Wesummer in permanent runner's stretch?

[BeardedLadyFarm]

One of my little Wellie boys (about 1 week) seems to be almost frozen in "runner's stretch" position, with his left leg fully extended behind him. He just stands there like this. He can walk, with a bit of a wobble. He eats and drinks- crop is full by bedtime.

Is this some sort of modified splayed leg situation? He didn't have it for his first 4 or 5 days. Maybe he slipped while scratching around? I can bend his leg for him, and he doesn't fuss.

Should I tape or band the legs together, or just wait it out and see how it goes? I've never seen this before, and I've raised hundreds of chicks.

 

[alicefelldown]

Might be Marek's.

http://www.worldpoultry.net/diseases/mareks-disease-d103.html

One leg stretches forward and the other backwards due to leg paralysis.​

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Thanks for the link!

I'm not ruling it out, but it says that the youngest it affects birds is 6 weeks of age, and that's after a 2 week incubation period of the virus. These chicks are only a week old. Can they become infected in the shell?

Maybe it's not as simple as the website makes it seem.

 

[cluckcluck42]

I have no idea, the pose looks kind of comical though doesn't it? I mean, if he wasn't stuck like that it would be cute. I have no idea what it could be, I agree, seems too young for Mareks. Perhaps treat him with a bandaid as you would if it was splay leg? Hope you get some help soon, good luck. P.S how do you know it's a boy?

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Quote:
The little guy is still getting around, but when he's sleepy he just freezes like this. I'm going to tape him up in the morning.

I can't be 100% sure it's a boy, but certain lines of Welsummers have a trait where girls have dark and distinct "eyeliner" and a distinct V on the top of the head. Boys have less clear markings early on. Will Morrow at Whitmore Farms has a line of Wellies that follow this pattern (and lay DARK eggs) and these chicks are just one generation from that line.

Do a search on here, and you'll find more info on the topic.

 

[chickenzoo]

I fixed a young swan that hurt it's leg and it would only hold it out stretched behind it, it could not pull it forward. I used some vet wrap and wrapped it around the leg, then around the body so it pulled the leg forward to normal position. She walked around like that slowly, then eventually got full use back. Hope something like that may help.

 

[Dora'smom]

One of my RIR's started having this sort of look early on. It progressed to more unsteadiness, actually having to have wing tips on the ground in order to flail and flop around. If it tried to run, it did a little better, but often wound up stuck with one leg in front and one out back. I talked to several local "experts" some of which told me it was definitely Marek's and I would have to cull the bird right away, and maybe the whole flock. I held out hope and checked with others to verify this. One of the experts told me to treat with electrolytes and tetracycline. I did this, and my bird made a full recovery. None of the others ever got any symptoms, but I treated them all. They are a little over a year old, and the RIR's are great layers. I can't tell you which one was sick, as they have both looked so similar since a week or two after treatment. Continue to watch your bird. You can splint the legs, but see if her symptoms get worse----she may tell you that the splint is not working, or that it is. Good luck. I hope she has a full recovery.

 

[cluckcluck42]

Quote:
The little guy is still getting around, but when he's sleepy he just freezes like this. I'm going to tape him up in the morning.

I can't be 100% sure it's a boy, but certain lines of Welsummers have a trait where girls have dark and distinct "eyeliner" and a distinct V on the top of the head. Boys have less clear markings early on. Will Morrow at Whitmore Farms has a line of Wellies that follow this pattern (and lay DARK eggs) and these chicks are just one generation from that line.

Do a search on here, and you'll find more info on the topic.

Thanks, I had no idea. I have some Wellies x EE eggs incubating right now, can't wait.

 

[MotherJean]

I'm skeptical that it's Mareks in a chick that young. I think I'd try vitamin therapy - a couple of drops of Polyvisol (without iron) daily, directly in his mouth.