Calcium Overdose

lcraig

In the Brooder
May 23, 2015
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My 25 week old cockerel has leg paralysis this morning that I believe is due to too much calcium in his diet. Aside from switching his feed, is there anything I can do to counterbalance the calcium quickly?
 
Leg paraysis can be caused from many things. Injury, diet, and disease. This does sound like Marek's disease. I recommend doing research on Marek's to see if this is what he has.
 
My 25 week old cockerel has leg paralysis this morning that I believe is due to too much calcium in his diet. Aside from switching his feed, is there anything I can do to counterbalance the calcium quickly?
I doubt that his leg paralysis is related to his intake of more calcium than he needs. Is it in one leg or both? Sometimes gout can occur, but if he has been eating layer feed, that is fairly common in flocks. I would be more worried about a leg injury or possible Mareks disease. Can you describe exactly how he is doing, if he is eating and drinking, and if there is any swelling or redness on the leg or joints, or dark spots on the bottom of his foot? Here are some articles to read:
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
 
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It is only one leg. It looks like a perfectly healthy leg to me aside from the fact that it is lame and stuck straight out in front of him on the ground.
 
I'm not ruling out Mareks, but it looks like he is standing on his hock or elbow. That can be a sign of riboflavin deficiency. It also could be an early sign of Mareks, or even nerve damage from an injury. Does he move his toes when stroked? Does he ever curl his toes under or walk on his toes? Most poultry vitamins contain riboflavin except Poultry Nutri-drench, but giving him vitamins or riboflavin enriched foods might help. Keep us posted on any changes in his condition. Here is a link about riboflavin deficiency:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency/
 
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