Large, Deformed Legs?

[shannadiaz27]

Hi about four months ago I picked up four baby chicks : an Easter egg-er, a silkie, and two white polish black crested. I had to exchange one white polish for another because it was off balance. They started growing up and looking great. At three months old we discovered The silkie and one of the white polish were roosters. The other white polish wasn't looking so well. She was not eating and always laying down. I took her away from the others and have been nursing her back to health. Now she eats on her own but still cannot walk right. I am starting to give her daily exercise but I want to make sure I am not trying to save something that truly has no hope. This is not just poultry these are truly my pets and we don't eat our chickens. Is anyone else having these symptoms: Large bent legs and ankles, normal feet but her toes curl upward when she walks, one wing hangs down a little when she walks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like there could have been some vitamin or mineral deficiency in the parent stock of the polish chicks, since the other one also had a problem. Perhaps using a poultry vitamin in the water or feed might help. Bone deformities can be common in all types of chickens. One thing that looks a little strange is that the legs look thick. Are they soft or hard to the touch? There is a condition called osteopetrosis or marble bone disease that can cause thickening of the leg bones with normal size feet, and can be related to avian lymphoid leukosis. Here is some info and reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/898073/my-rooster-has-swollen-legs
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/neoplasms/lymphoid_leukosis_in_poultry.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/918075/swollen-legs-hampshire-red
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/917449/leghorn-swollen-legs
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=553450

From Avitech
OSTEOPETROSIS (Marble Bone, Thick Leg Disease) This disorder arises due to abnormal growth and modeling of bone characterized by thickened legs. The affected bones have a very narrow marrow cavity and thick cortical bone. It can occur either due to deficiency of zinc or due to infection with an avian leucosis complex virus. It can be induced by embryonic or a day old inoculation of chicks with strains of avian leukosis virus (Kirev, 1988) resulting in formation of a highly cellular bone with a marked rise in serum bone alkaline
phosphatase activity. It is gene


Osteopetrosis (from Merck Manual)

Osteopetrosis in chickens is due to infection with specific strains of avian leukosis virus (see Lymphoid Leukosis in Poultry). Growth and differentiation of osteoblasts is altered by the virus, resulting in diaphyseal and/or metaphyseal, periosteal, and circumferential accumulation of woven and lamellar bone. Osteopetrosis is bilaterally symmetrical and involves the long bones, especially the tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus. Birds 8–12 wk old are most commonly affected. Lymphoid leukosis often occurs in chickens with osteopetrosis. Avian osteopetrosis differs from mammalian osteopetrosis in which a defect in osteoclast function results in abnormal bone resorption and accumulation of primary spongiosa in the marrow cavity.

 

[shannadiaz27]

It is hard to the touch. A lot of the words you used were a little complicated to understand. I now see what she might possibly have but having her like this now i want to know what i can do to help her. I have been putting vitamin drops in her water as well in her food which Ive been hand preparing and feeding her everyday. It is a mixture of bread, chick food, a little water, vitamin drops and a little bit of crushed egg shells. She loves this stuff butt what more can i do?

 

[Eggcessive]

Marble leg disease or osteopetrosis, is a disease of the leg and wing bones. It is thought to be from the disease lymphoid leukosis. That is an infectious disease in poultry that causes lymphoma or cancer in different parts of the body in chickens. I don't know that much about itsince not too many people have followed up whenever it has been discussed here on BYC. I think osteopetrosis is rather rare, although avian lymphoid leukosis is not rare.Here is an article about LL and some pictures of the marble bone disease below: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...sis-lymphoid-leukosis-leukosis-sarkoma-group/

 

[shannadiaz27]

Do you think my chicken is in pain. she acts normal except she likes to lay down a lot. even when she bathes in the dirt she gathers the dirt around her and goes to sleep.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chickens can be stoic animals, but it's hard to know how much she is hurting. Her legs may be sore, so that is why she lies down. As long as she is eating and drinking, and moving around some she is probably okay. Usually if a chicken is very uncomfortable they may stay on the roost, or lie back in a corner, not eating or drinking, and may tuck their head under a wing.