6 Week Old BA Stumbling around

Rolmstead3

In the Brooder
May 3, 2017
40
1
30
Vermont
As i was moving my birds from there tractor to the Coop/run I noticed one of my BAs was stumbling around as if its leg was broken, I checked it out the best i could and couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, (not that i really know the ordinary when it comes to chicken legs). What do I look for check for, Should I separate it from the rest for a few days or keep it with them. Any info at all would help. Thanks
 
Posting a video would help....When you stay "stumbling" is the leg dragging or not supporting the weight or weak or injury of some kind? What are you feeding? Is it listless? Eating/drinking? How are is the over all condition? Do you have others the same age? Are they ok? Feel the leg of another chick that's not "stumbling", then feel the one that's in question, does it feel the same? Is there a break?

Depending on the "stumbling" it could possibly be an injury or maybe a vitamin deficiency.
 
Posting a video would help....
They are in their coop sleeping now I will get a video in the Am

When you stay "stumbling" is the leg dragging or not supporting the weight or weak or injury of some kind?
It looks like the leg will not support the chicken, When it flies and lends its more a a crash landing and the chicken goes rolling, then while walking around it looks as if the leg is giving out

What are you feeding?
Still the 24% starter

Is it listless?
If that means leaning to the hurt side then yes.

Eating/drinking?
Yes as far as i can tell

How are is the over all condition?
Over all it is fine, its either small for a roo or big for a hen out of the 4 BA's that i got at the same time this one is second biggest, then roo is the biggest.

Do you have others the same age?
I have 12 all the same age of 3 different breeds BA, ISA Brown, California white

Are they ok? Yes

Feel the leg of another chick that's not "stumbling", then feel the one that's in question, does it feel the same?
It feels the same as the other leg on the same chicken but the chicken pulls the leg up and "yells" when leg is touched under the Heel

Is there a break?
Not that i can really see or feel.

Depending on the "stumbling" it could possibly be an injury or maybe a vitamin deficiency.
 
Here is a link to a video of her, best i could get as she does not really want to walk this am.

I also add the other Videos i took this morning to my youtube channel
 
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A quick glance...she keeps checking her leg, foot and wing in some of the other videos.
Look at the bottom of her foot to see if she has any debris, cuts, something stuck on the foot.

Also what does her poop look like?
It may be best to separate her for the day, that way you can monitor her behavior, poop and food/water intake. Provide her with some poultry vitamins in her water.

At the age she is, Coccidiosis could be a possibility, look for mucous or blood in the droppings.
 
Noticed in the 2nd video, it's right foot toes don't look 'right'. Take a look at the right foot than the left, there looks to be an "extra" toe on the right middle toe! Try taking a picture of both feet & posting, not sure if it's an extra toe something stuck to the middle/long toe.....Anyone else see it?
 
So I have her separated from the others in a small metal dog crate inside the coop, is this the best way to do it? Would it be better to take her completely out and then worry about reintroducing her to the flock later? She really does not like being separate from the others and is kind of flipping out in her new living arrangement, I worried she will do more damage but also hopping she will calm down in a few, Feel Like a bad chicken daddy. I got the Sav-A-Chick Electrolyte & Vitamin Supplement and
Sav-A-Chick Probiotic Supplement for her water, was this the vitamins y'all suggested. I don't see anything on her feet (she won't really let me have a good look) and that thing in the video looks to be a feather that was on her foot.
 
Hi

Firstly, I would say that it is a cockerel with that much comb development at 6 weeks. Not that that makes any difference as regards the lameness/staggering, but something you might want to take into consideration when it comes to the amount of effort/money you want to put into treatment and care.
At 6 weeks it is early for Marek's Disease but that uncoordinated stumbling is quite characteristic of it. Where did you get them from and have they had contact with any other chickens? Have they been vaccinated for Marek's (this is done at hatch by the hatchery/breeder if it is done at all... not something a vet would do)?

I'm not sure about the composition of Sav-a-chick but you want something with vitamin B complex and Vitamin E.

To get a good look at it's feet wrap it firmly in an old towel so that it is snug and lay it in your lap. Once it realises it cannot struggle, it should relax. You need to rule out a foot injury or infection....which are quite common in chickens, so a thorough inspection is important.
 
Hi

Firstly, I would say that it is a cockerel with that much comb development at 6 weeks. Not that that makes any difference as regards the lameness/staggering, but something you might want to take into consideration when it comes to the amount of effort/money you want to put into treatment and care.
At 6 weeks it is early for Marek's Disease but that uncoordinated stumbling is quite characteristic of it. Where did you get them from and have they had contact with any other chickens? Have they been vaccinated for Marek's (this is done at hatch by the hatchery/breeder if it is done at all... not something a vet would do)?

I'm not sure about the composition of Sav-a-chick but you want something with vitamin B complex and Vitamin E.

To get a good look at it's feet wrap it firmly in an old towel so that it is snug and lay it in your lap. Once it realises it cannot struggle, it should relax. You need to rule out a foot injury or infection....which are quite common in chickens, so a thorough inspection is important.
I got it from TSC with the rest of them as far a vaccination not sure. I do suspect it to be a roo which is why we have not been to a vet yet but don't really want it to be in pain either, The other BA that i got with them that is a roo has a lot more red in the comb and really big wattles, this one has no wattles and the comb is not as red and about half the size so i am still kind of waiting to see which way it goes

The sav-a-chick has electrolytes
Ingredients:
Potassium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Salt, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Magnesium Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Artificial Color, Silicon Dioxide.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Salt (min.) 8.0%
Salt (max.) 9.0%
Sodium (min.) 14.0%
Sodium (max.) 14.5%
Potassium (min.) 15.0%
Vitamin A (min.) 1,280,000 IU/lb.
Vitamin D3 (min.) 3,200,000 IU/lb.
Vitamin E (min.) 960 IU/lb.
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) (min.) 2560 mg/lb.
Vitamin B12 (min.) 1.9 mg/lb.

Probiotics
Ingredients:
Maltodextrin, Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Sodium Silico Aluminate.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Bacillus subtilis (min.) 1.8 billion CFU*/g

*Colony forming units.
 
I would say, Sav-a-Chick has everything you need looking at that list. Are you using medicated chick crumb.... If so, switch to a non medicated feed. It could be that the medication (amprollium) is knocking out too much thiamine (Vit B1) for that chick. Amprollium is a thiamine blocker, that essentially starves coccidia in the gut or at least prevents them from flourishing until the chicks develop natural resistance. By 6 weeks, your chicks should be old enough to have developed some resistance and many people don't use medicated feed at all and just medicate with Amprollium directly if a chick shows coccidiosis symptoms.
 

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