Baby Chick Weak Legs

[sierra123]

Update: I've been doing the B complex/ Vit E regimen daily with some chopped up egg & yogurt for a week. The chicks are getting bigger and seem healthy, but the shaky one is still shaky. Is there anything else this could be? I figured it would take a few weeks to reverse a deficiency, but I was hoping to see more progress within the first week for the shaky baby. I've stopped supplementing the other chick. How long would it typically take to see some progress?

I noticed two poops from the shaky one have a VERY small amount of discoloration that may be blood. It was so subtle I could barely tell. Just looked a little more red than usual.. Could it be cocci after all?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you get some clear photos of the poop?

 

[sierra123]

Can you get some clear photos of the poop?

I'll try to get a photo tomorrow. It's just been two so far that look unusual, the rest are pretty typical chicken poop. Hopefully I can find a good example. Some are also much more watery than I would expect. I will try to get a good photo and update. Thank you again.

 

[sierra123]

Can you get some clear photos of the poop?

Attached should be a photo of what looked concerning to me.

I've also linked a video from today so you can see the movements:

She seems to be scratching at her ears and sounds a little stuffy too...I might be overreacting since I'm not sure what's normal. Just trying to give the most info.

Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like intestinal shedding in the poop.

Poor little one. I'm thinking she's a he - Cockerel, but I'm terrible at these things LOL

Vitamin therapy is all you can try. Does his joints seem more swollen than the other chicks? Even in photos/video, it can be hard to tell sometimes.
Also on his left leg - is that dirt or is there a small cut/sore?

 

[sierra123]

Thanks for all of your continued help! If it's intestinal lining, what does that indicate? So far it looks like he/she will be OK. Behavior, appetite, etc are all normal. I'm hoping they'll grow up otherwise healthy but maybe just permanently less coordinated. Is there anything else I should expect or look out for? How long do I continue the B complex for? I know E should be stopped after a couple weeks.

I noticed that mark too--it was just dirt Joints do look a little more swollen than the other chick but not by much. Hopefully this doesn't change the prognosis, but he does have a bald tumor looking thing that has been there since the first day. I thought it was just the crop looking awkward as the feathers came in, but it doesn't ever go down and it doesn't look like feathers are growing on it. I'm still not convinced that it isn't the crop. But it sits a little more to the right vs the center where the crop is.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh good! I'm glad it was just dirt

Intestinal shedding can happen, it's like the sloughing off of tissue in the intestines. IF you see that consistently, then let us know. He may need to be treated for Coccidiosis, but to see it in a chick's poop once in a while is usually ok.

The continuation of the B-Vitamins is ok to do if you want to keep them up. The E, I would give him a break for a week, but if the tremors get worse, restart.

Does that lump feel like air? It does look like the crop, sometimes it can be sparse with feathers. Does he have access to food and light 24/7 or? If you can take food/water away overnight, then re-check first thing it would be good - see if the lump goes down.

Chickens have 9 air sacs and there's one pretty close to where that lump is. You don't report he's having difficulty breathing, but sometimes an air sac can be leaking or is injured and it causes a bubble under the skin. It would feel like it has air, so check it all out first and make sure it's not the crop. If it's definitely air filled, sometimes that resolved on it's own, but since it's been there since hatch(?) There may be some damage, developmental issue or it just needs to air released.
Has that "grown" as he's grown or has it pretty much stayed the same?

 

[sierra123]

Oh good! I'm glad it was just dirt

Intestinal shedding can happen, it's like the sloughing off of tissue in the intestines. IF you see that consistently, then let us know. He may need to be treated for Coccidiosis, but to see it in a chick's poop once in a while is usually ok.

The continuation of the B-Vitamins is ok to do if you want to keep them up. The E, I would give him a break for a week, but if the tremors get worse, restart.

Does that lump feel like air? It does look like the crop, sometimes it can be sparse with feathers. Does he have access to food and light 24/7 or? If you can take food/water away overnight, then re-check first thing it would be good - see if the lump goes down.

Chickens have 9 air sacs and there's one pretty close to where that lump is. You don't report he's having difficulty breathing, but sometimes an air sac can be leaking or is injured and it causes a bubble under the skin. It would feel like it has air, so check it all out first and make sure it's not the crop. If it's definitely air filled, sometimes that resolved on it's own, but since it's been there since hatch(?) There may be some damage, developmental issue or it just needs to air released.
Has that "grown" as he's grown or has it pretty much stayed the same?

View attachment 2838071

It's been about the same and doesn't change much, but the feeling of it changes which makes me think it's just a funny looking crop? It was hard yesterday but soft this morning.

Overall both chicks seem to be doing well. The tremors are still there but they haven't gotten worse. I might dare to say they've even gotten a little better as the chick has grown into itself. He does kind of look like a rooster...

I'll continue with the vitamin therapy and otherwise keep their diet & coop up to standard with my other girls and hope for the best outcome for this little one.

Thanks so much for all of your help- this forum and your continued support have been true lifesavers! Dealing with sick animals is one of my worst nightmares. You made this process much easier!