Feet and legs aren't working!!

[TAMMACLEAN]

My sons little "Dragon" seems to be having a problem with his legs. This started last weekend and he is now back in the house in the brooder box. He all of a sudden can't walk. His feet just curl up. We have started him on Vitamin E but just wondering if there are any other vitamins we can give him. He will be 5 weeks old on May 2nd. He is a sweetie and I hope we can help him but I'm afraid that all his scooting around is going to cause an infection on the upper part of his legs, cause now they are all red. Here are a couple of pictures of the baby. Any advice would be helpful. I don't really want to put him down. My son has already cried over him because at one time we were thinking of getting rid of all our roosters. But he is way to nice to get rid of. Thanks!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sorry but it sounds like Marek's and if so, there is no cure. It's also contagious.
Do a search and see if the symptoms sound like your bird.

 

[leadwolf1]

It may/may not be Marek's. First, I would give poly vi sol, without iron, daily .25mls. Continue with the vitamin E 200 ius, twice daily. If he is on medicated starter, switch to nonmedicated. Medicated starter contains a thiamine (vitamin B) blocker. This vitamin regimen can take up to two weeks to work.

If he does die, have a necropsy performed. It is the only way to get a definitive answer. Most states have labs that will do one at little to no cost. That way, you will know what you are dealing with and will better be able to take care of your other birds.

For you son's sake, I do hope that it's a vitamin problem!

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

Thanks! I will keep on the vitamins and I really hope he gets better. None of our other chickens seem to have any problems. Dragon trys to walk and he was trying to fly but I have put a cover over the brooder. I don't want him to hurt himself. He does seem lonely though and loves it when we go and talk to him. He is very alert and eating good and drinking good too. I'm thinking that I might put him in a different cage so he can be out in our living room that way he doesn't feel so alone.

 

[JennsHenns]

Hi, what happened with your fella? I just adopted some chicks that were from my chickens, but hatched in an incubator in my nephews kindergarten class. I read up and started giving mine a homeopathic remedy tonight with some non-iron vitamins and yogurt in the water. She's pretty bad tonight so we'll see if this works. If she makes it through the night I will be surprised. There are three others left and I'm not sure how to deal with them if this one dies. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

Hi, what happened with your fella? I just adopted some chicks that were from my chickens, but hatched in an incubator in my nephews kindergarten class. I read up and started giving mine a homeopathic remedy tonight with some non-iron vitamins and yogurt in the water. She's pretty bad tonight so we'll see if this works. If she makes it through the night I will be surprised. There are three others left and I'm not sure how to deal with them if this one dies. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

We gave him vitamin e and the poly vit a sol for awhile, but unfortunalty he just didn't seem to get any better. He just got to a point and stayed there. We are going to cull him this weekend. He just isn't able to walk or stand at all now. He still eats and drinks and loves it when my son goes in and talks to him but we feel that it's just not a good life for him. I'm waiting till this weekend so my son won't be sad in school. and so we can leave for a little while it happens. I hope your chicks get better!

 

[HollyKip]

Hi there! Very curious about your chick. I have a Welsummer who is 4 weeks old. On Friday afternoon we went out to the coop and found that she was not able to walk. She was very listless also. We brought her into the house and put her on a heating pad in a small box. She has been able to move her wings no problem, but not able to get up and about. Saturday we gave her some yogurt and water with electrolytes. She didn't eat much at all both days of the weekend. By Monday she had started to poo, but very runny. By Tuesday she was happy to eat and drink and her poo is regular and consistant. However.... she still can't get up and walk. She can manuver her body around the box by flailing a bit. But she is very alert now, eating and pooing like usual. I was ready to put her down too, but then she got active again.
Is this a bit like your Roo's symptoms?

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

Hi there! Very curious about your chick. I have a Welsummer who is 4 weeks old. On Friday afternoon we went out to the coop and found that she was not able to walk. She was very listless also. We brought her into the house and put her on a heating pad in a small box. She has been able to move her wings no problem, but not able to get up and about. Saturday we gave her some yogurt and water with electrolytes. She didn't eat much at all both days of the weekend. By Monday she had started to poo, but very runny. By Tuesday she was happy to eat and drink and her poo is regular and consistant. However.... she still can't get up and walk. She can manuver her body around the box by flailing a bit. But she is very alert now, eating and pooing like usual. I was ready to put her down too, but then she got active again.
Is this a bit like your Roo's symptoms?

Very similar yes. Now though I have noticed that is legs don't move at all. So we are going to cull him. It just doesn't seem fair to him to have to live this way any more. It's sad cause he's such a sweetheart.

 

[JennsHenns]

So sorry guys! My little one has really up days and down days. Really strange to see. I've been doing the homeopathic remedy and so far it seems to work, then I'll see her face down in the cage where I have her alone thinking "well, this looks like her last day" but then today I come home from work and she's got her head up right, and seems like she's fine. i don't know. My BF's friends have been offering to "come over and snap her neck" for free...what gentlemen. I tend to let pets die in their own time. My beagle was given six months to live and she ended up living another 7 years after that, so, I guess I never really know what to do!

 

[Natmaster]

I really hope your chicken gets better! The same just hapoened to my chicken and many others i have heard of on this site. I hope it recovers!