Chicken with sudden paralysis and tremors (and brittle / broken feathers)!!

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Symptoms: extremely brittle feathers, paralysis in both legs, tremors

I have a hen who has seemed slightly unwell for a while. Her feathers have been extremely brittle for months - at first I thought she was molting, but she's definitely not. I have checked for mites and don't see any. Lately, she's seemed low on energy, but she still free ranged with the flock. This morning, however, I found her laying on her side in the run, and I've discovered that she cannot move either of her legs at all.

I gave her Nutri Drench in case this is a nutrient problem, and she ate some scrambled eggs with crushed eggshells. I got her some electrolyte water, which she has been drinking a lot of because she probably couldn't get to the waterer for a while. It's like she falls asleep and wakes up suddenly to drink. As she is laying here, I have also noticed what looks like tremors running through her every minute/ half minute or so.

Is this a nutrient deficiency? Marek's? Can chickens come back from paralysis? I love her so much and don't want her to suffer

Edit: when I first picked her up out of the coop, I was able to adjust her legs for her. Now around 45 minutes later, her legs are stuck and I can't even bend them. I can move her toes, but her legs are stuck at both joints.

 

[SmiYa0126]

@Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive please help!

Could you post pictures of her?

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

@Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive please help!

Could you post pictures of her?

Will do

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Here are the photos!

 

[Kiki]

Have you had other birds with Marek's disease?
How old is this one and when was the last time You brought any new birds home?
Also, what exactly have you been feeding?

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Have you had other birds with Marek's disease?
How old is this one and when was the last time You brought any new birds home?
Also, what exactly have you been feeding?

A few years ago, I had a rooster that had what looked like Marek's (I'm not 100% sure), but he recovered. We got rid of him a couple months later, but I know the spores could still be hanging around if it was Marek's. The last new additions to the flock were chicks from the feed store, but that was two springs ago.

We feed them Scratch and Peck layer feed. None of the other birds have shown any signs of a nutrient problem. Her feathers have been like this for probably six months, but she just started acting a bit lethargic within the last few weeks. One theory I have is that she has some underlying problem that has weakened her immune system, which then allowed her to pick up Marek's?

Also, a while back, she was the victim of an eagle attack which left two large wounds in her sides (I posted here about it when it happened). She recovered nicely, so I doubt that has anything to do with it, but I thought I'd bring it up.

 

[azygous]

Age of chicken? Your location?

I'm suspecting lymphoid leucosis. I have it in my flock and have gone through several chickens with these symptoms. One hen had those kind of deformed feathers. Marek's usually strikes young chickens at around ten weeks or so. LL strikes closer five months to a year old and older.

Since you've already had a symptomatic chicken, this is likely Marek's or leucosis.

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Age of chicken? Your location?

I'm suspecting lymphoid leucosis. I have it in my flock and have gone through several chickens with these symptoms. One hen had those kind of deformed feathers. Marek's usually strikes young chickens at around ten weeks or so. LL strikes closer five months to a year old and older.

Since you've already had a symptomatic chicken, this is likely Marek's or leucosis.

She is a few years old. I looked it up and this sounds more like what it is than Marek's. Thank you so much for the help, and I'm sorry that you went through this with your flock. This kind of thing is heartbreaking. I am probably going to have her put down tomorrow so she doesn't suffer anymore

 

[azygous]

Yes, ending it is best, but here's a better plan so you will have verification what this is in your flock. It makes a difference going forward as Marek's and leucosis viruses are much different in how long they last in the environment. Leucosis lasts only a month or so, while Marek's lasts a year and longer.

You need to give me your location. We have no idea where in the world you are. If you are in the US, give us your state and city, and we can help you locate a state lab so you can take this chicken there for tests to find out what virus she has. They will euthanize her for you, do the necropsy, and you will have answers that will help you manage your flock going forward. I still have a healthy flock and enjoy them immensely. You will be able to enjoy your flock, too.

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Yes, ending it is best, but here's a better plan so you will have verification what this is in your flock. It makes a difference going forward as Marek's and leucosis viruses are much different in how long they last in the environment. Leucosis lasts only a month or so, while Marek's lasts a year and longer.

You need to give me your location. We have no idea where in the world you are. If you are in the US, give us your state and city, and we can help you locate a state lab so you can take this chicken there for tests to find out what virus she has. They will euthanize her for you, do the necropsy, and you will have answers that will help you manage your flock going forward. I still have a healthy flock and enjoy them immensely. You will be able to enjoy your flock, too.

I'd rather not post my location online if that makes sense, but I'll do some research and see if there is anywhere nearby. I would like to have a definitive answer for what this is. What kinds of labs do this kind of testing?