8 week Old Pullet Can't Walk

[Chicken_overlord]

About 4 days ago one of my Silverudds Blue pullets started limping and looked to be having a bit of a struggle walking far. It sort of looked like she was mainly favoring her right leg. I now can't remember if it was during the morning chores or during the afternoon checks when I noticed. She was perfectly fine and and acting like a proper teenager the day before. I should have written it down when I first took notice, but I didn't think much of it because I assumed that one of the older hens got a little too rough and just injured her. Her and her five hatchmates had been added to the main flock two weeks prior.

Well, by the next day, she had progressed to stumbling around on her hocks and not wanting to flatten her feet. She was clearly struggling with both legs. She would walk and trip over her own feet. By now I was a little more worried, but figured she was stiff from her injury. Now, a couple of days later she hasn't improved. Her toes curl when she's sitting, but straighten fine when standing. She can't seem to stand long. When she's walking she leans forward slightly and can get going, but her balance is off. Her wings function fine and I've watched fly up to the perch only to fall off because she cant land. It only seems to be leg weakness and balancing issues. She still gets her legs under her to sit and Ive only seen her split when she's trying to catch herself from falling.

No diarrhea, but her poops are small. She eats a little, but not much. I've isulated her in a 2x4 brooder coop by herself for now and put her on crumbles and tried offering cooked egg. Which she took a few pecks at and then left it.

I haven't seen anything like this before in my flock and I'm hoping some experts can chip in here and give me some ideas on what to do. Her hatchmates do not currently share the same symptoms nor do any other hens in my flock.

I took a video, but I don't have YouTube or social media so don't have a way I can find to share it so I've attached some stills.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you notice any swelling of the joints?

Hard to know what's ailing her. I'd offer vitamin therapy by giving 1/4tablet B-Complex and 400IU Vitamin E daily along with a little egg. See that she's eating her chick starter and drinking well.

For video, you can upload to the BYC Gallery, just let us know where to find it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-upload-videos-to-the-gallery.1631126/

 

[Chicken_overlord]

Thank you! I can try putting her on vitamin B and E. Do you know what could cause a vitmamin deficiency in her and no one else? They get free ranged every other day and everyone is on an all flock pellet.

Here's the link to the video:

 

[Chicken_overlord]

Update: Today she's about the same. Took her out and let her try to stroll. She looked like she wanted to dust bath, but couldn't.
-Empty crop this morning and little interest in food, but must be eating because she left some nice big overnight poops in her corner.
-Continued leg weakness displayed by stumbling, tripping over her feet, forward leaning posture, etc. Tends to fall forward more than to the side.
-Wants to sit. I'm wondering if this is because her legs bother her or if it's because her legs are weak.
-No swelling that I can tell. Seemed sensitive when I palpated the front of her hocks joints, though.
-Wings still function fine. She does not use her wings to steady herself to walk except for when she's actively falling.
-Pupils and irises normal
-No diarrhea

-Edited to add a symptom.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: Today she's about the same. Took her out and let her try to stroll. She looked like she wanted to dust bath, but couldn't.
-Empty crop this morning and little interest in food, but must be eating because she left some nice big overnight poops in her corner.
-Continued leg weakness displayed by stumbling, tripping over her feet, forward leaning posture, etc. Tends to fall forward more than to the side.
-Wants to sit. I'm wondering if this is because her legs bother her or if it's because her legs are weak.
-No swelling that I can tell. Seemed sensitive when I palpated the front of her hocks joints, though.
-Wings still function fine. She does not use her wings to steady herself to walk except for when she's actively falling.
-Pupils and irises normal
-No diarrhea

-Edited to add a symptom.

I'd try the vitamins and see if they help.

She's eating Chick Starter that is at least 18% protein correct?

 

[Chicken_overlord]

Yes, it's a 20% all flock raiser crumble, before switching her she was on a 20% all flock pellet with the rest of the flock.

I also have felt all over her body and haven't found any weird lumps on or under her skin. She has lost a few feathers, but that could just be from her juvenile molt.

Ill try to make it in to town tomorrow to pick her up some vitamins. Any ideas on how to get her to take them?

 

[Chicken_overlord]

I did notice this afternoon that she seems a bit stunted in her growth. She still has chick down attacked to the ends of her hackles feathers in some spots and is 1/2 to 2/3rds the size of the other 8 (9 tomorrow)-week-olds from the same hatch and breed. She's always been the smallest in the hatch, but I hadn't taken notice how far behind she appears to have fallen until I separated her. So it's looking like a vitamin deficiency like @Wyorp Rock stated. Thank you for the help, Ill update how she's doing in a few days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, it's a 20% all flock raiser crumble, before switching her she was on a 20% all flock pellet with the rest of the flock.

I also have felt all over her body and haven't found any weird lumps on or under her skin. She has lost a few feathers, but that could just be from her juvenile molt.

Ill try to make it in to town tomorrow to pick her up some vitamins. Any ideas on how to get her to take them?

I did notice this afternoon that she seems a bit stunted in her growth. She still has chick down attacked to the ends of her hackles feathers in some spots and is 1/2 to 2/3rds the size of the other 8 (9 tomorrow)-week-olds from the same hatch and breed. She's always been the smallest in the hatch, but I hadn't taken notice how far behind she appears to have fallen until I separated her. So it's looking like a vitamin deficiency like @Wyorp Rock stated. Thank you for the help, Ill update how she's doing in a few days.

I'd watch to see if she's getting to eat. Sometimes a smaller, weaker one if kept from food or they just don't push in/assert themselves to get what they need.

If possible, I like to provide at least 2 feed stations so everyone gets an opportunity to eat and the more dominant birds have a harder time controlling multiple feed stations.

To give the Vitamins, you can give them directly into the beak or mix them with a tiny amount of food, just so she gets the vitamins daily is the most important thing.

 

[Chicken_overlord]

I'd watch to see if she's getting to eat. Sometimes a smaller, weaker one if kept from food or they just don't push in/assert themselves to get what they need.

This could be what potentially happened. I do provide two feed stations when I introduce the juveniles, but this particular pullet is extremely shy and submissive and it's possible she did what you describe and just wasn't eating enough and then still wasn't getting enough during their free range time. Next time, I'll provide a visual block for the second feeder. I should have thought of this beforehand.

Unfortunately, she has taken a turn for the worse. I found her doing the splits when I went to check on her this evening and she was unable to right herself. Both legs are equally weak. I made her some hobbles out of zip ties and electrical tape, but it is concerning that she is declining so quickly. Hopefully the vitamins will help. Thank you for the help. Hopefully she can make a turn around

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This could be what potentially happened. I do provide two feed stations when I introduce the juveniles, but this particular pullet is extremely shy and submissive and it's possible she did what you describe and just wasn't eating enough and then still wasn't getting enough during their free range time. Next time, I'll provide a visual block for the second feeder. I should have thought of this beforehand.

Unfortunately, she has taken a turn for the worse. I found her doing the splits when I went to check on her this evening and she was unable to right herself. Both legs are equally weak. I made her some hobbles out of zip ties and electrical tape, but it is concerning that she is declining so quickly. Hopefully the vitamins will help. Thank you for the help. Hopefully she can make a turn around

I'm sorry she's declining.

She's 8weeks, so it's possible Marek's could be at play, but it can be so hard to know unless you lose her and have testing done through your state lab.

Do the best you can getting the vitamins into her and keeping her fed/watered.
She may benefit by being placed in a chicken sling for periods of time as well.

There's some photos of slings in this post, you may find it helpful.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/marek’s-disease.1679953/post-28910933