My 2 1/2 week old chick from Meyer Hatchery is unable to stand or walk this morning.

[Major_in_MS]

Her 22 broodermates are fine. She is using her wings to help get around and looks like a little yellow bat walking with her wings. I do not know what breed she is and I have been feeding them un-medicated starter feed. They are bedded on course pine shavings. I see no signs of trauma or injury. Her poop is runny but otherwise normal.

I have taken her out of the brooder and given her a warm bath and dried her with the blow dryer and she seemed to really enjoy that. She is not acting like she is in pain, just quiet with an occasional little strumming chirp and not able to stand or walk. She is alert and curious and watching me type this post.

 

[Little Miss]

She might have the same thing my little chick has. I think she has a riboflavin deficiency. The chick i have that has it looks similar to your pictures. I am giving mine chick starter feed, mushrooms as a treat (no more than on or two peices a day), and electrolites in her water. All of those things have riboflavin in them and my chick is slowly getting better. The only other thing I know of that it could be is marek's disease. I personally have no experience with marek's disease so you will have to look it up online. I hope the little one gets better!

 

[Major_in_MS]

She might have the same thing my little chick has. I think she has a riboflavin deficiency. The chick i have that has it looks similar to your pictures. I am giving mine chick starter feed, mushrooms as a treat (no more than on or two peices a day), and electrolites in her water. All of those things have riboflavin in them and my chick is slowly getting better. The only other thing I know of that it could be is marek's disease. I personally have no experience with marek's disease so you will have to look it up online. I hope the little one gets better!

I'm hoping 2 1/2 weeks is too early to be showing symptoms of Marek's disease. Thanks for the reply. I'll put some vitamin drops in their water. Are the mushrooms high in riboflavin? I'll have to get some of those.

 

[leadwolf1]

First off, she is too young for Marek's.

Second, you can give her one drop of poly vi sol, without iron, twice daily. Tht would take care of a vitamin deficiency if that is, in fact, her problem.

 

[KHoward]

Hi,

What happened to the chick? I have one that is similar and don't know what is wrong. She has had electrolytes with vitamins since day one, and is vaccinated for Marek's.

Thanks,

 

[Nambroth]

Hi,

What happened to the chick? I have one that is similar and don't know what is wrong. She has had electrolytes with vitamins since day one, and is vaccinated for Marek's.

Thanks,

How old is your chick? If she's less than three weeks, it is extremely unlikely to be Marek's. These symptoms in very young chicks is most commonly caused by riboflavin deficiency.

Quote: Source: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html

Some vitamin deficiencies start with the mother hen, and may not be a result of the chick getting improper feed. This occurs sometimes with vitamin A deficiency.

 

[KHoward]

Hello Nambroth,

She is 2 weeks old today. I have given the chicks an electrolyte and vitamin supplement since they got here, but maybe it wasn't enough. Of the 30, one is limping a little and one is unable to stand. I have the two of them in a cage together because they were being tromped on by the others. The one that is unable to stand (Dee Dee short for death's door) also sleeps a lot, will eat a few crumbles on her own, and will take a few sips if I prop her up near the water.

I gave her some hard boiled egg last night and this morning (riboflavin) and she ate quite a bit. The limpy one is less limpy, but prefers to lay down and sleep most of the time. Limpy also holds her wing away from her body a little, on the same side she has a limp and constantly preens in her wing-pit. Maybe there are some feathers coming in that are making her uncomfortable as well.

I dipped Dee-dee's beak in the Poly vi sol (no iron) twice this morning, and then added a few drops to the water dish. Other than sleeping a lot, she seems alert when she is awake.

How soon before people usually see results after using the vitamins? I would think a few drops in the water for the other 28 that are in the brooder is probably a good idea as a precaution.

Any suggestions are appreciated~

 

[KHoward]

*Update*

I followed the Poly Vi Sol suggestion and that seemed to do the trick. After one week she was up and about with no signs of trouble. I put both girls back into the brooder on the 8th day and the joined the flock again with no problem at all.

I have started adding Poly Vi Sol to the brooder water in a reduced dosage so that they can all have a few extra vitamins. I figured it can't hurt and can only help even out some lingering deficiencies.