Hey everyone,
I’ve been reading the threads for over a week now and I’ve found some very useful ideas to try but I thought I’d post in case someone sees something that I don’t!!
What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) Americauna x Chantecler- approx 2 years old, yes seems thin to me
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Not able to walk, kicks her feet like she’s running when you pick her up, If you try to help her stand she does this crazy jolly jumper type thing and bounces up and down but she can’t maintain her balance.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Approx 10 days, she has let us stand her up with support more recently
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No none, she was isolated as soon as we saw symptoms
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. She had pulled her toenail out when I found her and it was bleeding on her left side. I stopped the bleeding, cleaned it and put antibiotic cream on it. No swelling or warmth to that area that would indicate an infection. No signs of broken bones that I can find, I’m a nurse so I’ve assessed her legs fully multiple times and she has range of motion. She does NOT have the normal curled toe reflex when her legs are bent up in roosting position though.
6). Nothing that we know of.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. In the coop they have layer food free feed, they also have scratch for warmth during the cold days and black oil sunflower seeds and a heated waterer. Since being in isolation she’s been getting her layer mixed in with yogurt, nutritional yeast, oats, some apple sauce plain, honey and molasses. I mix it up with each meal.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. It was runny and green and smelled awful at one point, it’s solidified a bit more but it seems to alternate back and forth.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? She’s been getting trivisol kids vitamins and Vit B complex human form on her food for the last week. I just added in Vit E today. She’s not eating all her food so it’s hard to get it into her. I have also given her an Epsom salt bath a few times.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment?
Just wondering if anyone has anything else I could try!? She’s bright and responsive and moving herself around her little chicken ICU. I initially thought Marek’s but she’s not paralyzed and many of the symptoms weren’t really matching up. We were going to cull when we thought it was Marek’s but she looks fine other than her legs so we decided to give her some time. She does fall asleep a lot after moving herself around but she makes the happy purring sound when she does that.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
She lives in a flock with 12 other chickens outside in the coop. They free range during the day, wood shavings bedding in the coop and tree branch perches. They did have an extended period of having to be locked in the coop due to -20 to -30 temps for nearly a month. She seems a bit thin so I’m wondering if she wasn’t allowed to get to the layer and only had access to the scratch or black oil sunflower seeds!? She has been isolated since we found her down the first morning. In her little ICU she’s on clean towels or blankets covered with puppy pee pads.
I’ve been reading the threads for over a week now and I’ve found some very useful ideas to try but I thought I’d post in case someone sees something that I don’t!!
What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) Americauna x Chantecler- approx 2 years old, yes seems thin to me
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Not able to walk, kicks her feet like she’s running when you pick her up, If you try to help her stand she does this crazy jolly jumper type thing and bounces up and down but she can’t maintain her balance.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Approx 10 days, she has let us stand her up with support more recently
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No none, she was isolated as soon as we saw symptoms
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. She had pulled her toenail out when I found her and it was bleeding on her left side. I stopped the bleeding, cleaned it and put antibiotic cream on it. No swelling or warmth to that area that would indicate an infection. No signs of broken bones that I can find, I’m a nurse so I’ve assessed her legs fully multiple times and she has range of motion. She does NOT have the normal curled toe reflex when her legs are bent up in roosting position though.
6). Nothing that we know of.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. In the coop they have layer food free feed, they also have scratch for warmth during the cold days and black oil sunflower seeds and a heated waterer. Since being in isolation she’s been getting her layer mixed in with yogurt, nutritional yeast, oats, some apple sauce plain, honey and molasses. I mix it up with each meal.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. It was runny and green and smelled awful at one point, it’s solidified a bit more but it seems to alternate back and forth.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? She’s been getting trivisol kids vitamins and Vit B complex human form on her food for the last week. I just added in Vit E today. She’s not eating all her food so it’s hard to get it into her. I have also given her an Epsom salt bath a few times.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment?
Just wondering if anyone has anything else I could try!? She’s bright and responsive and moving herself around her little chicken ICU. I initially thought Marek’s but she’s not paralyzed and many of the symptoms weren’t really matching up. We were going to cull when we thought it was Marek’s but she looks fine other than her legs so we decided to give her some time. She does fall asleep a lot after moving herself around but she makes the happy purring sound when she does that.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
She lives in a flock with 12 other chickens outside in the coop. They free range during the day, wood shavings bedding in the coop and tree branch perches. They did have an extended period of having to be locked in the coop due to -20 to -30 temps for nearly a month. She seems a bit thin so I’m wondering if she wasn’t allowed to get to the layer and only had access to the scratch or black oil sunflower seeds!? She has been isolated since we found her down the first morning. In her little ICU she’s on clean towels or blankets covered with puppy pee pads.
