Lethargic chicken

[OhioTanya]

One of my Buff Orphington pullets (9 months old) is lethargic. She can't hold her head up. She tries to stumble around a little. Separated her from the rest of the flock. She finally pooped and it looks like the pic. Also the poop smells REALLY weird. I can't describe it. She has never been dewormed.
I syringed some water with electrolytes into her mouth.
I don't know what to do for her. She's pathetic looking. Of course she is one of my favorite chickens. :/

 

[Eggcessive]

Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? How long has she had these symptoms? Could she have eaten something that could have been poisonous or given her botulism? Lead poisoning from old lead shot or lead paint, chemicals, moldy feed can all cause neurological symptoms. Botulism comes from eating a toxin produced by rotting animals or fish, or vegetation buried, and maggots that may be found on it. Mareks disease can cause stumbling, paralysis of a leg, wing, or the neck. Even coccidiosis can cause extreme weakness that may look like a neurological problem, but they usually have diarrhea. Her poop looks like she has not been eating enough. I would keep trying to give her electrolytes and fluids especially, and offer her some scrambled egg if she will eat. You may want to check into tube feeding her. Here are some links to read about botulism and Mareks disease:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/19/botulism
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf

 

[ShellyBear]

My chicken had the same thing she started out like a noodle she couldn't even lift her head and her poop looked like that in a way. then she got paralyzed and passed away, she was my favorite sebright. My mom is a animal nurse so she was able to take my chicken to the lab quicker and the next thing you know she has mareks, and if one chicken has it likely the whole flock has it. But the good thing is it might not effect every chicken.

 

[dawg53]

I recommend that you worm her with Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer, as well as the rest of your birds.

 

[OhioTanya]

She has had no vaccinations.

I dont see how she could get botulism. All their feed is nice and clean.....no stagnant water in their coup....no dead animals.

She's had the symptoms for about five days, she isn't eating. I offered the scrambled eggs this morning. She hasn't touched them.

 

[OhioTanya]

If it's Marek's then there is nothing to do for her????

The weird thing is last night she slept standing up. She's been laying down and then she stood sleeping for 12+ hours.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would look her over for any lice or mites, worm her as Dawg53 has suggested, just to make sure to cover all of the bases. There is no cure if it is Mareks disease, but I would treat her with poultry vitamins, Probiotics, and keep looking for an answer. Don't take this as a diagnosis (Mareks,) since no one can diagnose it without testing. I would even consider treating her for coccidiosis with Corid (amprollium,) just in case she has that. Worms can make them very weak, also. If you should lose her, I would get a necropsy done by your state vet to find a cause. Please keep us up to date on her condition.

 

[OhioTanya]

I'm thinking it might not be Marek's because she has no paralysis and her pupils look fine.

She can walk around a little but she stumbles. She can stand. Her comb is pale. Her crop is empty. Her feathers all look good. She doesn't try to eat at all.

She's a fighter. I hope she can pull through this. When she was a baby chick (less than a week old), her leg got hurt. Her growth got stunted because her body was healing the leg and she stopped growing. So she is smaller than the rest of the buffs but the strongest. She is the head Buff. I have four ISA Browns that are a year older than the buffs and she was the only buff brave enough to flock with the ISA's.