with a large/farm animal vet tonight and she said she would look at him/her tomorrow so hopefully she will be able to reccomend the right vitamin... I'm oblivious when it comes to this... is there special "chicken" vitamins or do they just take crushed human ones... or drops in their water? I'm a bit lost! thanks for the suggestion... what exactly is mareks disease... I'v been trying to find pics of it for comparison but no dice. also out of 12 eggs only 3 hatched, the other 2 are perfectly fine as of yet, a bit bigger. but with less actual feathering on the wings. Thanks for the response! I was worrying that no one could see my post or something!

 

[Blue_Myst]

A lot of people like to use Poly Vi Sol (without iron) for a chicken vitamin supplement. It's supposed to work well. They also make a chick supplement (Gro Gel, or something like that).

It looks like a popped tendon to me, but I'm afraid I can't tell you how to fix it. Usually when a tendon becomes slipped, it can cause discoloration in the leg, like what your chick is going through. Hopefully your vet can give you some good ideas tomorrow!

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
It's probably not Marek's. You would not see any symptoms for a minimum of 2-3 weeks. Good luck with the little chickie

 

[ChickNewbie24]

Took her to the vet! She apparently loves chickens! She has already hatched 2 eggs with the same problem this year. Its a shortened tendon! She did X rays and that's what mine has 2. She took mine in and will raise them together until they are old enough to defend themselves! She has adults with the same issue! And one chick with the opposite tendon shortened so the leg sticks backward! So relieved to have found a great home for my little chick friend! Thanks so much!