Chicken with bad leg

[Hekebe]

My chicken is 18 weeks old and can’t walk. She stumbles around and can’t seem to open the toes on one of her legs when she tries to take a step. When she stands this same leg also doesn’t hold her properly and the feathered top part of her leg stays touching the ground. She was quite malnourished but she is eating now I’ve brought food to her, the vet said it must be something she is born with or neurological. Can anyone offer insight?

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

If the bird’s toes don’t open, you can try tape. Just use clear tape to stretch out the toes and stick them to a piece of cardboard. The idea is to make a splint or shoe. I also would like to see a picture of the injury.

 

[theoldchick]

Could be several things. Can you post a video of her moving?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My chicken is 18 weeks old and can’t walk. She stumbles around and can’t seem to open the toes on one of her legs when she tries to take a step. When she stands this same leg also doesn’t hold her properly and the feathered top part of her leg stays touching the ground. She was quite malnourished but she is eating now I’ve brought food to her, the vet said it must be something she is born with or neurological. Can anyone offer insight?

Welcome To BYC

As suggested, a video of her may be helpful. Upload video to Youtube and provide a link.

Are you located in the U.S.?

How long have you had her?

The vet mentioned this could be developmental or neurological. Did the vet mention the possibility of Marek's disease?

I'd see that she's eating an 18-22% chick starter or flock raiser type feed. Also start on B-Complex, giving 1/4 tablet daily.

 

[Hekebe]

Welcome To BYC

As suggested, a video of her may be helpful. Upload video to Youtube and provide a link.

Are you located in the U.S.?

How long have you had her?

The vet mentioned this could be developmental or neurological. Did the vet mention the possibility of Marek's disease?

I'd see that she's eating an 18-22% chick starter or flock raiser type feed. Also start on B-Complex, giving 1/4 tablet daily.

Thankyou for your response, unfortunately her symptoms have changed since I first posted this. She initially got better with some patient feeding and was eating again on her own. This resolved a lot of the problems including her leg so I was hopeful that malnutrition was the cause of her issues. Unfortunately after about 2 weeks she started graining her neck and gasping. I initially thought it was gapeworm from my research so I started treating her for that along with giving her electrolytes. This has become very severe however and she makes a honking/squeaking noise while craning her head at odd angles pretty severely. The only other thing that I think it could be is a respiratory infection which can be treated with antibiotics however the vet initially prescribed her a course of those so it looks like there’s not much more I can do aside from waiting for it to pass. Unfortunately she has started curling her toes again in the past couple of days which was really disheartening considering how much better she was getting. Unfortunately I think I will have to get her put down as it must be painful or incredibly exhausting to be gasping and craning her head like that all the time (at least once a minute when she’s a awake). I don’t want her to be in pain any longer even if it seems she’s gotten better in so many ways thankyou for your advice

 

[Hekebe]

Could be several things. Can you post a video of her moving?

If the bird’s toes don’t open, you can try tape. Just use clear tape to stretch out the toes and stick them to a piece of cardboard. The idea is to make a splint or shoe. I also would like to see a picture of the injury.

thankyou for your response, I will try this in the morning and try to attach and image when I can get a good one. However her symptoms have changed a lot and I am worried about how much pain she is in, so if she doesn’t improve by the weekend I think I will have to get her put down unfortunately.