Help please...light brahma- leg weakness- ? calcium def???

[ladrholman]

I have 2 light brahma girls in my flock. I acquired them from a friend. They had been in with a roo and one of them had many of her feathers rubbed off. Once she started getting them back I noted that a few days later many were missing again. I observed her "sister" pulling them out of her. I isolated "porky" so she could get her feathers in. I recently put her back in with the flock (2 days ago). I observed her sister eating another of her feathers yesterday. This morning I noted that the one who eats the feathers seemed unsteady on her feet. I have isolated her. She is still getting around and eating and drinking with normal stools, but she is sorta like a weeble wooble..... I know it could be any number of things. I am just wondering if maybe she was eating the feathers due to a calcium deficiency. Could this be affecting her stance. I have read that young birds with a Ca def can get rickets... She is an older bird. Any help would be appreciated. There is no other signs of anything in the flock. As a note she has had a "wheeze" since I got her... it seems to get worse if she is stressed ( when I pick her up settles when she does) or when I added new bedding.... I assumed might be related to dust. ...Anyone have any ideas. She seems quite comfortable at the moment. Just enjoyed some strawberry sauce. I am hoping to deal with this myself as we do not have any bird vets around....




I gave her some salmon so she would get the calcium..... she loved that... and some greens to play with. quite wobbly but still getting around. No multi vit liquid at local drug store. will get tomorrow... any help out there please???

 

[dawg53]

I'm thinking it might be protein issue rather than a lack of calcium. Try mixing some scrambled egg in their layer feed to boost protein level for about a week or so. Or, you could buy gamebird feed which is about 22% protein and give that to them instead. Give one or the other to both your light brahmas. You can also provide crushed oyster shell, free choice as their source of calcium. The one that is wobbly on her feet...check her for bumblefoot or gout. Also, it's possible she couldve sprained her leg(s) or pulled something jumping down from a high roost. If that's the case, she would need to be seperated and given plenty of rest and relaxation giving time to heal the sprain. Salmon is a good thing, but loaded with salt, do your best to reduce the salt from it prior to giving it to your girls.

 

[ladrholman]

Thanks so much. I made sure it was the no added salt. Only 2% sodium. It did seem odd to be woobly so suddenly. She usually stays underneath at night but I noted she was up on the perches the other day. She is also lower on the pecking order so may have gotten chased off. I have her isolated in a space in my greenhouse. So she can get lots of rest and relaxation as well as light and warmth during the day.( have a heater in there to regulate the temp at night... I am in Nova Scotia). My husband says her sister told her how nice it was and she is faking it!!

I will ask at the feed store for a higher protein mix. I will give her scrambled eggs in the interm. I did not notice as signs of brumble foot but will look again. But what does gout look like in chickens. I know what it looks like in humans (nurse). I did note that her nails on her feet are very long. (where she was before she was always on deep soft bedding) Could this be impacting on her walking? Should I trim them? Thanks so much for the reply... feel alone sometimes when you post and no one answers. Will keep updates. Thanks again.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Sorry about you posting and no answers...it's always possible that no one has had a similar situation to happen to them or they simply just dont have an answer. I got a laugh when your DH said she was faking lol...we wish,huh? LOL. Bumblefoot is usually found on the bottom of the footpads, a dark in color round scab. Check for redness and/or swelling too. Here is a reference to gout. http://en.engormix.com/MA-poultry-industry/health/articles/avian-gout-causes-treatment-t1246/165-p0.htm
The gout reference is very technical; but basically the build up crystals in joints causes joints to swell, impeding the ability to walk, stand or run normally. Treatment/prevention is basically proper feed if the gout hasnt advanced to the point where it affects internal organs. Without knowing what the previous owner fed the 2 brahmas, it's a toss up if they were given the proper recommended feed, which is layer feed in this instance.
I wouldnt trim her nails unless they are curling under her feet and digging into her footpads, or curling sideways impeding her ability to properly walk.
Hope this helps.

 

[chrissiemids]

I have a buff orp from 10 weeks old and has always been unsteady on its legs. It's a rooster and is now about 20 weeks old. It's still wobbly when running after corn ect. It hasn't started crowing yet or interested in hens.
Older hens also pick on him. He goes into henhouse at night but is reluctant to go up ramp onto perches, so has to be placed there. Started feeding scrambled egg. Call him Wonky. Any ideas?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a buff orp from 10 weeks old and has always been unsteady on its legs. It's a rooster and is now about 20 weeks old. It's still wobbly when running after corn ect. It hasn't started crowing yet or interested in hens.
Older hens also pick on him. He goes into henhouse at night but is reluctant to go up ramp onto perches, so has to be placed there. Started feeding scrambled egg. Call him Wonky. Any ideas?

What type of food do you normally feed?
Do you have a video of him?

Being wobbly can be so many things from vitamin/nutritional deficiencies, developmental disorders to injury or disease.

You can try separating him - offer poultry vitamins that contain B2 (Riboflavin) and see that he is eating a balanced poultry feed. Since your dealing with a cockerel, then he may benefit from the extra protein of chick starter/flock raiser feed or provide him with protein like egg in addition to his normal feed, keeping treats like corn limited to no more than 5-10% of his daily intake.
Keep us posted.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have a buff orp from 10 weeks old and has always been unsteady on its legs. It's a rooster and is now about 20 weeks old. It's still wobbly when running after corn ect. It hasn't started crowing yet or interested in hens.
Older hens also pick on him. He goes into henhouse at night but is reluctant to go up ramp onto perches, so has to be placed there. Started feeding scrambled egg. Call him Wonky. Any ideas?

You have posted on an old thread. Here is where to start your own thread where you may get more advice: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/create-thread

Make sure that you are feeding your chickens a balanced chicken or layer feed. He needs protein and the right mix of vitamins and minerals to help him grow and walk normally. There could be something wrong with him, but good nutrition can help. All chickens will peck or bully a weak chicken, so you may want to cage him with his own food and water in view of the rest of the flock for some time to get him built up. I would give him some poultry vitamins in his water or 2 ml of Poultry Cell or NutriDrench vitamins orally every day for a couple of weeks as well. Let him out with them with supervised visits gradually.