7 week old chick showing some leg issues

[SheppFamilyFlock]

I went out to let my birds out this morning and noticed one chick walking on its hocks. I usually spend a good amount of time in the mornings watching everyone to make sure they're all good, and today was the first time I noticed this. I tried to take a video but couldn't get one, I can keep trying though.

My first thought was Marek's. I took the chick out immediately and brought it inside, back into the brooder. Then I read about vitamin b deficiency, so I gave it some b complex. Will see if it improves.

I do have some questions about Marek's though. We got 12 chicks from my husband's work buddy, back at the very beginning of April. We had them in the house in the brooder, away from our existing flock for about 3/4 weeks before we introduced them. I'm just wondering how Marek's works... How long would it take to develop symptoms after exposure? Is it possible they were exposed where they were hatched and are only showing symptoms now, 5 weeks later? Or is it unlikely that it's Marek's and more likely to be a vitamin deficiency?

I am very troubled at the thought of losing our whole flock. We only had 2 hens out of our 8 chicks we got last year. We were really hoping for a few more egg layers this year

Also, I have some eggs in the incubator. Can I vaccinate those chicks for Marek's? Is that available to backyard chicken keepers? We did feed all our chicks medicated food which I thought was an alternative to vaccinating. Is that correct?

Seems I still have a lot to learn!

 

[SheppFamilyFlock]

I cannot figure out how to attach a video sorry

 

[realsis]

I'm going through the same issue except my bird was doing vertical splits. She was 5 weeks when she started presenting these behaviors. She got trampled by the flock before I realized what was going on. She was vaccinated for Mareks but she still could have caught it somehow. I started treating with a good multi vitamin ( poultry cell) and a B2 vitamin in drops with vitamin E mixed into her food mashed together. It's been very slow going but she has since brought her legs together normally and is now standing favoring one leg. Her toes have unfurled just this week. She was standing waiting for her breakfast this morning. Started standing last week. But still had curled toes until this week. Don't give up on your bird. I would start the vitamin defiency therapy right away. Please remember to have patience because it is slow going. The first two weeks she had no signs of improvement. I had to hand feed and hand water because she was in that vertical splits position. I did physical therapy on her as well and tried to be as gentle as I can but could tell it hurt her.after that first discouraged two weeks she started to slowly improve. She brought her legs together on her own but both feet still curled. She would stand on curled feet at first. Then one foot unfurled she now stands normally on one leg still working on the other. So with patience and treatment I hope your girl will be ok. I treated for vitamin defiency because it can look like Mareks disease. That's where I'd start with your girl. Hope this helps.

 

[realsis]

The medicated food could be a alternative for cocci vaccine but NOT Mareks. Mareks vaccine is given at hatch and the chicks develop immunity over a couple weeks. Not instant and not 100%. It does however give the chick a better chance of survival if they are of the 2or 3 percent that catch Mareks after being vaccinated. I pay to have the hatchery vaccinate at hatch. It's only 10 cents or so per bird. The more birds the less cost. Mareks disease has nothing to do with the medicated feed. That only deals with cocci

 

[SheppFamilyFlock]

The medicated food could be a alternative for cocci vaccine but NOT Mareks. Mareks vaccine is given at hatch and the chicks develop immunity over a couple weeks. Not instant and not 100%. It does however give the chick a better chance of survival if they are of the 2or 3 percent that catch Mareks after being vaccinated. I pay to have the hatchery vaccinate at hatch. It's only 10 cents or so per bird. The more birds the less cost. Mareks disease has nothing to do with the medicated feed. That only deals with cocci

Ok gotcha. Since I got the birds from another backyard keeper it wasn't an option. We considered ordering from a hatchery but didn't need 30 birds and didn't have room for so many! I'm hopeful it's not Marek's, and have started looking for how to get the vaccine to administer myself.

Thanks for your help!

 

[SheppFamilyFlock]

I'm going through the same issue except my bird was doing vertical splits. She was 5 weeks when she started presenting these behaviors. She got trampled by the flock before I realized what was going on. She was vaccinated for Mareks but she still could have caught it somehow. I started treating with a good multi vitamin ( poultry cell) and a B2 vitamin in drops with vitamin E mixed into her food mashed together. It's been very slow going but she has since brought her legs together normally and is now standing favoring one leg. Her toes have unfurled just this week. She was standing waiting for her breakfast this morning. Started standing last week. But still had curled toes until this week. Don't give up on your bird. I would start the vitamin defiency therapy right away. Please remember to have patience because it is slow going. The first two weeks she had no signs of improvement. I had to hand feed and hand water because she was in that vertical splits position. I did physical therapy on her as well and tried to be as gentle as I can but could tell it hurt her.after that first discouraged two weeks she started to slowly improve. She brought her legs together on her own but both feet still curled. She would stand on curled feet at first. Then one foot unfurled she now stands normally on one leg still working on the other. So with patience and treatment I hope your girl will be ok. I treated for vitamin defiency because it can look like Mareks disease. That's where I'd start with your girl. Hope this helps.

I'm so glad your bird is on the mend. Thanks for sharing your experience. I have the chick in its own cage, and I've given it a b complex supplement in its water. It's not doing the splits yet, I am very hopeful I caught it early enough! We spent some time snuggling earlier, and I am encouraging it to move every now and then to try to prevent atrophy. It's eating and drinking and pooping like normal, not standing to do so but kind of crawling about the cage.

I'm hopeful!

I'm wondering if I should give the whole flock some extra b vitamins? Admittedly, we haven't been giving them the best quality food but we may have to rethink that. Can/should I add some vitamins to their water or nutritional yeast to their food, or should I only treat those who have symptoms?

Thanks again for your help!