Weird legged chick....spraddle? Marek's?

[rsallison]

I went out to open the chick's pen today, and found this guy (girl? I don't know, not quite 8 week old English Orpington) on his belly with legs spread out, not able to stand on his own. I tried to help him up, but he tipped over. I didn't have a camera with me at the time (of course), and didn't want to leave him to get pecked at while I went to get it, so I picked him up and brought him up to the house. I've got a tape wrapped around his legs, which seems to help him be upright, he's eating (some scrambled egg with brewer's yeast, chick starter sprinkled on top) and drinking water fine. Here are the pics that I have....

This is without the band around his legs. See how the left joint is down and the foot is not wide?







Then as he starts to sink that right wing goes out a bit? I suppose to try and balance?

I tried to show how he is sitting with his shoulders hunched up, but because he's black it's not showing well.

He's got several, normal looking poops and one grainy gloppy one that looks like it put a lot of liquid into the towel.
He's a free range during the daytime baby, still with the mama and his nine clutch-mates, secure in their own pen at night, but they started getting introduced to the rest of the flock last week. Everyone's been doing pretty well. I have the ability to monitor, visually and audibly, the pasture from the front window and there hasn't been any sign of distress. The mama is super protective (random cross breed American buff orpy) and gets into brawls if the other Betties start messing with the babies. I don't see any obvious injuries.
Any ideas? I really don't want it to be Marek's...I have absolutely no access to an avian vet anywhere near me, in case you were going to ask
Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[HugHess]

Sally Sunshine had this in one of her threads, a shot in the dark, on page 33 of the paper from Pas. Her article first then the paper is second.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/878773/attention-newbies-to-incubating/200
http://www.slideshare.net/HenryArts/pas-reform-academy-2012
Hope the veterans get on here and can help you out...best wishes for a speedy recovery...
I keep seeing his left foot...can you ascertain that he has no injury to any part of the leg 'assembly', from the spine down?

 

[rsallison]

I worked my hands down the spine, leg joints, and all. No indication of anything out of joint, no indication of any pain from him, nothing. His body does feel a little hot, but it's pretty hot weather right now anyhow. Here's a few more pictures. Do I have the wrap in the right place? Do you see how he sits on the back joints, and not on his feet? Do you think that's from having the wrap on? Both of the feet, you can see are "pinched" for lack of a better word.








Here is the different kinds of poop.

 

[Eggcessive]

This looks like riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency, where they sit back on their hocks, and sometimes develop curled toe paralysis. It's good that you are giving brewer's yeast, but I would probably give some PolyVisol without iron baby vitamins 3 drops by mouth a day, or start poultry vitamins in their water for a couple of weeks. Here is some info about it:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/216914/help-sick-flock-is-this-mareks-disease

 

[rsallison]

Thanks so much! I was hoping for this to be something I could remedy
Where would I get Polyvisol? Is that something they'd have at a pharmacy?
Does any feed store have poultry vitamins?
Wow, thanks again!

 

[Eggcessive]

PolyVisol without iron is available in the vitamin aisle at WalMart and grocery stores. Don't get the kind with iron. Here are a few poultry vitamins that are available at feed stores:

 

[rsallison]

One more question:
Should I get the poultry vitamins for everyone outside, and do the mouth vitamins for the one who's obviously affected right now? It seems that direct administration may help faster with the sick one. Would it be too much to put it in his water and do the mouth vitamins?
Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would do either or, so as not to overdose on the fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, and E. It would be enough to give him the vitamins in the water. Then if you add a little of the brewer's yeast, he may get a little extra riboflavin or B2. B vitamins are water soluble, so any excess will be excreted in the droppings. A lot of people use B Complex tablets dissolved in the water to give all B vitamins.

 

[abserbean]

I have a pullet with leg issues that I am treating for vitamin deficiency right now. I have been giving her poultry nutri-drench, but I was reading the label and I don't see B12 or riboflavin listed as one of the ingredients. Should I switch her to a B complex vitamin dissolved in her water? It does have thiamine and niacin, but from what I'm reading the B12 is pretty important.

 

[Eggcessive]

I recently sent an email to the makers of Poultry Nutridrench pointing out how it doesn't contain riboflavin, a key vitamin for poultry, and got no reply. Since excess B vitamins are excreted in the droppings, a B complex tablet is a good way to get all of the vitamins. Also Poultry Cell and Poultry Vitamins With Lactobacillus, by Roster Booster, contain all of the B vitamins essential for leg health.