Baby chick w/ leg weakness, sleepy

[chookchick]

I have 3 Easter eggers that are 2 weeks old and very healthy, in fact they are acting like little hooligans--flying all over and into each other. When they were 4 days old I added a speckled sussex chick and they befriended her in the blink of an eye. She has always been a little trooper, trying to keep up with them. As they days passed I noticed that they were growing much faster than her, she seemed to be losing ground.

Yesterday I noticed that she wasn't moving around a lot, and when she did she was clumsy, losing her balance and tiring easily. They were stepping all over her and flying into her! in their usual commotion. I made a separate area in the brooder for her with hardware cloth and a feather duster. She seems to be eating and drinking okay, but sleeps almost all the time. When she walks she is still very clumsy.

My question is--could she have a broken wing or foot issue from the others roughhousing with her? Is there anything else I could look for? (I am trying to catch her pooping). Is this something she could recover from? I am really attached to this little girl now and want her to make it, though I know she may never catch up to them.

ETA--I just saw her poo, and it looks completely normal.

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

Sorry about your little one...I just about an hour ago had to put down one of my white polish bantams that was acting the same way (she was about 4 weeks old. (first bantam babes we have ever had) To me...........I AM NOT AN EXPERT........it looked like Merrick's disease to me from what I have read. And these ones we got at an auction, and hadent been vacinated. I just couldnt stand to see her suffer. There is one other that is acting a little slow, and woddling (not much) she is now seperated and eating medicated food. We cleaned the brooder and put the 2 remaining polish in there and the 3 frizzles that we got at the same time and are hoping for the best.....of course the one that dies was the young girls "pet" and the one sick is the young boys "pet" so hopefully This one will pull though......
You might want to search for info on Merrick's disease and keep the sickly one seperate, and make sure to always wash hands after any contact with the sickly one.



I will keep an eye on this post and hope for the best for your little baby.


~Tiff~

 

[chookchick]

Thanks Tiff, that sounds like a possibility. I am furiously researching it right now. I wonder if the fact that I got chicks from two different hatcheries (vacc. and non vacc.?) could have anything to do with this.

ETA--she seems really young to have Mareks, but I am definitely thinking this is some kind of muscle weakness thing, and not a broken wing etc.. at this point. I found a thread (on lockdown!) from last spring where many people lost chicks to a similar sounding syndrome--small, weakness in legs, eventually can't move. Can anyone tell me the final diagnosis from this situation? I seem to remember hearing about it.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Quote:
Marek's Disease does not affect chicks, it affects birds 6 months and older (though I think 4 months is possible too). Introducing nonvaccinated chicks to vaccinated chicks will not harm the nonvaccinated bird.

I'd say she's just failing to thrive, but that usually occurs only in the first week. Have they been outside? Is it possible that she got a hold of a toxic plant? Neurological symptoms and weakness are common signs of poisoning. Whatever it is, give her whole milk with sugar water and vitamins and electrolytes. Keep her separated, but be sure that she can see her buddies. Is their food fresh?

 

[chookchick]

Thanks for the info Moody. I am a little encouraged this morning as Delilah is still hanging in there, and even seems to have a bit more energy. She is still eating a lot. I'll pick up some poly-vi-sol today for her. Her food is fresh and she hasn't eaten anything besides crumbles (though I tried to entice them with egg).

Tiff--I hope you aren't losing any more! How is your little one doing?

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

The one that we thought might die last night is doing better today....starting to stand up tall again, and is eating like a little PIG! so hopefully the little ones are out of the woods.


~Tiff~

 

[nicolejohanson93]

it sounds a little like spraddled legs but your young chicken but Im not possible i think one of my bantam chicks hs spralled legs which im working on trying to correct it. but becareful and good luck. it really depends on the age of the chick though good luck.