My chicken has been sitting in the same spot all day long and is panting

[Haunted55]

I still wouldnt put her near other chickens...i still think its mareks. Some birds can live awhile with mareks.

Actually Coupe, her birds have already been exposed if it is in fact Marek's. Closing the barn door now is an effort in futility if you ask me. Also, since these birds were vaccinated for Marek's, there isn't any more risk for them now than there was when it first happened. If they are going to 'get it' believe me they already have it.

When I first read this thread I had misgivings on whether or not it was Marek's. Symptoms didn't match up with what I have seen with this disease. Very rarely will a bird go down overnight with no forewarning symptoms. It just doesn't happen that way, there are always hints to tell you what's coming if you know what to look for. Annie44 didn't mention any of them in her first post. It wasn't until I saw the picture that I 'knew' it was Marek's. Anyone who's dealt with this knows that vaccination is no guarantee against a mutated form of it coming to visit. In fact in some instances, the vaccination actually makes it worse. This is why I went off on her when I saw the picture. All I could think of is where she is and what hit on the East Coast last year. I was quite frankly, scared and saddened that even through the harsh winter we just went through, it could still be showing up a virulent as it had last year. Right now I am very happily eating my words. Am I convinced it's not Marek's? To be honest...no and that is another reason I have asked Annie44 to please post everything she can about the findings and medications. Something is different here...very different and I for one would really like to understand it. I have never had a bird come back from full roadrunner position. With a mild outbreak and some paralysis, oh yeah, they can come back and 'thrive' as much as they can. I now have Marek's survivors over a year old who have done this and other's do as well. After a year of age most birds have been exposed to it anyways, whether vaccinated or not and are able to build resistance.

 

[Coupe]

In her first post, she said she found the bird on the coop floor...she couldnt jump up to roost...then she states a week or so had passed and the bird started to not come out and seemed lethargic before she found the bird on the coop floor again with wings spread and legs in the "roadrunner" position.
I agree the other chickens would already have it..


I dont believe it was an infection at all. No infections i know of cause symptoms like mareks!

edited by staff

 

[Haunted55]

Quote:

In her first post, she said she found the bird on the coop floor...she couldnt jump up to roost...then she states a week or so had passed and the bird started to not come out and seemed lethargic before she found the bird on the coop floor again with wings spread and legs in the "roadrunner" position.
I agree the other chickens would already have it..


I dont believe it was an infection at all. No infections i know of cause symptoms like mareks!

edited by staff

Actually there are quite a few things that can mimic Marek's symptoms

Legs
Symptom Possible Cause
Paralysis...
Marek's disease; botulism; heat stoke; epidemic tremor;
cage layer fatigue; vitamin E deficiency; algae poisoning;​

yellow jasmine poisoning; acute lack of water

Newcastle Disease
Synonyms: pneumoencephalitis
The highly contagious and lethal form of Newcastle disease is known as viscerotropic (attacks
the internal organs) velogenic Newcastle disease, VVND, exotic Newcastle disease,
or Asiatic Newcastle disease. VVND is not present in the United States poultry industry at
this time.
Species affected: Newcastle disease affects all birds of all ages. Humans and other mammals are also
susceptible to Newcastle. In such species, it causes a mild conjunctivitis.
Clinical signs: There are three forms of Newcastle disease -- mildly pathogenic (lentogenic), moderately
pathogenic (mesogenic) and highly pathogenic (velogenic). Newcastle disease is characterized
by a sudden onset of clinical signs which include hoarse chirps (in chicks), watery
discharge from nostrils, labored breathing (gasping), facial swelling, paralysis, trembling,
and twisting of the neck (sign of central nervous system involvement). Mortality ranges
from 10 to 80 percent depending on the pathogenicity. In adult laying birds, symptoms
can include decreased feed and water consumption and a dramatic drop in egg production​

(see Table 1).

Mycoplasma synoviae
Synonyms: MS, infectious synovitis, synovitis, silent air sac
Species affected: chickens and turkeys.
Clinical signs: Birds infected with the synovitis form show lameness, followed by lethargy, reluctance to
move, swollen joints, stilted gait, loss of weight, and formation of breast blisters. Birds
infected with the respiratory form exhibit respiratory distress. Greenish diarrhea is common
in dying birds (see Table 1). Clinically, the disease in indistinguishable from MG.
Transmission: MS is transmitted from infected breeder to progeny via the egg. Within a flock, MS is
spread by direct contact with infected birds as well as through airborne particles over
short distances.​

