Shriveled legs and feet, followed by death, what is it???

[Cowgirl71]

I did come across this (an article about dehydration in chicks):

http://www.worldpoultry.net/diseases/dehydration-d43.html

"Dehydration can be determined by... dehydrated (dark and wrinkled) skin around the shanks. Blood vessels on the skin will be very prominent."

This matches up exactly to the symptoms I've been seeing, except... What about the ten-day-old keet? Also, I would think that if caught early, it could be easily "cured" by dipping it's beak in the water as soon as I see symptoms??? The ten-day-old DID go without water for about three hours (I had to go to town and forgot to check the keet's water before I left

). But I wouldn't have thought that would have been long enough to kill him.

Thanks so much usschicago1.

AHappychick: Your avatar...

the chicken...

it looks...

SO funny...

!!!

 

[gamechickens]

i swear by this methoid give them grogel plus b. you can get in at mcmurry hatchery or other places. it bright green food and water supplement that you give them right when they are born my chicks love it. that has vitamins and things that get there tummies going. and they love the color. keeps them hydrated

 

[usschicago1]

Quote:
that looks about right no me, im so surprised a chick wouldn't drink on there own. Maybe i would try different waterers and see what the chicks like.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Cowgirl71. Did you ever find out what was going on? I too have had this similar experience. I dipped all the chicks' beaks in water when I put them in the brooder, but usually by a few days one or more will start to get shriveled legs and toes. I have noticed that if I get it to the water as soon as I see the symptoms, that they shap out of it and within a week their legs are looking normal. I've also had situations where some of my older chicks (up to two months) are developing this same problem shortly after I change the type of waterer.
I've raised thousands of chicks from many different breeds and never had this happen before. Right now I'm raising Iowa Blues exclusively, and they are extremely survivalistic. The chicks can act like pheasants at times and I know that you have to be very careful when you change the water for pheasants or they won't find the water and die of thirst. I wonder if this is going on with my chicks. It doesn't seem contageous, as only one or two will get it out of every 25 or so chicks.

What breed were you raising at the time this was happening, and did you change waterers for the older chicks? I found that if I take the chicks at 2 days old and dip their beaks in the water again, that I don't have trouble with the shriveled up legs. Maybe even placing some shiny marbles in the waterer would help to draw in their curiosity to drink.....I know they do that with pheasants and quail. I haven't tried it yet though......