Month-old chick suddenly has weak legs and keeps laying down—what could be wrong?

[Tunie B]

My 4-week old Cookies & Cream chick (a cute little hybrid from Meyer Hatchery) is suddenly having trouble standing and walking. She shares a brooder with 6 other chicks of similar/ish size, and I’ve been taking them to slightly larger exercise pen during the day this week.
Today I noticed this chick wasn’t getting up and running around like usual. She will stumble a few steps, then lay down. She will go to the water and food still, thankfully—but I can’t see any obvious injury.

They were vaccinated for Marek’s, have been eating non-medicated feed (with a few blueberries and watermelon with grit).

Her toes on one foot do kinda curl. I’m thinking about making a little cast to help straighten toes for a day or so, but I don’t know what is actually wrong. Vitamin deficiency? Injury? The start of wry neck?

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

I would start her on some extra B2 vitamins and monitor her closely to make sure she doesn't start getting bullied or have trouble getting to food/water. I hope it's not the case, but it does sound a lot like Marek's to me. Vaccination doesn't offer 100% protection unfortunately.

 

[Tunie B]

I would start her on some extra B2 vitamins and monitor her closely to make sure she doesn't start getting bullied or have trouble getting to food/water. I hope it's not the case, but it does sound a lot like Marek's to me. Vaccination doesn't offer 100% protection unfortunately.

Thank you—yes, I think I will move her to her own space.

 

[Tunie B]

I got Poutry Cell today, but I’m not sure how much to give her. I think the bottle says 1-3 cc daily, but she is quite small still (under half a pound, certainly).

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

She's cute! I believe you can mix it into her water. I wouldn't stress the amount too much, but you want to offer both vitamin water and plain water. Can she get around okay if you tape her foot flat?

I would also look for just B2 specifically, either liquid or tablets. Idk the exact numbers on the poultry cell, but I think the nutri drench doesn't actually contain high enough levels of B2 to be therapeutic in most cases.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

I got Poutry Cell today, but I’m not sure how much to give her. I think the bottle says 1-3 cc daily, but she is quite small still (under half a pound, certainly).

Poultry cell is fine for a couple days (I'd personally give about 1/2 cc, but don't think more would really hurt), but it's got a lot of other vitamins as well, including a ton of iron. After mixing some into my girls' food, I always find some black poops afterward, which is all that extra iron being excreted. I definitely don't want vitamin deficiency, but I also try to avoid that much excess.... For a longer term B2 supplement I'd get a human B-complex vitamin and give her a tiny bit every day. For reference, I've treated my 2 pound bantams with 1/4 tablet of B-complex.

 

[Tunie B]

Poultry cell is fine for a couple days (I'd personally give about 1/2 cc, but don't think more would really hurt), but it's got a lot of other vitamins as well, including a ton of iron. After mixing some into my girls' food, I always find some black poops afterward, which is all that extra iron being excreted. I definitely don't want vitamin deficiency, but I also try to avoid that much excess.... For a longer term B2 supplement I'd get a human B-complex vitamin and give her a tiny bit every day. For reference, I've treated my 2 pound bantams with 1/4 tablet of B-complex.

I definitely worried about the extra iron—I’ll do one more day and switch her over, thank you.

 

[Tunie B]

UPDATE: I found a vet to evaluate and she recommended euthanasia. The vet sent her to the University of Tennessee vet hospital for necropsy. Preliminary results show inflamed sciatica, which *might* be Marek’s, but we’ll know more in a few weeks.