Please help! Meat birds are sick!

[AidKD]

They're about 3 weeks or so now. They're starting to get all their feathers and they're very heavy. They always have clean, fresh water to drink and meat bird feed to eat. I got them from the Meyer hatchery. Quite a few of them are favoring a leg and one of them has a very puffy face, but is moving around fine. You can see it in the picture. But the chick in the last pic isn't moving very much and is favoring her one leg. I'm going to make some electrolyte water and put some vitamin C in it for them. I'm also going to get Silver Shield tomorrow to put in their water. I'll put some vitamin C in there food tomorrow as well. Any idea what's wrong?

 

[Tonyroo]

Skip the vitamin C. You need medication. @Wyorp Rock , @Eggcessive , can you advise on the swollen face and leg issue?

Wait till these members can voice there wisdom.

 

[AidKD]

Skip the vitamin C. You need medication. @Wyorp Rock , @Eggcessive , can you advise on the swollen face and leg issue?

Wait till these members can voice there wisdom.

Thanks, will do. But I'd prefer natural remedies over medication if it's at all possible.

 

[ChickNanny13]

What's their poop like? Notice you have them on the ground & chickens in the background, you may want to start them on Corid as a precaution. Don't think it's vitamin related.
It's possible due to their weight (meat birds) it maybe hard on the legs ... Check under their feet, is there anything? Check in the mouth of the puffy faced one? Is it possible it got a bug bite?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm also going to get Silver Shield tomorrow to put in their water. I'll put some vitamin C in there food tomorrow as well. Any idea what's wrong?

Thanks, will do. But I'd prefer natural remedies over medication if it's at all possible.

Swelling face and leg issues have been going on a while. Two threads below.

Were corrections made as suggested - give them plenty of more space, provide feed stations keeping them clean, giving supplemental heat and keeping water stations raised up and clean?

Not sure why there's swelling of the head unless the chick has an ear infection.

The chicks look to be in poor condition.
I'd tend to treat for Coccidiosis. You'll want Corid.
Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.

Work on providing them with plenty of space and some supplemental heat - the brooder needs to be large enough for the chicks to be able to comfortably get warm without crowding and they also all need to be able to get away from the heat without crowding. Chicks poop a lot, but meat birds will poop even more. Keep your brooder cleaned out a couple of times a day.
Make feed available to them free choice until they get better - you may need more than one tiny feed station - even if you split up those 50 chicks into 2 groups, they need more than one chick feeder. Same goes for water - they need plenty of fluids. Provide at least 2 water stations for each group.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/joint-soreness-and-swolleness.1575491/page-3
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicks-feet-swollen-help.1575378/

 

[BastyPutt]

Swelling face and leg issues have been going on a while. Two threads below.

Were corrections made as suggested - give them plenty of more space, provide feed stations keeping them clean, giving supplemental heat and keeping water stations raised up and clean?

Not sure why there's swelling of the head unless the chick has an ear infection.

The chicks look to be in poor condition.
I'd tend to treat for Coccidiosis. You'll want Corid.
Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.

Work on providing them with plenty of space and some supplemental heat - the brooder needs to be large enough for the chicks to be able to comfortably get warm without crowding and they also all need to be able to get away from the heat without crowding. Chicks poop a lot, but meat birds will poop even more. Keep your brooder cleaned out a couple of times a day.
Make feed available to them free choice until they get better - you may need more than one tiny feed station - even if you split up those 50 chicks into 2 groups, they need more than one chick feeder. Same goes for water - they need plenty of fluids. Provide at least 2 water stations for each group.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/joint-soreness-and-swolleness.1575491/page-3
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicks-feet-swollen-help.1575378/

Yes, when I saw the previous threads and the small brooder, I am thinking these maybe residual issues.

When we have any kind of broiler cross, we treat the needs of one bird as 3. More space, more food and of course more poop. As soon as their bodies are feathered, we move them to a pen with a lot of space and outside. Because of their growth rate, Any kind of overcrowding or undue stress on them and things like this happen.

They also look awfully small for a Cornish at 3 weeks.

Lastly - here is a list of some natural remedies we use in place of an antibiotic.

Honey, thyme oil, and Oregano oil (or extracts). We also give our ailing birds closterum and sour, raw milk - but you will want to research the last two before deciding to give either to your birds.

 

[AidKD]

They've been outside for a couple of weeks now in a very large chicken tractor with a heat lamp and shelter, so heat and space isn't an issue. They have constant access to clean, fresh water and food. One of the sick chicks poop is brown and thick. I thought a possible ear infection in the second chick.