Joint soreness and swolleness

[AidKD]

I was told to come here and ask this. I have about 50 meat birds from thr Meyer hatchery a little over a week old. I've had several of them die for unknown reasons and just discovered yesterday that 2 of my chicks have swollen and red joints that they can't move around on. I've been trying to nurse them back to health with electrolyte water, soaking in epsom salt water, and some special gel to help take care of inflamation and pain. It does seem to be helping some, but I was wondering if there is anything more I could be doing? And I'm also starting to think that's why the others died.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

It's hard for me to tell much from the photos. What are you feeding them? Also, are the ones with the swollen joints eating and drinking on their own? Do they move around a lot or mostly just lay there? Are they quiet or loud?

I had a batch of 6 CX chicks and one had reddish/purple marks on his joints and they may have been swollen, possibly from laying around on his hocks because he was sick and weak. That chick never ate or drank on his own, mostly just laid there and peeped loudly, and eventually died (despite my efforts to give him nutrients and hydration with a syringe). He was a failure to thrive I think, and I'm wondering if you have something similar going on? Just give us a little more detail about them though.

 

[AidKD]

It's hard for me to tell much from the photos. What are you feeding them? Also, are the ones with the swollen joints eating and drinking on their own? Do they move around a lot or mostly just lay there? Are they quiet or loud?

I had a batch of 6 CX chicks and one had reddish/purple marks on his joints and they may have been swollen, possibly from laying around on his hocks because he was sick and weak. That chick never ate or drank on his own, mostly just laid there and peeped loudly, and eventually died (despite my efforts to give him nutrients and hydration with a syringe). He was a failure to thrive I think, and I'm wondering if you have something similar going on? Just give us a little more detail about them though.

They were unable to move because of their joints being swollen and sore, so I had to dip their beaks in water and hold the food up directly to their faces. They really didn't make alot of noise just cause they didn't feel good. @Canadian Wind said that meat birds just grow so fast that sometimes swollen and sore joints just happen.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

They were unable to move because of their joints being swollen and sore, so I had to dip their beaks in water and hold the food up directly to their faces. They really didn't make alot of noise just cause they didn't feel good. @Canadian Wind said that meat birds just grow so fast that sometimes swollen and sore joints just happen.

Yeah but that kind of lameness is a cause for concern at that age. So did they eat and drink when you put the food and water right up to them? If not, I'd start giving them hydration and nutrients using an eye dropper right away. Nutri-drench is great stuff but if you don't have that, molasses water is another good way to get hydration and nutrients into their system. Sugar water is another option.

If they were 6-8 weeks old and moving around less because of swollen joints, I'd be less surprised (although I've never seen my CX have visibly swollen joints, besides the redness on that one chick). But at about a week old, idk if it's typical for them to be having that problem. Keep monitoring them and trying to keep them hydrated and fed.

 

[AidKD]

Yeah but that kind of lameness is a cause for concern at that age. So did they eat and drink when you put the food and water right up to them? If not, I'd start giving them hydration and nutrients using an eye dropper right away. Nutri-drench is great stuff but if you don't have that, molasses water is another good way to get hydration and nutrients into their system. Sugar water is another option.

If they were 6-8 weeks old and moving around less because of swollen joints, I'd be less surprised (although I've never seen my CX have visibly swollen joints, besides the redness on that one chick). But at about a week old, idk if it's typical for them to be having that problem. Keep monitoring them and trying to keep them hydrated and fed.

Will do! They all seem to be doing pretty good now, but I'll definitely keep an eye on them and take your advice!

 

[Geena]

How are they being kept and what are you feeding them? Most likely something is amiss in one or both of those areas. It's only butcher age meat birds that may have issues with their joints, young chicks like that should be very mobile and active.

 

[AidKD]

How are they being kept and what are you feeding them? Most likely something is amiss in one or both of those areas. It's only butcher age meat birds that may have issues with their joints, young chicks like that should be very mobile and active.

They're being fed a meat bird grower feed and being kept in a large cardboard box. They have constant food, water, and heat. When I check on them before going to bed they are all fine and settling down for the night, then the next morning one of them turns up dead. I was thinking that it had something to do with their joints, but now I don't think so because they're running around fine one day and dead the next.

 

[Kiki]

They're being fed a meat bird grower feed and being kept in a large cardboard box. They have constant food, water, and heat. When I check on them before going to bed they are all fine and settling down for the night, then the next morning one of them turns up dead. I was thinking that it had something to do with their joints, but now I don't think so because they're running around fine one day and dead the next.

Cardboard is too slippery and it can cause their legs to get messed up pretty badly from slipping on it.

Can you fill the cardboard box with a couple inches of dirt?

 

[AidKD]

Cardboard is too slippery and it can cause their legs to get messed up pretty badly from slipping on it.

Can you fill the cardboard box with a couple inches of dirt?

I just moved them to it yesterday and have a layer of woodshavings down. Is that okay or do I still need the dirt?

 

[Kiki]

I just moved them to it yesterday and have a layer of woodshavings down. Is that okay or do I still need the dirt?

Shavings is ok if the layer is thick enough to make it impossible for them to touch the bottom.

I thought you meant there we on the cardboard itself.

Can you take a picture of the box with them in it now?