What Causes This ?

[Cold Canadian]

I have something that I can't understand happening with my newly hatched turkey chicks .Out of five I have two so far that are "" normal "" ,one that I had to put down ,one died ,and the last one that is a day old, can't seem to get it's legs working properly ? It looks like it is having a cramp ? It can stand sort of but isn't waking around though ! It is also a bit lop sided when it does stand ( with a bit of help ) but then it attemps to walk and it gets a little way and it falls onto it's side or it's back and the one leg seems to just stick out ...like it's having a cramp .....I tried doing something thinking that it might have stradle leg , but I really don't think that is the problem .Any Ideas ?? I bought the hens with a tom last year ( BBB's ) and someone said that they might be inbred ? not sure I want to believe that .

 

[ivan3]

Probably spraddle leg. Did you by any chance check this recent thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/639608/what-to-do-wih-a-spray-leg-poult (take a look into the links to see if position poult assumes is like the chooks pictured).

If you could post a pic of these BBB's it might be helpful. Did the former owner suggest they were `inbred'?

 

[Cold Canadian]

I'm not at the point that I can post pictures yet , and I never heard anything about being inbred ? I have two that are perfectly fine .I'm starting to wonder if they had to hard of a time getting out of the egg that might have caused the problem ? They didn't seem to have stradle leg ? It looked like a cramp in there one leg ? But I'll check the posting that you left

 

[Cold Canadian]

Checked the sites and what I saw there is nowhere near to what the chick was doing or looked like .It could sort of sit in a resting position , but couldn't stand up unless it really stretched it's legs ,but when it fell the legs were straight back ......like when we have a cramp , straight back and clinched like ? Sorry but that's the best way I can discribe it

 

[ivan3]

Sorry, I took the wrong meaning from last sentence of your first post (re: inbred).

What variety are these poults?

Treatment is going to pretty much be the same as for Spraddle leg (as outlined in other thread). Main thing is to provide splinting, less wt. bearing for a week or so (if toes are clenched up as well they can be straightened and placed on vet tape/band aids that are folded over top of foot. Want to provide as `normal' a positioning of legs/feet as possible.as early as possible. If the problem is some malformation in hips then I'm not sure there is much more to be done. I'm hopeful someone else might have a better plan and will post.

Good luck!