Please help me diagnose Summer’s limp!

[Amkacalek]

Summer is a little over a week old and was completely fine until three days ago. We are not sure what happened. She is with three other chicks so we are not ruling out injury. Summer is eating and drinking, but limps on her right leg. She only uses it to balance and often times she keeps it raised. I took her to a vet, but all they offered was pain meds. I asked about splay leg and vet said it would be in both legs, not just one. She also said if it was a tendon there is nothing they can do. I’ve seen lots of posts contradicting the vet. It seems there are lots possibilities for treatment, but I am so afraid to treat her incorrectly. The vet mentioned Mareks, but the feed store we got her from says they are vaccinated so Mareks is unlikely. Any suggestions? I am attaching a video. Of course she always moves better when I film her.

 

[Eggcessive]

At one week old, Mareks would be impossible. It never shows up before 5 weeks, and it usually shows up later. I haven’t had a chick with a slipped tendon, but it looks like that. Other possibilities would be a leg bone deformity called varus or valgus, or twisted tibia. Leg bone deformities are not possible to change. Some people have claimed to have helped with a slipped tendon, but many are not successful. The link below has a description of what to look for and how to put the tendon back in place:
https://www.chickenheavenonearth.co...u-can-do-to-help-chicken-heaven-on-earth.html

I hope that you can help her. Many chicks can get around well enough without splinting or other treatments to get enough food and water and live with their disability. Keep in mind that splinting legs can sometimes make things worse if the leg swells because it is too tight.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is another thread beginning on post 12 about another chick with slipped tendon:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/peachick-with-slipped-tendon.1092979/page-2

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some info on leg bone deformities varus, valgus, and twisted tibia:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/leg-health-in-large-broilers

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

 

[Amkacalek]

At one week old, Mareks would be impossible. It never shows up before 5 weeks, and it usually shows up later. I haven’t had a chick with a slipped tendon, but it looks like that. Other possibilities would be a leg bone deformity called varus or valgus, or twisted tibia. Leg bone deformities are not possible to change. Some people have claimed to have helped with a slipped tendon, but many are not successful. The link below has a description of what to look for and how to put the tendon back in place:
https://www.chickenheavenonearth.co...u-can-do-to-help-chicken-heaven-on-earth.html

I hope that you can help her. Many chicks can get around well enough without splinting or other treatments to get enough food and water and live with their disability. Keep in mind that splinting legs can sometimes make things worse if the leg swells because it is too tight.

I appreciate the info. I just want her to be healthy and thrive. She is getting around decently but I would like to fix her if possibly. I wish the vet would have done more, but I left their office even more uncertain about what to do. I feel so helpless.

 

[Eggcessive]

I doubt that most vets even know about leg bone deformities and slipped tendons. Unless they have a special interest in chickens, and there is not a lot of money in it. A relative of mine is a vet, and they barely covered bumblefoot in chickens. I wish your chick the best.

 

[Amkacalek]

She didn’t make it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Leg issues make it so hard for them to survive.