a 3 day old chick can't walk

[fayediddles]

my chick is 3 days old now she can't stand she looks like shes doing the splits and ideal what it is? what can I do to help her?



http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html

 

[fayediddles]

Mareks disease.pretty sure thats what she has

 

[Eggcessive]

No, I doubt that it is Mareks since that hardly ever strikes before 3 weeks of age and older. At 3 days, it is more likely splay leg. If you bring the two legs together in a normal position about n inch apart, you can tape or vet wrap the legs together for about 3-5 Dãys.

 

[fayediddles]

Ok I managed to get her feet together, but how will I feed and water her?

 

[Eggcessive]

You will need to work with her to help her get balance. If you used strips of vet wrap, it can be removed and replaced if it seems too tight or in the wrong place, or to exercise her legs. A chick chair may also help with food near her. Right now I would make sure that she is getting plenty of water with electrolytes and vitamins, and place chick crumbles around her feet to learn how to eat. Good luck. Here are a couple of sites to read:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[ShellyBear]

I don't want to worry you but my day old chicks had mareks, and died. We sent them of to a lab to test them and it said they were positive for it.

 

[fayediddles]

that's great ideal on how to feed her, by the way shes standing on her own, so hopefully she'll get well

 

[Eggcessive]

I don't want to worry you but my day old chicks had mareks, and died. We sent them of to a lab to test them and it said they were positive for it.

Most cases of Mareks begin after chicks are 8-9 weeks old up to laying age, but sometimes they can occur in chicks only 3-4 weeks old. This is from "Diseases of Poultry" 12th edition. I suppose if you have Mareks already in your flock, and a chick died early on, it could have a positive test for Mareks just from having the exposure, but generally day old chicks don't show symptoms of the disease.

 

[ShellyBear]

I'm glad she is standing on her own. Yes latter on, we had found that our flock had mareks and had to kill them all.