Is the leg broken?

[FunClucks]

Update: The gray one ended up dying. She delclined in health really fast all of a sudden. The Bard Rock is still alive. I havent found another sick bird since the Leg Horn. My Dad asked around and turns out the place we get chicken food can do custom mixes so they can do a higher protein %. The thing was, the guy said that the risk with that was the eggs getting bigger and that causing possible prolapses etc... Have you ever had any problems with that?

I'm a new chickener (less than 1 year), but from what I've read and my own experience, I"m going to call BS on larger eggs giving chickens prolapse. I mean, if it's a super, super large egg maybe, but I've had my chickens give different size eggs, including increasing in size, and have not have any problems, even with my production red hens, who are known to be prone to reproductive issues. (If I'm wrong, someone please tell me). Increasing the protein is a good and healthy thing for your chickens, and will give better long term health. Most feeds are developed for the commercial industry to give the minimum possible protein and still produce the maximum amount of eggs. If your chickens eat anything besides the commercial feed (treats, free ranging, etc), it will dilute the amount of protein they get each day, and they'll fall below the minimum protein recommedation. This can cause them to start undesirable behaviors (feather picking, etc) due to trying to get more protein in their diet.

IMO bigger eggs is a good thing. My chickens eggs grow maybe 30% depending on how much they get to eat in a day. And the 20% Purina Flockraiser is awesome - has more of the trace nutrients they need than the Dumor, but you can feed either. There's a couple poultry vitamins you can administer separately if you worry they're not getting what they need from their feed.

I free feed, but they would rather me put it out as feed mixed with warm water in a dog bowl than get it out of the treadle feeders themselves. When I put some out in a bowl, they eat more and give bigger eggs the next day. When I stopped for a few days, they ate less than normal because they wanted the dog bowl food, and didn't make up the difference with their treadle feeder food, and I got the smallest eggs I've seen since they were pullets! Crazy chickens!!!

ETA: Also I meant to say I'm really sorry your gray chicken died. It's so hard to lose them.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

It looks like the leghorn also had wry neck? How long between when she first exhibited symptoms and when she died?

What do your chickens eat? Could they have a vitamin deficiency or be getting into something toxic?

 

[Isabella6Storm4]

Do you have access to Purina Flock Raiser? That has 20% protein. View attachment 3374824

Can i find it at ether Tractor Supply or Country Max?

 

[CKfarm22]

Can i find it at ether Tractor Supply or Country Max?

Tractor supply should have it. I was using Layer feed and i noticed them doing much better on the flock raiser, the eggs are better too.

As for the chickens, when my chick had mereks she acted the same way yours is. And it was a very fast decline in her which seems like that’s what’s happening with yours…

We thought it was a dislocated leg too based on her laying down and not getting up. But it did turn out to be mereks

 

[Isabella6Storm4]

Purina flock raiser is at tractor supply, at least at the one near me

If its isnt non GMO and soy free i probably will not be able to get any.

 

[CKfarm22]

We sell non GMO soy free eggs.

I believe all purina feed is non GMO and soy free

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Does everyone else really think it's Marek's? Three birds all becoming lame within a few days of each other, the one bird to die within a day is the one that was vaccinated for Marek's, and one birds seems to be back on her feet after a day or two....

 

[CKfarm22]

This one was doing the same thing but seems to be fine now. She has poop plastered all over her vent fluff but i'm not sure what i should do to remove it in the winter.
View attachment 3374538

Best way is being her inside, give her a bath (butt end) and blow dry her.

or you can fill a bucket with warm soapy water and let her butt soak in it and then put in gloves and wash her bum then blow dry her.

 

[CKfarm22]

Vaccination isn't 100% but I would expect it to offer some protection rather than that hen being the first and fastest to die. Also a bit unusual that one is already back on her feet. With such quick onset on symptoms in a number of birds I think of botulism or some other toxin. There are also other diseases than Mareks that cause lameness... How old are the birds?

Like i said the one bird that’s back on her feet could have something else wrong with her… but considering she has a poopy green butt, that also points to mereks too.

It could be Newcastle disease too. Looking at pics on chickens with newcastle disease it looks like your leghorn had the same kind of neck situation going on.

 

[CKfarm22]

i have no clue. My dad will not spend a ton of money on Chickens and would rather make a quick ending for them than take them to a vet. He'll get me any probiotics or vitamin oil that i need but veterinary care is too much.

I mean, with the avian vet and exotic animal i go to, sometimes they will let you send a chicken that has passed in for an autopsy. They gave me the option when one of my chickens passed at home and i declined but you would just have to call them and ask if they would do it.

Or you could do what someone else said above and send it out to cornell for autopsy that link is here