I'm completely at a loss as to what's happening here...I hope someone can help.
Our last batch of bobwhites...at about 1 week old, about 10 of the 100 chicks started developing a thickening & hard swelling of the legs. It starts at the ankle (just above the foot)...on some, it's confined to that area, others it extends all the way up the leg to where the feathers start. It's very hard , the leg is stiff & dark, & is apparently very painful. On some, it gets to the point where it's so swollen, it starts to crack open...& then you know what the other chicks do then...horrible.
I have applied every sort of ointment imaginable & antibiotics in the drinking water. We lost 6...the rest got slowly better with the antibiotics...it just disappears without a trace or limp remaining.
They are in a brooder with heat lamp, on paper towels for the first 2 weeks & I keep it very clean. Always fresh water available & eating medicated game bird starter mash.
When we moved them out of the brooder...I discenfected it thoroughly with 100% bleach, rinsed, & let dry in the sun. It was empty for 2 weeks.
We just hatched Butlers that are now 5 days old....today I see we have 2 with the big ankles.
Does anyone know what this is??? How do I prevent it??? I can't find info on anything even similar to this anywhere. I probably need to get some pics, but by the time I get home from work it's already dark. Anybody familiar with this?? JJ??
Our last batch of bobwhites...at about 1 week old, about 10 of the 100 chicks started developing a thickening & hard swelling of the legs. It starts at the ankle (just above the foot)...on some, it's confined to that area, others it extends all the way up the leg to where the feathers start. It's very hard , the leg is stiff & dark, & is apparently very painful. On some, it gets to the point where it's so swollen, it starts to crack open...& then you know what the other chicks do then...horrible.
I have applied every sort of ointment imaginable & antibiotics in the drinking water. We lost 6...the rest got slowly better with the antibiotics...it just disappears without a trace or limp remaining.
They are in a brooder with heat lamp, on paper towels for the first 2 weeks & I keep it very clean. Always fresh water available & eating medicated game bird starter mash.
When we moved them out of the brooder...I discenfected it thoroughly with 100% bleach, rinsed, & let dry in the sun. It was empty for 2 weeks.
We just hatched Butlers that are now 5 days old....today I see we have 2 with the big ankles.
Does anyone know what this is??? How do I prevent it??? I can't find info on anything even similar to this anywhere. I probably need to get some pics, but by the time I get home from work it's already dark. Anybody familiar with this?? JJ??
