Five week old chick with twisted leg

[picklestheduck]

Hey everyone, I inherited some chicks from a school that hatched them a few weeks ago, and I can’t remember exactly when I noticed it but it was like suddenly one day it’s leg was twisted. Maybe it just hid it, but it had been in a crate for a brooder and I had watched them closely for a long time and I never noticed it. Now it’s twisted to the side, and it doesn’t seem like a slipped tendon, it just looks like the whole joint is positioned wrong. She still uses it and gets around ok, but she’s definitely more awkward than the others. She runs and jumps on it, but I don’t want her to have a poor quality of life. Do I just let her keep growing and see how she does?

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like it possibly has a rotated tibia or or valgus leg bone deformity. Neither one can be treated, but some may get around well enough to live a fairly normal life. Males are affected more often. The comb looks pretty red already. What breeds are they? Do you know the sexes of all of the chickens? There looks to be at least one other that is a cockerel. Here is an article to read about leg bone deformities:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

 

[picklestheduck]

It looks like it possibly has a rotated tibia or or valgus leg bone deformity. Neither one can be treated, but some may get around well enough to live a fairly normal life. Males are affected more often. The comb looks pretty red already. What breeds are they? Do you know the sexes of all of the chickens? There looks to be at least one other that is a cockerel. Here is an article to read about leg bone deformities:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

No idea what breed I was thinking maybe light brahma. I think there's already 2 other cockerels in the batch, but I wasn’t sure on the Brahmas. Ok perfect thanks.

 

[picklestheduck]

@Eggcessive if it were your bird would you let it grow up? It gets around alright and gets up and down the ramp morning and night… I just don’t want to to suffer. I mean it pushes through the rest of them to eat and drink still but my flock is honestly a bunch of misfits, and we just have them for eggs and pets.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would wait and see. I don’t automatically cull a chicken if they have problems, but I don’t want one to suffer. There was a chick once written about here on BYC called Cleopatra, who had a valgus leg deformity. The owner thought it was a slipped tendon at first. She let her be and she grew into adulthood, and she said that she did just fine in a small flock of 3, where she could get plenty to eat and drink. She could not join the large flock Here is one of her threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ster-egger-who-walks-like-an-egyptian.881786/

 

[picklestheduck]

I would wait and see. I don’t automatically cull a chicken if they have problems, but I don’t want one to suffer. There was a chick once written about here on BYC called Cleopatra, who had a valgus leg deformity. The owner thought it was a slipped tendon at first. She let her be and she grew into adulthood, and she said that she did just fine in a small flock of 3, where she could get plenty to eat and drink. She could not join the large flock Here is one of her threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ster-egger-who-walks-like-an-egyptian.881786/

Ok sweet thank you so much! I just want to do right by my birds and give them the best chance possible. This has been a huge help thank you so so much!