d'uccle with a "bum" leg (update getting worse - Video too)

[kimb]

she's much much worse..... here's the video I took yesterday.

- sorry it's kind of dark as i put her back in the cage and my camera doesn't have a light on it.

......

My 11 week old d'uccle started having problems walking - it seemed as if her feather were getting in the way of her walking (she has super long feathers on her feet).... yesterday & today she's pretty much ceased walking - if you make her move she braces her self with her left leg and then kind of leans on her right hock to hobble back with the rest of the chicks ...

I noticed that it could be a vitamin deficiency - but she's been getting vitamins "poultry drench" or "electrolytes & vitamins" in their water (for the silkie with wry neck). It doesn't seem like anything is broken....

She'll be bunking in the house until I figure out what is wrong

... my biggest concern is that she is getting enough water.

Anyone deal with the same thing? suggestions?

 

[cobrien]

I don't know but wanted to give you a bump. I don't want to cause unnecessary concern but I've heard Marek's disease can cause difficulty with walking. Hopefully someone else here with more expertise can chime in. Good luck.

 

[Pinsprings]

I lost a young D'uccle acting this way about three weeks ago. I thought that she must have gotten injured. Now one of her sisters is doing the same thing. I came here tonight to try to figure this out and saw your post.

 

[kimb]

She's tucked my old bird cage (2x2') with my little silkie with wry neck (figured they be the happiest to come inside).

I used a small syringe and dropped water drip by drip on her beak - after a few drips she figured out what was going on and started pecking at the end - I got about 2 syringe's full into her in the past 1.5 hours ... she nibbled some food but really went to town on the applesauce.

I had her on my lap on the heating pad and she was very content - after after the 2nd syringe and 2nd tbsp of applesauce I tucked her back in the cage. She tried to stand up but it's obvious that she can't. it doesn't seem to be a problem from the hock down - but more likely somewhere up around her hip... ? When she moves around - it's very little and she balances herself with her wings.

They were supposed to be vaccinated for marek's I believe from the hatchery that the people got them from (the woman takes in tons of hatchery chicks - then sells them) ... can they still get marek's if they've been vaccinated?

I did give her some poly-vi-sol drops on the beak ...

As I'm actually giving regular water from the syringe (as I just want to make sure she's hydrated right now).

pin - I hope you're chick is doing ok! ...

 

[fancbrd4me02]

This is interesting to me because I have a d'uccle with a bum leg. At first I thought that the leg had been broken because it was turned outwards at a bizarre ankle, but then I noticed that it did not seem to have any movement/swelling. It was as if someone had just swiveled it out to the right 90 degree angle. That part really puzzled me because I can't believe I would not have noticed her injury long enough for it to have healed. I think it may be a slipped tendon or some other birth defect. The leg is turned at the joint. Any similarities for you guys? By the way, this is a hatchery D'uccle - what about yours?

 

[kimb]

Has anyone tried to make something to put under them?

I have some left over memory foam (from making saddle pads for my horses) ... and was wondering if I could make something that might help get her up off the floor (as she is laying entirely flat on the ground.

she's much more alert/ eating/pecking at things ... I guess I'll give her a few more chances of some water and then tuck her in for the night...

gosh - I want to know when chickens got so difficult?

 

[Airilith]

I wish I could help you more.

But you did mention in the first post that it seems like her leg feathers are causing a problem. You could always try trimming some of her feathers.

 

[PoultryPedia]

If you decide to remove feathers, I'm thinking pulling them would be best, since the follicles do have sensitivity (at least in young part of growth) and can bleed.

There are instructions on making a "donut" support and a "chick chair" linked from the webpage in my sig.
Also there is info on correcting a slipped hock tendon.

I'm sorry for the problem your chicken is having & am glad you are pro-actively treating.

fancbrd4me02 - The condition your chicken has sounds like maybe a result of splay leg (if it was very young when the condition developed) or a slipped hock tendon? I hope you're able to put together good ways to help it.

1 other general note on leg problems with feather-legged chickens: Those chickens are extra-susceptible to scaley-leg mites. A bad infestation of them can cause the birds to walk extra slowly & carefully from the pain under the scales.

Best wishes to all 3 dealing with leg problems!

 

[Pinsprings]

I had three d'uccle hens lay in the same nest, then two went broody so I split up the eggs and let them hatch them out. They were hatched around the first of August, if I remember right.

All the chicks were fine with no leg problems. They have all been fine up until the first pullet started walking oddly, then she got to where she couldn't get around at all. I thought it was an injury until this other one started doing the same thing. We just noticed her yesterday, I have her in the house now.

She is eating and drinking and still able to get around. Both of mine seem to be in the hip area rather than the hock. The first one's leg eventually stretched out straight behind her until I bent it and taped it to the other leg for a couple of days. Then it started going out to the side again like it did when it first started. I taped it like you do for spraddle legs in chicks.

 

[FisherMOM]

This is so weird... one of my 11 week old d'uccle pullets is having problems right now walking.
She is in the house. I see no injury and she is eating and drinking fine.
I hope it is just a sprain... and not Mareks (which was my first concern)
Tonight is her 2nd night in here.

I videoed her too