Chick Sitting On Hocks/Shanks

[Grim21]

I have 17 Cornish-X, 5 week old chicks. They are being fed chick starter and live in a tractor which is moved daily to fresh grass. All of them are doing great and are getting fat except for one. She is my runt. She has been hanging with the best of them up until a few days ago. I noticed that she was sitting literally on her butt with her feet sticking out in front of her. When she would try to walk she was very wobbly and doesn't walk on her feet but on her hocks/shanks. She manages to get to feed and water and huddles with the rest of the chicks at night. When I picked her up her butt was all red are pretty much featherless I guess from sitting on it all the time. The bottoms of her feet looked fine to me. No swelling, blisters, or cuts, so I'm thinking bumble foot is out. I have 8 1-2 year old layers but I am new to having chicks and dealing with chick problems. My guess is maybe a mineral/vitamin problem just because she is not as big as the rest of the flock (she is not skinny or fat just little) and now the leg problem.

Any other suggestions on what the problem could be and how to test for it or if it is vitamins/minerals what is the best kind to give and what is the best way to give them?

Thank you for your time and help.
Brandie

 

[Chickem707]

I have the exact same problem, did the chick survive?

 

[coach723]

This may be a vitamin deficiency. Deficiency in riboflavin (B2) can cause them to walk or sit on their hocks. That would be the first thing i would try, supplementing riboflavin.
Check dates on feed, don't buy if more than 6 weeks old, the vitamins deteriorate with time.
Here is more info on vitamin deficiencies:
https://www.tillysnest.com/2014/03/vitamin-deficiencies-in-backyard-chicks-html/

 

[Chickem707]

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

17 Cornish-X, 5 week old chicks. They are being fed chick starter and live in a tractor which is moved daily to fresh grass.

I noticed that she was sitting literally on her butt with her feet sticking out in front of her. When she would try to walk she was very wobbly and doesn't walk on her feet but on her hocks/shanks. She manages to get to feed and water and huddles with the rest of the chicks at night. When I picked her up her butt was all red are pretty much featherless

Do you have photos of her, the way she sits and what the legs look like?

I agree, it could be a B2(Riboflavin) deficiency, so getting that into her is worth a shot. Sometimes meat birds also have developmental and/or leg bone deformities that could be causing problems.

When are you planning on processing your meat birds? If it is several weeks away and she does not show signs of improvement quickly with vitamin therapy, it may be kinder to go ahead and process her.