Anyone heard of or dealt with "Weak Bones" in a peachick?

[DylansMom]

I got the term "Weak Bones" from the PoultryPedia podiatry site. It's symptoms are the closest match to what I am seeing. I have a 3.5 week old chick that I am keeping for a friend, it was the only survivor from a hatch and since it was alone, it was brought here to grow up with 6 of my chicks who are the same age. I have had it since it was 2 or 3 days old, and my chicks are not having this issue. When this one hatched 2 others managed to get out, but they had to be culled as they appeared to be severely handicapped, they couldn't walk and lacked motor control to the point where they couldn't even hold their heads up. Those 2 were from different parents, but my thought in mentioning it was a possible problem with temps during incubation making this guy more prone to problems??? Poultry pedia suggests supplementing with vit. D3 and that is already in the water and has been given once a week, it also suggests switching to a commercial starter, but that is all they've ever been fed. Also suggests increasing calcium to phosphorous ratio, but I'm not even sure how to do that. This guy will only walk a few steps then lays down, like his legs are tired or painful, he rocks back on his hocks a lot as well. Hocks are very close together, giving him a "knocked kneed" look, but the toes are still pointing forward and the tendons are both in place. I do think there is some swelling in both hocks. I started noticing the change in him about a week ago, but it has taken a few days to pin down what is going on. He seems healthy otherwise and is eating and drinking, just does it laying down. Anybody seen anything like this???

 

[casportpony]

Seen chicken chicks not want to walk, but never with knock knees, and like you, I have no clue how to increase the calcium to phosphorus ratio correctly. Too much calcium can cause problems as can too little phosphorus.

I found this:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/mineral_deficiencies_in_poultry.html

-Kathy

 

[DylansMom]

Thanks for the info Kathy. I had read something very similar last year when I was dealing with the twisted tibias in a couple chicks. It is just really weird that if it is a deficiency of some sort, the others are not showing it. I think they are also starting to look bigger than him, like maybe he isn't growing as well as them, but it could also be his stance that is making him look smaller. Since dealing with the twisted tibia I tend to be extra paranoid about legs, and I kept telling myself that I was imagining this, but now it is quite obvious that I wasn't imagining it. I really don't want to try to add calcium to the feed as they will all get it and I don't think the others should have it. I am kind of at a loss as to what I can do to help him.

 

[casportpony]

How about something that you could give to him orally? Like this:
http://www.allbirdproducts.com/newproductpages/calciboost.html

-Kathy

 

[DylansMom]

How about something that you could give to him orally? Like this:
http://www.allbirdproducts.com/newproductpages/calciboost.html

-Kathy

That looks great, I will be running to the pet store tomorrow, I need something asap, I'm leaving for my trip Fri. morning. If I order online, it may not arrive before I leave and then it will be next week until he gets any.

This is why I wouldn't go on any trips last year during chick season.