Chick's funny feet... Have you seen this before?

[SunHwaKwon]

This isn't an emergency but I wasn't sure where to put it. My little olive egger chick has some funny feet. She walks a bit pigeon toed and her feet are a bit floppy. They look swollen but there's no excess fluid from what I can tell. They've been like this from the start and she's three weeks old yesterday. She doesn't Jane any problems, they just look strange and I'm wondering about the cause or if there's anything I should be concerned about. All three other chicks are normal but the flock they came from is large so they don't necessarily have the same parents. The joints, especially that middle one, are very large like you see in arthritis.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This isn't an emergency but I wasn't sure where to put it. My little olive egger chick has some funny feet. She walks a bit pigeon toed and her feet are a bit floppy. They look swollen but there's no excess fluid from what I can tell. They've been like this from the start and she's three weeks old yesterday. She doesn't Jane any problems, they just look strange and I'm wondering about the cause or if there's anything I should be concerned about. All three other chicks are normal but the flock they came from is large so they don't necessarily have the same parents. The joints, especially that middle one, are very large like you see in arthritis.

Does she have any other symptoms?
Are the hocks swollen as well?

Hopefully someone else has a better idea. Two things come to mind - Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) or Gout.

If it is MS, then most likely she was born with it (MS can be transmitted through the embryo). MS is contagious, so you may want to separate her.

Give a good poultry vitamin containing B2 (Riboflavin). While there is no cure for MS, some chickens keepers with Mycoplasmosis in their flocks treat with Denagard. (( I'm trying to think of who I talked with that uses this, they have MS/MG in their flock - if I can remember, I will pm them to see if they have suggestions.)))

For Gout, eliminate excess calcium and sodium. It's possible it could be related to vitamin A and D deficiency.

Since she is so young (3wks) it could also be something like Viral Arthritis.

Without testing, there is no way to know.

You may want to contact your state lab or check with an independent lab like Zoologix. Some testing can be done with a swab nowadays.

I'm wish I had better answers, please keep us posted on her progress.



MS
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/165/visceral-gout-nephrosis-baby-chick-nephropathy/
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis/
GOUT
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

http://www.zoologix.com/avian/index.htm

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I have a feeling MS is the issue.

A while back a friend of mine was having issues with her guineas and chickens dropping dead so finally she took one to the lab and it came back positive for MS. She had received her birds from me and a few other sources and since I was culling roosters I took one to be tested, with negative results. Well, this chick just happens to come from an egg from the same flock that she got a couple of her other birds from.

She is being raised by a broody and they mingle with the rest of the flock so separation is probably useless at this point. I'm going to go check her hocks and see about getting her tested since the lab is right up the road from me.

ETA The hocks are normal sized with no stiffness. The only thing enlarged is that one joint on the middle row of both feet but it feels like it's the bones rather than fluid. The toes themselves do perhaps have some edema.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a feeling MS is the issue.

A while back a friend of mine was having issues with her guineas and chickens dropping dead so finally she took one to the lab and it came back positive for MS. She had received her birds from me and a few other sources and since I was culling roosters I took one to be tested, with negative results. Well, this chick just happens to come from an egg from the same flock that she got a couple of her other birds from.

She is being raised by a broody and they mingle with the rest of the flock so separation is probably useless at this point. I'm going to go check her hocks and see about getting her tested since the lab is right up the road from me.

ETA The hocks are normal sized with no stiffness. The only thing enlarged is that one joint on the middle row of both feet but it feels like it's the bones rather than fluid. The toes themselves do perhaps have some edema.

I hope it is something else. I'm glad you will be able to have some testing, this is the only way to know for sure.

It could be some type of genetic/developmental disorder as well. I took a quick look at skeletal deformities, but didn't see anything like yours.

@ambergds , and @QueenMisha both have or have had MG and possibly MS in their flocks. Both have used Denagard as well. You may want to pm them to see if your chick's feet look similar to what they have experienced. Most people with MS that I have helped, one or both hocks eventually did start to swell and developed bubbling/lesions at the joint. Some success was found with supportive care and TLC, but others damage was too great and they ended up having to cull. I think if caught fairly early, success is more likely.

Again, it could be something else. If you do have testing, I would appreciate your sharing the findings. This will be helpful to others and to me - I am continually trying to learn.

I hope all goes well.