Turky poult with weak leg

[WalnutHill]

My day and a half old turkey poult is exhibiting weakness in her right leg. The leg is not turned out to the side, when her feet are hanging free her toes are straight, she has full range of motion if I gently manipulate it, Achilles tendon appears to be properly positioned. When she stands she curls her toes in and balances on the right side of her foot, her body leans to the right, and even though she tries to use her head as a counterbalance, she eventually topples and cannot get back up. She attempts to lean on things or uses her right wing to hook onto objects to stay upright. She can move the leg, it is just not strong.

This chick had a relatively rapid and normal natural hatch, approximately two hours from external pip to kicking off the shell. She has a slight respiratory "click".

Suggestions on how I can assist her? I read the poultry chair and physical therapy thread on another site, but she throws herself backward and topples the chair, or climbs out forward and tumbles. I want to give her every possible chance for success.

 

[chooks4life]

A photo would help. Sounds like an injury unless the bird hatched that way. With recent injuries, rest is more important than physiotherapy, so she would need to sit as much as she wants, somewhere comfortable, with food and water within reach, safe from any birds that would pick on her, but as close to them as possible for comfort's sake (i.e. within a bird cage within the main pen).

Best wishes.

 

[WalnutHill]

She did hatch that way. I wasn't sure if she was just having a hard time with the concept of vertical, or if there was a bigger issue, until she was strong enough to really try to stand.

When she topples, she thrusts her legs out behind when she is done flopping and trying to push herself back upright. Most chicks seem to pull their feet forward then thrust down and back to lever up. She almost acts like she has a dislocation (maybe hip) but I can't feel anything out of place or not moving smoothly, and she does not seem to be too distressed by manipulation.

 

[WalnutHill]

My little poult is doing much better. It seems as if it was mostly an equilibrium issue, like swimmer's ear. She was having trouble with her gyroscope, and would lean over so far trying to follow her own concept of up that she would fall over.

Well, after a couple of days of Tylan 50 drops in the water, vitamins in the water, and frequent setting upright, she is almost fully as normal. She can now stand on either foot and scratch, can look left or right without falling over, and can jump at things above her head and land on her feet. She still backs up a little and sometimes takes a tumble.

She is about 80% "normal" development now, and improving daily.

While I had her and her sibling separated by a cardboard divider, they were both terribly stressed at being alone. So my daughter and I went to TSC and bought half a dozen assorted bantam chicks, which turned out to be (I think) one Welsummer and five Golden and Buff Sebrights. I selected the two mellowest chicks and put them with the struggling poult, and they would snuggle up together like a little family. The four rowdies did a good job of keeping the bolder poult in line, as they have no fear. They just run right between her legs, under her neck, hop on her back, and are essentially very entertaining.