5-week-old chicken can’t weight bear on one leg

[katieeelise]

My 5-week-old chicken can’t put weight on one leg. She stretches the leg out in front of her with her toes straight, but when she tries to put weight on it she sort of collapses down to rest on the ankle. Her other leg bends normally with the hock back when she lies down. I have seen her stretch the injured leg out backwards as well (just like giving it a stretch straight back while standing on the good leg). It doesn’t splay out to the side at all. I can’t see any obvious swelling. She seems to be eating and drinking OK. Any ideas what might be wrong, and whether there’s any chance it could heal by itself?

https://www.reddit.com/r/BackYardChickens/comments/10ln7cv

 

[azygous]

These symptoms can be from an avian virus and they can be from a riboflavin deficiency. The diagnosis and cure are rolled into giving vitamin B complex for four to six weeks and then seeing what happens.

If the chick gets better, it's safe to assume it was the riboflavin deficiency. If the chick becomes worse, then assume it's either Marek's or leucosis.

Your odds this is a deficiency is far better than it being a virus.

If you're in the US, go to Walmart and pick up B-100, break a tablet in half and give it once a day for four to six weeks. Pop it directly into the beak.

 

[Eggcessive]

What breed is your chick? Is she a meat or broiler chicken? Leg injuries can be common in chickens, and a tendon injury might be possible. As Azygous said B complex for humans works well if it is a vitamin deficiency.1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily is good, and it can be crushed into food or a spoonful of water.

 

[David61]

I know it sounds bad but, cull and move on. Don't get into chickens if you can't except loss. I just put one down that had a blown out knee like that. I kept him in the hospital cage for two months because the other chickens wanted to kill it. I let him out after two months and all it could do was turn in a circle. A weak bird endangers the flock. They know it by instinct. If you can't fix the problem , cull.

 

[Eggcessive]

If the leg has a bone deformity, it may be valgus deformity which you can read about in this article with pictures:
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens