Could be rickets?

[tonini3059]

I have to chickens one a polish chick about 4/5 weeks old and a silver seabright hen about 4 months old. Both were completely normal until about a week ago. The Seabright has crossbeak and her one leg the toes are curling inward, and the polish chick I just noticed today has crossbeak also. The Seabright is free range but stays in the coop and the polish chick is in my baby coop until he gets bigger. I feed them both Purina Chick feed. Also I had a Law gray hen have the same problem a month ago it was completely fine running around and then the next day her legs were sticking straight out then she couldn't stand then we had to cull her. I thought since I was painting our new coop and she had some paint on her that she ate the paint and got sick, but apparently not.
The law gray had hatched with an ameracuana chick that had a twisted leg and I gave it some tylan 50 and it somehow fixed it if that makes sense, the about 2 months later this happens to two other birds could this be related or just coincidence?
Thanks
Brandy

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Could you post a photo of the chicks in question? I know Rickets causes the bones to get soft and rubbery, it will also affect the overall growth. There is an interesting article about it in the latest issue of Backyard Poultry Magazine. The article also had a few photos.

 

[threehorses]

I would feel the beaks. Birds with extreme rickets will have softened beaks, rubbery legs. That's *extreme* cases. Are you sure the beaks are crossed, or is the tip of them so long causing them to have to cross for the top beak to clear?

The bird with the "splits" sounds like a possible case of marek's. Unrelated. If you don't already, try always to buy vaccinated stock.

On the curled toe and leg issues, these could be nutritional. What exactly are you feeding these two birds and what have then eaten for the last month? Please be exact - with brand names, feed type (grower, layer, starter/grower, etc), and if you feed grains, etc. Also make sure your feed is always in date (see the bag) fresh smelling and used within 4 weeks.

I would suspect nutritional issues - possibly vitamin A as it can cause upper beak overgrowth, maybe vitamin B as that can cause curled toes. Maybe the toes are genetic. If the beaks are from the same line, also possibly genetic. The paralyzed bird could also have had a B deficiency - but again because of the 'field paralysis" splits-type position I suspect Marek's.

I look forward to your reply.

 

[tonini3059]

The seabright was vaccinated when I bought from Mcmurray, but the polish I hatched myself and did not vaccinate. They are fed Purina Start and Grow. They are all fresh a bag of feed does not last more than 2-3 days at the very latest. Feed goes fast here!

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
Once you vaccinate for Mareks you need to have any new chicks vaccinated. I think unvaccinated older fowl can be brought in with no problems, as long as they are healthy.