whats wrong with my hen? *video* unbalanced...NEW VIDEO~post#385 - Page 8

Okay, We're all set here to begin the intensive multi-B therapy.

We've got my Super Complex Multi B formula.  We got it last night.  I also picked up some Poly Vi Sol type bird vitamins to put in her water.

For the record in case folks "search" symptoms in this forum Pumpkin is the one with the issue.

Pumpkin is a 4 month old Black Australorp.  She, along with all our other girls (18 total, bought last year and this year) come from the Agway and we have never had a problem with them.

Their accomodations are clean and luxurious - large Amish built coop with great ventilation with shavings.  They have a 60'x60' fully enclosed pen attached to coop.  Part dirt, part bedding straw. 

The "big girls" are on layer pellets and the "little girls" (including Pumpkin) are on medicated chick starter.  As can happen, the big girls will really go for the chick starter and gobble it up.

They free-range most days - but only under supervision due to hawks, cats, and dogs.  Usually several hours while I'm out in my gardens.

Fresh water daily and waterers are cleaned 2x a week.  Coop is poopy-scooped like a litter box nearly daily.  Shavings changed 1x during wet weather and every 2 weeks during dry weather.  Bedding straw is raked out every couple of months for the gardens and fresh straw reapplied to the run.

Daily treats of fresh veggies from the garden.  Once a week they get organic Greek yogurt.  Usually on a Wednesday.  On Sundays ("French Toast day") they get the leftover French toast and scrambled eggs.

The flock was wormed about 1 1/2 months ago using Wazine followed by Ivermectin because 2 of the big girls started to act poorly and then showed some very young long skinny worms in their poop.  The Ivermectin was not used on the little girls - they seemed so small and they never showed worms.

Pumpkin seems healthy in every respect other than this falling over business.  This started very suddenly about 3 weeks ago. 
It seemed mild and I thought she perhaps strained a muscle or something.  I did check her over to see if I felt anything broken or if anything seemed sensitive or painful to her.  Nothing that I could tell.
It seems "worse" now, meaning that she stumbles and falls over more.
She can still walk, although she stumbles, can fall over at times on her side and if she tries to stand up straight and tall she can also teeter backwards.  She uses her wings to try to steady herself.  At times her behavior is exactly as is seen in chickenlvr's video.
She does curl her toes around my finger - but perhaps not with the same strength as before.


She is eating and drinking.  Her poop is perfectly normal.
She is bright and sociable and likes to play and explore.

Her skin looks good.  We don't see any wee beasties on legs or body. 

No one else in the flock is displaying symptoms of any kind.  Which makes me believe that this is not infectious like Mareks because I would think it would be whipping through the flock.

She is now in her a large cage with her best buddy Anastasia (EE) on our enclosed porch.  They both go for supervised walks in the gardens together for fresh air, change of scenery, etc.  Also, it helps us to monitor Pumpkin's situation better because despite all the shavings she has not ever been confident anyway on regular flooring and doesn't like to walk on it.  She walks around much more when outside.

I've got the Poly Vi Sol in the water and have this morning I have started scheduled feedings with one crushed super multi-B in her chick starter.  She has gobbled it down.  Afte she finishes her chick starter she is given some scrambled egg - which she loves.  I'll also put out some yogurt later.

Anymore more suggestions Lobzi?


Thanks,

Pam

P.S.  I also picked up some Vitamin E and some St. John's Wort (some people believe this is a natural remedy for Mareks) to have on hand "just in case".

Should I put more than 1 pill in the food.

To Lobzi:

I did a long post just prior to your posting your latest one.  If you haven't seen it would you mind taking a look at it and seeing if I've got a good protocol in place for our little Pumpkin?

We would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Pam

The B complex I got was in capsule form.  I got plain yogurt...gave her a small amount with the capsule contents poured in it.  She wouldn't touch it!  Later I smushed up a bit of banana and poured more powder in it...likewise wouldn't eat it.  Today it will be oatmeal with the meds.  She usually eats oatmeal with enthusiasm...likewise cantalope.  I sure hope I can get this stuff down her!
   She really flops around in her cage, trying to move.  Tends to turn food over, and also water.  I have to move to plan B today, whatever that may be.  I can't put her out in the open, because the roos are all over her.  We will be getting rid of most, if not all, the roos...hopefully on Monday.  We have a total of 9
with a younger one still in a cage.  25 hens.  Most of the roos are aggressive and take in after my 5 year old granddaughter the minute she shows up.  So they gotta go.  Then I can put the crippled hen out in the yard to maybe encourage her to try to stand.

Hi there everyone! I am super new at actually posting on here. I have read tons and tons of stuff on here but that's about it.
Anyhoooo, I am dealing with the exact same symptoms in my 3 week old bantam. I have done soooo much research the past 2 days that my eyes are crossing. However, I am so relieved to have found this thread. I am going to start this B vit treatment and pray for the best. Mine has been like this for the last 2 days. I have been worried sick about it. We have all become attached to it. I look forward to hearing if the vitamin thing works for anyone else. I have had a feeling from the beginning that it was some neurological thing. Like it's in it's nerves. I have brought it to a few places to have it looked at and they are all stumped. They all say, "s/he looks so healthy otherwise!"

I'm prayin for all these poor chickens.

Hi everyone! Wow! I am SO glad I found this thread! I had the exact same problem with my Welsummer hen, Paula. All of a sudden she was walking funny (not able to stand all the way up). Then, by the next day, she was completly down, laying on her side, not even able to sit up. I brought her in the house & kept her in a box, propped up with a towel. She lost control of her head & neck, so I had to feed her with a spoon. I was adding Vit B & Vit E to her mash of water & chick starter. After a few days, with no improvement, I was considering asking DH to cull (which we have never done & really did not want to do). Then, all of a sudden, I went to check on her & she was sitting up on her own. By the next morning, she was trying to fly out of the box I had her in. So, I put her back out in the coop in a seperate cage until she got her strength back. The next day, she was doing great & I let her back in with her buddies. Today, she is perfectly fine! This was about 2 weeks ago. Now, my Welsummer roo, Jake, is showing the same symptoms. He is not quite as bad as Paula was & it has not progressed as quickly, but he cannot stand all the way up. I am going to seperate him & start him on vit E & vit B & see if he gets better.
I sure would like to know what this is though. I was thinking Marek's, but the symptoms do not all seem to fit right.
Here is Jake:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/35199_jake_3.jpg