10 week old chick with uncoordinated gait

[myluckychucks]

Hello everyone. I have a 10 week old Jersey Giant ( I think) chick that has trouble walking, stumbles and only walks a few steps before sitting down. the way she acts reminds me of meat birds at this age. I've had chickens for decades but never giants, and never had a problem like this. I thought spraddle legs but Granny Hatchet says that's not it. I don't think they had the best food to start life. I bought her at 4 weeks old from a breeder. Will a better diet and added vitamins help at this point? Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Ashtyn Claire]

I have raised chicks that have had the same problem, what I have found is if they survive those vital first 2 -2 1/2 weeks then their immune system should be able to support them. When this occurs, I do not change their feed, but I will not feed my older hens scraps (to make sure I know what my sick bird in consuming). Hope this helps!!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is the leg turned in? It's hard to tell.

She may have had an injury at some point or may be suffering from a leg bone deformity or slipped tendon.

If her nutrition was lacking in early life, then provide her with B2 (Riboflavin) this can be found in some poultry vitamins or you can crush a human B-Complex vitamin and add it to her feed daily to see if that makes a difference.

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

 

[myluckychucks]

The left foot is turned in but that was just for that picture. She usually has 2 feet straight ahead. I've added vitamin supplements and hope she will come around because she's a real pet. She comes to me when I hold my hands out to be put in a laying box to spend the night because she can't get up on the roost with her buddies.

 

[myluckychucks]

Well here is the story of my chick. I hope it might help someone someday. I bought this chick and 4 others from a breeder at 4-5 weeks of age. When I got her home they all ate and drank well and went outside on their second day. This chick was only a little bit slower than the rest. For 1 whole month she did well. Gained weight, and feathered out nicely and always was with her buddies BUT she never ran or played like the others. I gave her vitamins because I thought maybe she needed better nutrition because of her size. Since I asked my original question she had gone downhill until it was obvious she had epidemic tremor. I lost her 2 days ago. This is not just deadly for very young chicks as she showed no real symptoms until she was 8 weeks old. Every article I read said symptoms start between 1-3 weeks. Just be aware it can take a lot longer than that. I hope this helps someone else someday.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry you lost her.

Without a necropsy there is no way to know what caused her decline. Sometimes developmental/genetic disorders and disease don't present until they are older.

Here's some information on one disease that can cause similar symptoms:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[rebrascora]

It sounds like Marek's to me but as Wyorp Rock says, a necropsy is the only way to know for sure.