Chickens dying with pale combs and lame legs

[annewiltshire]

I bought 10 white chickens for fattening and they are now about 2 months old so far 5 have died.
The first symptom is that their legs no longer hold them up and they have pale combs and pale skin on head and pale legs, they then stop moving, and one of the five had a twisted neck, and then die.
I gave them vitamin B injections thinking it was a vitamin deficiency but with no results.
The egg laying chickens in the coop next door are not infected and neither are the other red fattening chickens nearby.
Can anyone please tell me what is going on with these poor chickens? It is heartbreaking.
Thankyou

 

[Mrs MIA]

Welcome to BYC...

Meat birds are notorious for eating until their legs cannot hold them anymore. It helps to remove their food at night to slow their grown down. It sounds like they just grew too fast, and then, when their legs start to hurt or they can't walk right, they flap around frantically and hurt themselves or the other birds. It doesn't sound like a "disease" to me... perhaps someone else has more experience than I.

 

[annewiltshire]

I have 6 other white chickens bought 3 weeks before them that amuch bigger and fatter and are fine these of the second batch I have left are smaller, so it isn´t because they are too fat.
I do leave they food in at night and water which they have during the day and since a week ago I let them out in the field at day, as before I wa scared the eagle would catch the smaller ones.
Their coop was damp due to rain water leaking in but I now leave the door open at night to air it and put cardboard on the ground until the rain spell is over and I can concrete seal it.
Some of the chickens have runny poo and others not. They prefer eating the powdered maiz to the whole maiz and wheat I also give them.

 

[ChickenBarn]

It sounds like the same thing I have going on here.

Are the lame chickens otherwise alert? Do they act sick?

I have one that just won't stand or walk anymore. She acts fine (eating, drinking, pooping) but can't walk. She is not overly fat, but she is a big girl. I have tried antibiotics and she is separated from the others, but nothing has shanged ????I am curious to hear what happens with yours.

Good Luck

 

[greyfields]

We need to determine if they are broilers or not, first. You just said "white chickens for fattening". If they are cornish crosses, the answer to the question is different.

If they were laying breeds, pale combs can mean anemia which is caused by parasites.