4 week old chick with swollen joint

[ambergds]

I have a 4 week old chick with a swollen hock joint. She seems fine otherwise and can move around fine. Although she seems to walk different then the others, it looks like she can't straighten her leg all the way. I have done some research but I'm still not sure what to do. If anyone has been through this and can let me know what worked, I would really appreciate it. She is my only silver laced wyendotte so I don't want to cull if I can help her.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is possible that she has a slipped tendon or a leg bone deformity. Can you post a picture of her standing? Leg bone deformities worsen as the chick grows, and the hock or gastrocnemius tendon may rupture eventually. Usually there is swelling in the hock beforehand. as with all leg problems, it is wise to use poultry vitamins containing riboflavin in the water, and place food and water close to the chick (in a crate or pen near the other chickens.) Here is some reading for you:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...chick-anyone-ever-try-to-fix-this-experiences
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_intertarsal_joint_in_broiler_chickens
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1051/leg-health-in-large-broilers/

 

[ambergds]

Thank you for you help! After reading those links and inspecting the leg I'm leaning more towards bone difirmaty? I don't feel a tendon going in and out of place when I straighten her leg. The mass on the joint is hard like a bone not squishy like I would think swelling

[/IMG][/IMG] would feel. I took some pictures. The only camera I have is my phone so the quality isn't great. Is there anything I can do for this baby? I feel so bad for her!

 

[ambergds]

 

[Oahu Babies]

Not to direct attention off of this post, but I wanted to ask you to elaborate a bit more on what a knee deformity would look like/how to tell. I stared a thread earlier today... and now that I read your comment I wonder if that is the probelm with my chicken. (She has a very crooked beak that developed after a couple of weeks after hatching. Now she has a swollen knee and favors that leg severely and rarely gets up on her own.) Hopefully you can shed some light? And sorry if I did not reply to your comment correctly- I am still pretty new to BYC

quote name="Eggcessive" url="/t/1114847/4-week-old-chick-with-swollen-joint#post_17169526"]It is possible that she has a slipped tendon or a leg bone deformity. Can you post a picture of her standing? Leg bone deformities worsen as the chick grows, and the hock or gastrocnemius tendon may rupture eventually. Usually there is swelling in the hock beforehand. as with all leg problems, it is wise to use poultry vitamins containing riboflavin in the water, and place food and water close to the chick (in a crate or pen near the other chickens.) Here is some reading for you: 
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...chick-anyone-ever-try-to-fix-this-experiences
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_intertarsal_joint_in_broiler_chickens
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1051/leg-health-in-large-broilers/
[/quote]

 

[ambergds]

Great questions! Thanks for asking! I hope we can get these chicks better or some answers of where to go from here.