New chick cant tell if spraddle leg or something else. Please help!

[Simo6480]

hi - I received a new batch of buff laced polish 3 days ago and one seems to have an issue. She is eating and drinking fine. Can stand and walk and even run at times, but once she gets to where she is going she sits on her legs. They aren't out to the side, just straight out under her. She gets up just fine and can move around but at times she can be a little unsteady. I've never had this issue before and researched and came up with spraddle leg. The pics and videos I've seen seem to be extreme where the leg(s) are pointed out to the side whereas my chick's legs are not. She just sits down on them when she isn't moving. Can this be spraddle leg or potentially something else? I know time is of the essence so I did put a small band aid on her legs being sure to not make it too tight. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Chris

 

[SurferchickinSB]

hi - I received a new batch of buff laced polish 3 days ago and one seems to have an issue. She is eating and drinking fine. Can stand and walk and even run at times, but once she gets to where she is going she sits on her legs. They aren't out to the side, just straight out under her. She gets up just fine and can move around but at times she can be a little unsteady. I've never had this issue before and researched and came up with spraddle leg. The pics and videos I've seen seem to be extreme where the leg(s) are pointed out to the side whereas my chick's legs are not. She just sits down on them when she isn't moving. Can this be spraddle leg or potentially something else? I know time is of the essence so I did put a small band aid on her legs being sure to not make it too tight. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Chris

Pictures??

 

[coach723]

It sounds more like hock sitting than spraddle leg. Pictures would be helpful, or a video. I would get some B complex vitamins (human tablets, and not time release) and supplement that to see if you get some improvement. A riboflavin deficiency can cause hock sitting. Give 1/4 of a tablet ground up or 1/4 of a capsule emptied, and mixed in a bit of moistened feed every day.

 

[Simo6480]

It sounds more like hock sitting than spraddle leg. Pictures would be helpful, or a video. I would get some B complex vitamins (human tablets, and not time release) and supplement that to see if you get some improvement. A riboflavin deficiency can cause hock sitting. Give 1/4 of a tablet ground up or 1/4 of a capsule emptied, and mixed in a bit of moistened feed every day.

Just checked in again on her and she managed to get one side of the bandaid off so I removed it completely. Attached is the bet pic I could get without her sitting so ill try to get more and a video as well. Thank you both for responding in the meantime.

 

[Simo6480]

Just checked in again on her and she managed to get one side of the bandaid off so I removed it completely. Attached is the bet pic I could get without her sitting so ill try to get more and a video as well. Thank you both for responding in the meantime.

Sorry to be a pain as I'm new to the forum. I have a video but cannot upload an mp4 extension. Any idea how I can get you a video?

 

[coach723]

It has to be posted on youtube or other external host, and then the link put here, then it will show up. It won't directly load to this forum.

 

[Simo6480]

Sorry took me a while. Short clip. Imagine this happening over and over and thats her case. Thanks again for taking time out of your day to try to help me!

 

[coach723]

I don't see anything obvious in the video, and I do know how hard it is to get something on video sometimes! The B complex is harmless, so I would go ahead with that. Since they just arrived I would keep an eye on it, see how things go over the next few days. It may just be adjusting to being shipped and new surroundings. Polish can be more susceptible to neurological problems due to their vaulted skull, so just be aware of it compared to the others. Vitamin deficiencies are not uncommon, and it's not going to hurt anything to supplement that. And deficiencies of the B's can have some odd neuromuscular symptoms sometimes. The B's are water soluble, so any extra will be excreted.

 

[Simo6480]

Thanks again for your help. One last question I am putting the electrolyte pack in with their water daily, which includes the b vitamins. Should I leave the vitamins to what I am already putting into their water and wait a few days to see if there is improvement or add additional b's now? I called Meyer hatchery yesterday and they said it could be very well attributed to the shipping process like you also indicated.

Sorry if I came off a bit nervous, just want to make sure this chick lives a happy life.

Thanks!

 

[coach723]

It's OK, I always worry about my babies too! It may be enough to just do the electrolite water with the B's in it, give it a few days and see how it goes. You can always add the other if it seems to be getting worse, or not improving. When I do electrolites I usually give them for half the day, and then switch to plain fresh water for the rest of the day. I would just keep an eye on it, make sure it's eating and drinking normally, and that droppings look normal. Sometimes a chick that is struggling even just a little can be more prone to pasty butt, so I would watch for that.