Need help trouble shooting pullet weight loss

ChickyMudder

Songster
Feb 28, 2023
168
168
111
Oregon
I have 10 week old Black Copper Marens. They went outside a few weeks ago and began losing weight.
I switched their feed to game bird food and still no weight gain. Crops seem fine.

It’s been hot. They seem to eat well enough. Fresh water. Not sure what to do.

Haven’t seen bloody stool yet. I’m watching for it.

Do I worm them with ivermectin, fenbendazole, or treat with Corid?

Do I isolate them?

Do I keep them on game bird food and supplement boiled egg yolks?

Do I get them more grit?

What’s going on with these babies?
 
How much weight loss are we talking?
Do you free range them?
Do any have messy bottoms?
Are any of them acting off or lethargic?
There's no need to isolate them.
 
I have 10 week old Black Copper Marens. They went outside a few weeks ago and began losing weight.
I switched their feed to game bird food and still no weight gain. Crops seem fine.

Do I worm them with ivermectin, fenbendazole, or treat with Corid?

Do I isolate them?

Do I keep them on game bird food and supplement boiled egg yolks?

Do I get them more grit?

What’s going on with these babies?
Photos of them, their poop and housing would be good.

Do you have other chickens or ?

How much weight gain are you expecting?
 
I’ll take pics when I get home.
Poop looks normal to me - so far. I’ve had coccidiosis on the farm and treated before it got too bad.

These birds are feeling thin and don’t have the bulk they had at week 6 when they went outside.


Yes they are in a juvenile coop with others.
 
How much weight loss are we talking?
Do you free range them?
Do any have messy bottoms?
Are any of them acting off or lethargic?
There's no need to isolate them.
I haven’t weighed them but they all feel much thinner - fragile and bones.
No messy bottoms.
No lethargy
No free ranging because the one year olds are zealous about putting them on the pecking order . They need to get a bit bigger first
 
I haven’t weighed them but they all feel much thinner - fragile and bones.
No messy bottoms.
No lethargy
No free ranging because the one year olds are zealous about putting them on the pecking order . They need to get a bit bigger first
Okay.
I agree with @Wyorp Rock . I'd just weigh them for a bit and see if they lose much more weight.
 
I weighed them. The two roos each weigh 1.6 kilograms. Their keels stick so far out. Just all bone and no breast muscle. They are 13 weeks old and one developed a splay leg???
His brother developed it at two weeks old and was culled because it turned almost all the way around! It was hot and swollen joint. Pic of hock joints.

Now this guys leg is doing the same thing. Anyone have ideas? In the pic with number one was the same cockerel just a week about! Perfectly straight leg.
Treatments?

From previous posts and other threads I think we narrowed it down to nutrition/absorption problems or mycoplasma synoviae.

I’ve brought the boys indoors for closer monitoring, vitamins, and maybe Tylan 50. I don’t see any issues with the pullets - other than feeling bony and small.

Just don’t know.
 

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Last edited:
I weighed them. The two roos each weigh 1.6 kilograms. Their keels stick so far out. Just all bone and no breast muscle. They are 13 weeks old and one developed a splay leg???
His brother developed it at two weeks old and was culled because it turned almost all the way around! It was hot and swollen joint. I posted pics a while back. I’ll try to link it.

Now this guys leg is doing the same thing. Anyone have ideas?
Treatments?

From previous posts and other threads I think we narrowed it down to nutrition/absorption problems or mycoplasma synoviae.

I’ve brought the boys indoors for closer monitoring, vitamins, and maybe Tylan 50. I don’t see any issues with the pullets - other than feeling bony and small.

Just don’t know.
What are you feeding them?

What's the Tylan50 for? You suspect MS/MG? Any respiratory symptoms in your flock? Any swelling of the joints like fluid or oozing?

If you need it, Tylan50 dose if 0.25ml per pound of weight given orally 3 times a day for 5 days in a row.

3.5lb for a 13wk old BCM is not too bad, imho. Adult roosters (1yr or older) should be at a weight of around 7-8lbs, so they are already at 1/2 of adult weight at just 13wks.

Splay leg could be due to rapid weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, disease....hard to know.

I'd feed them a 20% protein chick starter or an all flock feed. Get a bottle of B-Complex vitamins and give them 1/2 tablet daily.

I'd keep them in separate kennels if that's where you are going to keep them. If your weather is good, I'd try to keep them outdoors so they have fresh air and sunshine and more space to move about.
 

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