14 week old bantams not walking or flying

[Blessed Nanie]

In the 5 years that I have had chickens, I have never had diseases or vaccinated. So, idk what to do. We have 12 almost 5 month old chickens and 4 bantams. We feed them all crumbled organic chick starter. We use the large flake pine shavings in the coops and chicken yard. I use the layered method. We keep the bantams separate since they are so small and a new breed to us. I also give organic scraps like lettuce, spinach, chicken wheat, strawberries, tomatoes. We quarantined one of our full size hens 3 weeks ago. We thought she injured her leg. She tries to stand on it but one leg is stiff. She eats and drinks water. Last week one of the bantams started limping. Her nails are fine and I don’t see any injuries. She scoots around now. Today another bantam is doing the same thing. I’m going to call the vet Monday. I’ll pick up some vitamins tomorrow. It breaks my heart.
We have used DE and lime under the shavings.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don't want to be a doom-and-gloom person so I hope I'm jumping to conclusions but it sounds like Marek's. Where did the Bantams come from? Did you get them as chicks? Hopefully someone with more experience will jump in to answer your question but in the meantime you might want to look up the symptoms and see of they match.

 

[Blessed Nanie]

I don't want to be a doom-and-gloom person so I hope I'm jumping to conclusions but it sounds like Marek's. Where did the Bantams come from? Did you get them as chicks? Hopefully someone with more experience will jump in to answer your question but in the meantime you might want to look up the symptoms and see of they match.

My daughter hatched them in an incubator. We have a buff Orpington down now!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Let me tag someone who I think can help. @Wyorp Rock

 

[Blessed Nanie]

Let me tag someone who I think can help. @Wyorp Rock

could mites do this? We have never had a problem with mites either but do now. We are going to do a deep cleaning tomorrow.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I haven't dealt with mites but from what I've read here I don't think so. Scaly leg mites would just make their legs look rough and bumpy. By the time they have trouble walking you would have very visible issues. Do you have any pictures? Pictures of their legs would be good as well as of their postures.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

In the 5 years that I have had chickens, I have never had diseases or vaccinated. So, idk what to do. We have 12 almost 5 month old chickens and 4 bantams. We feed them all crumbled organic chick starter. We use the large flake pine shavings in the coops and chicken yard. I use the layered method. We keep the bantams separate since they are so small and a new breed to us. I also give organic scraps like lettuce, spinach, chicken wheat, strawberries, tomatoes. We quarantined one of our full size hens 3 weeks ago. We thought she injured her leg. She tries to stand on it but one leg is stiff. She eats and drinks water. Last week one of the bantams started limping. Her nails are fine and I don’t see any injuries. She scoots around now. Today another bantam is doing the same thing. I’m going to call the vet Monday. I’ll pick up some vitamins tomorrow. It breaks my heart.
We have used DE and lime under the shavings.

could mites do this? We have never had a problem with mites either but do now. We are going to do a deep cleaning tomorrow.

Do they have mites?

For this to be moving so quickly through separate flocks, I'd be looking at what they have been eating. Have they gotten into anything rotten or compost? Any spills of oil, weed killer, fertilizer, etc.? Any chance feed is old or moldy? Sometimes you may find a large clump of feed that is moldy in the middle of the bag.

Any new, new bag of feed, new bedding...?

Photos of the sick birds and their poop may be helpful.