Curled feet

[Amc29]

I have a three week old chick that, as far as I can tell, started presenting symptoms yesterday. For those who saw my last post, this is not the same one that has the hoarse sounding peep. Yesterday I noticed it was not walking great, but it was acting more along the lines that maybe it pulled something in its leg. This morning, both of its feet are curled, and so it cannot walk well at all. It is still eating and pooping regularly, but I don't know what I can do for it. I don't recall actually ever having a sick chick like this before, normally they have their issues in the first week, so this has taken me by surprise. I am considering culling, but I am open to suggestions on ways I may remedy this. I am concerned it might be Mareks even though it is on the early side, but I don't think I have seen a chicken with it before, so am not entirely sure this is what it looks like.
Edit: After looking around a little more, I am wondering if this could be splayed leg? Will their feet curl with that? There was a time yesterday or the day before they were temporarily exposed to a more slippery surface than their usual shavings.

 

[Shadowfire]

So sorry your chick is not feeling well. I would try a clubfoot repair, and if that doesn't work, the best thing to do would probably to euthanize the chick.

 

[Chickem707]

Vitamins. Possibly a type of vitamin b deficiency.

 

[Amc29]

Thank you for your responses. For the moment, the chick is hobbled. Unfortunately our local farm store seems short on chicken medications, vitamins, etc. I was sure I'd seen some there a week or so ago, but no luck finding it today. Can they be given some form of the vitamin sold for humans?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Curled toes is a classic sign of riboflavin deficiency. That's B2. You can buy that at Walmart for humans, but in PA at least, you have to physically go up to the counter and request it. It's water-soluble. Also, purchase some b-complex vitamins, which I like to add to their water for the first three days of life at least.

Do not leave this until tomorrow; treat asap, or the damage could be permanent. Do not worry about overdosing (though the amount you need is two doses of 0.1 mg of riboflavin given on two successive days) Vitamin B is water-soluble and any excess will simply pass out of the body.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ement-poultry/vitamin-deficiencies-in-poultry

Good luck.

 

[Amc29]

Curled toes is a classic sign of riboflavin deficiency. That's B2. You can buy that at Walmart for humans, but in PA at least, you have to physically go up to the counter and request it. It's water-soluble. Also, purchase some b-complex vitamins, which I like to add to their water for the first three days of life at least.

Do not leave this until tomorrow; treat asap, or the damage could be permanent. Do not worry about overdosing (though the amount you need is two doses of 0.1 mg of riboflavin given on two successive days) Vitamin B is water-soluble and any excess will simply pass out of the body.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ement-poultry/vitamin-deficiencies-in-poultry

Good luck.

Thank you so much! This is very helpful. I have this chick separated (for its safety), but I imagine I should probably also add to the water for the rest of the chicks? I have to go into town soon, anyway, and will be picking this up and giving it to her ASAP. Hopefully it was caught in time and can be remedied.

Also, I am just now looking at the electrolyte packets I picked up to put in their water, and I notice it has Vitamin B2 in it (Sav-a-Chick), but it does not say how much is in there...should I supplement with some extra since it is safe to have extra?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Thank you so much! This is very helpful. I have this chick separated (for its safety), but I imagine I should probably also add to the water for the rest of the chicks? I have to go into town soon, anyway, and will be picking this up and giving it to her ASAP. Hopefully it was caught in time and can be remedied.

Also, I am just now looking at the electrolyte packets I picked up to put in their water, and I notice it has Vitamin B2 in it (Sav-a-Chick), but it does not say how much is in there...should I supplement with some extra since it is safe to have extra?

Most poultry vitamins "have" b vitamins, but they don't have a lot, and riboflavin breaks down quickly when exposed to light (which is probably why it's one of the most common vitamin deficiencies in poultry.) So you'll probably want the tablets, rather than depending on the sav-a-chick. And best to feed it to the rest of them, yeah.

 

[feather16]

Hello! I just noticed one of my 3 week old chicks is walking on her hocks, and saw her feet all curled. I have a bottle of super b complex vitamins, is that okay to put in their water? Or what kind of b 2 should I get? I’m out there everyday, so I’m confident I caught this early.

I also have the Duret poultry vitamins and electrolytes bottle, if that’ll help. I just wasn’t sure if that was enough b2?

 

[Amc29]

I think I have read people have used B-complex for their chicks, and you can probably do a search of threads to find it, and maybe dosing information. I have in the past gotten the electrolytes from the poultry section of our outdoor store and put them in the water. I have also (especially for ducklings) mixed brewers yeast in with the feed since it is rich in B vitamins, and it seems to do the trick. There is also a granular vitamin-rich supplement you can get to mix into feed that is supposed to be good for poultry of all ages. I hope everything works out for you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello! I just noticed one of my 3 week old chicks is walking on her hocks, and saw her feet all curled. I have a bottle of super b complex vitamins, is that okay to put in their water? Or what kind of b 2 should I get? I’m out there everyday, so I’m confident I caught this early.

I also have the Duret poultry vitamins and electrolytes bottle, if that’ll help. I just wasn’t sure if that was enough b2?

Give your chick 1/4 tablet of the B-Complex daily. You can give it to her directly, crush it up and put it on her feed or dissolve that in a small amount of water and syringe it into her.