Newly lame pullet

[Stelliebellie1234]

Ok, so this pullet is particular is a white easter egger that is 10 weeks old. She was perfectly fine before but about 2 days ago she started walking funny and then stopped walking almost altogether. She has started splaying and does not eat very much. She keeps rolling on her back and not getting up so she has to be supervised. She was getting pecked very aggressively by the other pullets before we caged her and I do not know what to do, she does not seem to be in any pain whatsoever, but i am still very worried. Help!

 

[Ebony Rose]

Chickens hide pain. Have you examined the bottoms of her feet for bumblefoot? Could she have jumped from too high a distance, twisted an ankle, bruised her foot, broken a bone? Could be a slipped tendon. Does she have pasty butt? Usually pasty butt is reserved for younger chicks, but an overheated or sick chick could end up with this problem as well. How does her crop feel in the morning? How does it feel at bedtime? Should be empty in the morning and full at bedtime. Splayed legs could indicate a neurological condition, or malnutrition (typically malnutrition of a chick starts in the egg and manifests itself in the chick; a malnourished hen cannot put into the egg vitamins/minerals/amino acids that she's lacking). What does her poop look like? Can you take pictures of her, can you take pictures of her poop? Do/Have these chicks had access to soil, grass, the big outdoors? Have they been wormed? Does their food contain amprolium (coccida inhibitor)?

You need to thoroughly examine the chick from one end to the other. Post your findings here so that folks with more experience can GUESStimate the likely cause of her distress.

 

[Stelliebellie1234]

Chickens hide pain. Have you examined the bottoms of her feet for bumblefoot? Could she have jumped from too high a distance, twisted an ankle, bruised her foot, broken a bone? Could be a slipped tendon. Does she have pasty butt? Usually pasty butt is reserved for younger chicks, but an overheated or sick chick could end up with this problem as well. How does her crop feel in the morning? How does it feel at bedtime? Should be empty in the morning and full at bedtime. Splayed legs could indicate a neurological condition, or malnutrition (typically malnutrition of a chick starts in the egg and manifests itself in the chick; a malnourished hen cannot put into the egg vitamins/minerals/amino acids that she's lacking). What does her poop look like? Can you take pictures of her, can you take pictures of her poop? Do/Have these chicks had access to soil, grass, the big outdoors? Have they been wormed? Does their food contain amprolium (coccida inhibitor)?

You need to thoroughly examine the chick from one end to the other. Post your findings here so that folks with more experience can GUESStimate the likely cause of her distress.

She does not have bumblefoot, she has a 3 foot roost right now, so not likely, she is not in pain anywhere, her butt is not pasty, I am embarrassed to ask this but what is a crop?, she has good health, it is really just her legs, she can't stand but she is eager to get out. Her poop I cannot tell because she spilled her water so everything in the cage is wet. Yes, they have had a run for about a week now and they go out and forage, there are no sign of worms in any of the chicks, and no, their feed has no amprolium in it. This is the best picture I could get of her.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Thanks for going through the checklist. If a vet is available to you, they can run float tests to double check for worms and perform various other tests. If that's not an option, then my advice (I'm not a vet) and reasoning is as follows:

Addressing the dual issue of being newly on turf and their feed doesn't have amprolium. I would treat them all with amprolium (generic name). Use the acute outbreak dosage that's listed on the medicine. This will treat for coccidiosis. Do NOT offer vitamin supplementation, particularly B-vitamins while treating. DO offer vitamin supplementation afterward. Coccidia are on every continent, in every back yard, in the whole world. They're a parasite that latches on to the victim's intestines, stealing their hosts nutrition, particularly their B-Vitamins (B-vitamin deficiency can present as weakness in the legs and feet, and spraddled legs). Amprolium mimics B-vitamins in the chicken, effectively starving the parasite. The time frame from boots on the ground to presentation of symptoms is about spot on as well.

This would be my absolute first course of action since treating them for this parasite will NOT harm them in ANY WAY, even if they are not suffering from coccidia overload. This disease, left untreated, is a death sentence. I would start this treatment immediately, on for the 7 to 10 days that the instructions indicate, off for two weeks, and then another course of treatment. I personally treat my flock 2x annually as I live in the tropics and rain can bring the parasite to the surface, where they're easier for your flock to accidentally eat them. Chickens hide their pain and discomfort until it becomes impossible for them to hide it any longer... by then, they're VERY sick.

Link to more information about coccidiosis here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-essential-beginners-guide-to-backyard-chickens.75107/