Yup, just around the age mine had it. But that does not mean that yours has the same thing! Please don't think I am saying that.
Yes, I remember one of mine held his leg out when I picked him up.
At first I thought luxated patella and worked with that a bit but once I discovered that was not the problem I called in my friend. He comes over for fresh eggs anyhow and we used to work together so I "force" him on occasion to do a bit of chicken work. He hates that, he prefers cats and dogs to vet on. He says if something is wrong with a chicken to put it down and get another but I want to know what is wrong so I can avoid a mistake in the future. Breeders need to be responsible so I try.
The pullet was so bad that she tried to get around like she was standing on tip toes and trying not to fall off a cliff. At this point she was isolated so no one flame me for being mean. Any bird here showing any problems is taken out of flocks to recuperate or at least watch. I tried some therapy to see if it would help, like muscle building. She was such a sweetie! But after a few weeks had to put her down. I could not stand the life she was leading and she hated not being able to run with the flocks.
Fattie, I am not sure it is genetic. I do believe it is a problem with this breed as we try to get rounder birds. I am now focusing on making sure my birds have enough leg and a good pelvis before breeding. There have been a few ladies that I have sold due to being concerned over their conformation. Gorgeous birds! (Ain't that always the way?) But in pet homes where they are yard pretties and broody hens for the LF.
As you all know, I try to breed typy bantam Cochins and I will tell when I have problems. I questioned quite a few Cochin breeders about this but as in the dog world I was met with a bit of hostility so I stopped questioning and just announce my findings. Just like when we bred show dogs, there are problems and will continue to be problems unless we work together and try to solve them. I hope in the chicken world we are nicer folks and can show more responsibility and friendliness with trying to improve our breed.
Please keep me updated on how your fella does.
I would be interested to know if others are experiencing it since so far no one has admitted it to me. I really see no reason for it to be hush hush when we only need to check birds over before just breeding them. I have plenty of wonderful typy birds with no problems at all. I wish I had been more informed before I started with this breed.
Funny, though that my whites have not had this problem, though I did have one lady I was concerned about and did not hatch eggs from her. She was fine but her pelvis was wide, her legs short and I could feel her ball joint in that socket. It was scary enough that I never bred her.
I have bred many more chicks in the MFC project than in my whites though. With close to 200 chicks in a year a few to learn from was in some ways too many but very few from what it could have been.
