Limping chickens/turkeys

[Southrangefarmer]

In April we bought 20 Cornish Cross broiler chicks, and 10 Broad Breasted White Turkeys, I would say they are about 9-10 weeks old right know. About 2 weeks ago I was walking and a turkey ranin front of me (they are all free range during the day) and I stepped on its foot. She developed a limp that lasted several days, but then appeared to be getting better. Then a few days later a chickenwho for some reason was targeted by the older roosters started limping. We assumed it was because she was being "mated" with. We seperated her from the other chickens in hope to help her heal. In isolation she would eat and drink just fine but would just lay there. A few days later another chicken showing the same signs. Isolated her as well. Then the next day another chicken. All just layed half on their sides with legs out. My husband put them down since no improvment after a week. Three days ago another turkey started limping, then wouldn't even stand. We isolated her and she quickly deteriated. By day two in isolation she had labored breathing and would thrash around. Husband had to put her down yesterday. Yesterday another chicken not walking, though eating and drinking. She is in isolation, but original turkey who was hurt is now limping again, and one more chicken today started to develope a limp. Anyone have any ideas? Like I said they are all free range, we supply clean food and water. They do graze on grass and grain. Its been really raining and despite our supplying clean water they tend to go for the rain puddles to drink. We were thinking Meraks? I have read a few similar posts on here but no one seems to be having as many birds affected.
Thanks so much!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

it is just limping thats the real sign? no "split" legs, or paralysis?

These are meat birds, are they getting too much feed and getting too heavy? leg issues are common in meat birds when they put on too much weight too fast, and putting them in isolation with only grain/bag feed is going to keep extra weight gain going on - and thus you wouldn't see an improvement...The laying on their sides and panting alot is something you see commonly in meat birds when they're too hot and too heavy.

Try reducing their grain feed for the next 2 days, and see if it helps.

The age is about where I'd think its mareks, but just limping in a bunch at once like that while raising alarms, as an only symptom in all the birds it makes me suspiscious that it isn't mareks.


is limping the only symptom your seeing?

 

[Southrangefarmer]

It starts with limping, then progresses to a paralysis. They won't even stand. Some limp for days , others go from limping one day to not moving the next. The tureky seemed to have it the worst with being about 3 days from start of limp to not eating, thrashing and labored breathing. The chickens just get real lame, they end up getting picked on by the others, but I think its because they are weaker and just lay there.

 

[tgrlily]

We processed our Cornish cross between 7 & 8 weeks old. They each weighed over 7.5 lbs at that time. 9 to 10 weeks is a long time to keep Cornish X alive. My guess would be that they're enormous & more than ready to be processed. How long were you planning on keeping them?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I was thinking the same thing, the cornish x's tend to processed by 8 weeks and are usually quite large by then. @ 9-10 weeks I'm wondering if their bodies aren't just failing. Some have good success with keeping cornish x's alive and well for months or years, but more and more as they are being produce, I have noticed a decline in this ability to last for long.

However all the symptoms you've listed with the turkeys, it sounds like Mareks. Are the chickens actually doing the paralysis and thrashing as well? if so I'm pretty sure you've got an outbreak of mareks.

 

[Southrangefarmer]

Im sorry I don't have cornish. Im not sure what their name is, its the big white meat chickens. But no none of them have done the thrashing.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Quote:
sorry I'm just going by your initial post calling them cornish cross....but the big white broiler meat chickens ARE typically the cornish crosses.

 

[tgrlily]

Quote:
The big white meat chickens are usually called cornish cross, cornish rocks or cornish x. We bought ours at TSC, a lot of hatcheries sell them. They're bred to grow to butchering age by roughly 8 weeks old, can develop leg issues if they grow too fast & some just drop dead of heart attacks. How much do they weigh?

 

[Southrangefarmer]

Im not sure of their weight. They don't seem big enought o butcher yet, if I had to guess I would say they were maybe 3 lbs?

 

[Pickaduck]

Quote:
It might help to post a picture of them just so we can identify the breed cause if they are Cornish Cross then they'd be much bigger than 3lbs by now at that age.