Injured (?) leg on RI-6 weeks old

[bellanonna]

An otherwise healthy hen delivered as a day-old chick on July 17 has just come up 'lame' on the left leg. It appears to be intact bone-wise, but if it tries to stand up it does so only on the right leg and tips over until she gets balanced.

The legs are the same visually, there is movement and grasp in the toes on the left leg and the right. I have her separated from the other hens (they were all received the same day). There doesn't appear to be abnormal aggressiveness from any to have caused and injury.

When I put her in the coop separated by a dog kennel, her appetite is good and she is alert, etc.

Ideas oh Dr. Chickeners?

Bella

 

[froggiesheins]

Possibilities: jumped down or fell off the roost and landed where she twisted the leg is the first thing that comes to mind. How long has she been favoring the leg?

 

[WaterFowl209]

Just bad genetics,it doesn't take long for the weak ones to show theirself, perhaps better breeding selection will save next time from having a lame chick.

 

[bellanonna]

Is there something I should be doing or will it either resolve. . .or not

 

[bellanonna]

I don't know about being able to save from having a lame chick due to bad breeding because I bought them from a hatchery. The rest of the chicks look very well. . .so far.

 

[bellanonna]

I just saw this yesterday. It may have been since the day before.

 

[soler]

Have you tried supplementing with vitamins? You can crush some vitamin B and mix in her food (make sure no iron). And also use some nutridrench or other multivitamin mix for chickens in the water in case she's suffering a vitamin deficiency.

Check this website as well:
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry
Does any part of the leg in question look swollen around the joints? I assume poops/eyes/nose all normal and no discharges or labored breathing?

I agree with the first response that she may have twisted/temporarily hurt her leg and as such favoring the other. Giver her some more time, if she is eating and drinking that's a good sign.

 

[soler]

btw - were these chicks vaccinated for marek's?

 

[bellanonna]

No, they were not vaccinated.

 

[bellanonna]

Well, we still have a chicken that is not walking well, but the leg is not involved now as much as each foot. She started to stand the day after I added probiotic with vitamins to the water and she is now able to get up on both legs, but her feet are curled under her legs. She still eats well, drinks well, seems to want to fight to stand, etc. Her eyes are clear and nose also, no drainage from places that shouldn't,

.

The other birds don't pick on her, but she is separated in the dog kennel inside the run. Any ideas as to what this might be if not an injury, which is seems unlikely to be as it would now be considered transient, and what I should do/expect from this clucker??