2 Week Old Red Legged Partridge With Swollen Leg :(

[aibbam]

So i've got 7 2week old red legged partridge chicks. Last week i noticed one of the chicks was hopping and hobbling about. When i had a look at it one of it's legs and foot was completely swollen, maybe about 3x the size of it's other leg. I noticed it also had a weird indent in it's 'ankle' as if it had something cutting into it's leg-although it didn't (Pictures below).

Looked about online but there's not really that much info on partridge so looked up chicken infections, couldn't find anything that looked like what this chick has. So since then i've just been bathing the chick's leg in salty warm water every day, once or twice a day, and putting on some antiseptic cream. Since i've been doing that it hasn't got any worse, but hasn't got any better either.

I tried separating the chick from the others but it was jumping about and flapping around and just stressing it out even more being away from the others and thought it'd end up doing itself more harm smashing into the side repeatedly then just leaving it with it's siblings.

Anyway, so yesterday i've just noticed another chick was standing with it's leg drawn up to itself. I've had a look and it looks like it has the early stages of what the other chick has. It's ever so slightly swollen compared to it's other leg and you can see the weird indented line around it's 'ankle'.

The chicks get cleaned out twice a week, are being fed on correct partridge feed for their age and clean water, also they don't at the moment have any perches or anything to fall off of.

So, has anyone got any idea what this is and what i can do about it as it looks like it might be contagious.


Chick that has the problem:







Chick that has early stages:




Please help

 

[Eggcessive]

Please look for an imbedded leg band, hair, or string that is cutting off the circulation of the chick's legs. That can be a common problem, and the bands may not be seen if they have been there a while. They have to be cut out if you find this.

 

[000]

There appears to be an indent in the center, it is probably a string like Eggcessive said.

See the line? Flip the chick over (it won't hurt it) and cover it's face with a cloth (it keeps it calm). Make sure that you have scissors and toothpicks. Use your nail or the toothpick to separate the skin. If there is a string or leg band then cut it. Please tell us how it goes and feel free to ask for more help. Good luck!

 

[aibbam]

Thanks for both replies, i thought it could be something cutting off supply too when i first noticed it last week but i have never put anything around the chicks legs and i've had them from egg! I've looked in the 'line' and theres nothing there, it's pretty much a crack, When i parted the skin it just started bleeding. The chick that has just started showing symptoms has now puffed herself up and is under the heat lamp, i didn't notice her puffed up before but might have been because i just bathed her leg in warm salt water and maybe its stinging? And the other chick that's worse, it's leg is now going flaky around where the crack in the skin is.
Really puzzled to what it is

 

[aibbam]

Could it be Staphylococcosis? In which case, if it is, i just need to somehow get some antibiotics...

 

[Eggcessive]

Staph, strep,E.coli, and mycoplasma synoviae can be common bacterial infections causing arthritis and swelling of legs. Viral arthritis can alo be a cause. Feed and farm stores sell procaine penicillin G injectable, but I would hate to have to give that to small chicks. A vet locally might give you some good oral antibiotics such as clavamox or amoxicillin to give to them individually or in food. Erythromycin (Gallimycin) is available at feed stores to put in the water for treatment. Here are a couple of links to read about this:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/p...infectious_skeletal_disorders_in_poultry.html
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/p...s/overview_of_viral_arthritis_in_poultry.html
http://www.jefferspet.com/products/gallimycin-pfc-250gm-erythromycin
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...81KGJ2adrQseH6_5nzhuDrkEKmv-A9Lur0aAnoK8P8HAQ

 

[aibbam]

Thanks for that. In the UK i can't get hold of any antibiotic stuff without a prescription so i've had to contact my vet regarding it so i'll just see what they say.