Help My Chicken can't walk!

[ccoffey1989]

About 2 to 3 months ago my husband and I decided to get some baby chicks all of them has done well except the leghorn chickens we got. We got 4 total. About 1 months ago I noticed one of them started looking ill. It started losing the ability to walk. After 24 hrs it died. The next day another started to do the same and again died rather quickly. Two days later the third one started doing the same thing I emediatly separated it from the last one that we had. I was thinking the same thing would happen but three weeks have now passed and it is still living. It eats and drinks just fine but just can't seem to walk anymore. Visually there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it's feet so I'm stumped. My husband had chickens growing up but I am very new to this so would very much appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Did the chicks come from a feed store or hatchery, or from a breeder? Since it is only affecting one breed, I would wonder about it being a weak hatch issue, or a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Coccidiosis can also cause weakness which might affect walking. But Mareks disease comes to mind as well. Is there any leg issue, such as swelling or redness of the hocks, and can they normally walk as baby chicks? Getting a necropsy performed on a refrigerated body if you should lose another one would be a good way to get a diagnosis. I would make sure to feed a balnced chicken starter grower, and for a week or so give them chick vitamins in their water. Sorry for your loss.