Aspergillosis
Synonyms: brooder pneumonia, mycotic pneumonia, fungal pneumonia, Aspergillus . When the
source of the disease is the hatchery, the disease is called brooder pneumonia. In older
birds, the disease is called aspergillosis.
Species affected: All birds (domestic poultry, pigeons, canary and zoo bird species), animals, humans, and
plants are susceptible.
Clinical signs: Aspergillosis occurs as an acute disease of young birds and a chronic disease in mature
birds. Young birds have trouble breathing and gasp for air. Characteristically, there are
no rales or respiratory sounds associated with aspergillosis. Feed consumption decreases.
Occasionally there is paralysis or convulsions caused by the fungal toxin. Mortality in
young birds averages 5-20 percent, but may be as high as 50 percent. Mature birds also
have respiratory distress, reduced feed consumption, and may have a bluish and dark
color of the skin (cyanosis). Nervous disorders, such as twisted necks, may occur in a few
birds (see Table 1). Mortality in mature birds is usually less than 5 percent.
Transmission: Aspergillosis is caused by a fungus. The fungus grows well at room temperature and
higher. All litter and nest materials (peat moss, peanut hulls, sawdust, peat, bark, straw)
have been known to have been contaminated with aspergillus. Feed and water should be​

suspect when attempting to identify the source of contamination

Avian Encephalomyelitis
Synonyms: epidemic tremor, AE
Species affected: The disease is most prevalent in chickens less than 6 weeks of age. Pheasants, corturnix
quail, and turkeys are natural hosts as well, but less susceptible than chickens. Ducklings,
young pigeons, and guinea fowl can be experimentally infected.
Clinical signs: Signs commonly appear during the first week of life and between the second and third
weeks. Affected chicks may first show a dull expression of the eyes, followed by progressive
incoordination, sitting on hocks, tremors of the head and neck, and finally paralysis
or prostration. Affected chicks are inactive. Some may refuse to walk or will walk on their
hocks. In advanced cases, many chicks will lie with both feet out to one side (prostrate)
and die. All stages (dullness, tremors, prostration) can usually be seen in an affected​

flock. Feed and water consumption decreases and the birds lose weight.

 

[Haunted55]

In her first post, she said she found the bird on the coop floor...she couldnt jump up to roost...then she states a week or so had passed and the bird started to not come out and seemed lethargic before she found the bird on the coop floor again with wings spread and legs in the "roadrunner" position.
I agree the other chickens would already have it..

I dont believe it was an infection at all. No infections i know of cause symptoms like mareks!

edited by staff

I'm not sure where you are getting your time line from Coupe, but I am not reading her first posting the same as you are. She states that for the past week the bird has been out in the run having a great time with the other chickens. Then "lately though" no exact time given...2 days? 3 days? Don't know. Then she goes on to tell us that "this morning" she found her on the coup floor. I know it's very easy to quickly read something and then file it away in our heads a bit differently than it was presented. I'm guilty of it myself upon occasion and it is why I have included her original post here.

Newbie Chicken owner here.

A little back story:

I have six EE hens, at nine or ten weeks old. Last night, I noticed Butterfly was sleeping on the ground, while all the other five were piled on the highest roost. I guess Butterfly is at the bottom of the pecking order--I've never seen her go into a scuffle with another chicken. She's very passive.

The past week Butterfly has been out in the run pecking with the chickens, having a great time. She was always the first to come out of the run in the morning when I would let them all out. Lately though I noticed she was coming out later than the others, with less energy.

This morning, I noticed her laying down in the middle of the coop's floor, wings spread out and dipping her head, then bringing it up to pant like she was hot or something. It's not hot out-- 60's/50's. She had one leg sticking out from under her and her entire body was heaving slightly.

Wondering what was wrong, I petted her, and she didn't flee like she normally would have. I offered her food from my hand, placing it right under her beak, but she did not take it. I picked her up and examined her but I couldn't find any injuries. As I went to put her down, she flapped her wings promisingly, but as soon as she touched the ground she was the same way I originally found her--spread out, panting, one leg sticking out. I checked Butterfly when I got home from school and she hadn't moved at all--not even changed positions, her wing the exact same orientation as when I had left that morning.

What could be the matter with my wonderful Butterfly? How can I treat her if she's sick?

Thanks in advance!

[Sorry I didn't respond for awhile! For some reason BYC didn't email me and she was getting so much better I forgot to check this thread.]

Casportpony, I'm not actually sure, but it sure did work after ten days! She regained full mobility of one of her legs; the other remains immobile but she is completely energetic, eating drinking etc.

Haunted55, I suppose you were proven wrong, yay!

Butterfly is much much better--almost back to normal. I came up with a solution that allows her to walk with only one leg—check it out!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-the-butterfly-net-a-true-story#post_11326283

Coup, if you go to this linked thread you will see how Annie44 talks about school and her Mom. Maybe she really doesn't know as it was probably her Mom who took care of everything and not her herself. As you can see by the above post I made there are a lot of things that can cause paralysis in our birds and I haven't even started with the vitamin deficiencies yet....

edited by staff

 

[Coupe]

The bird didnt go down over night..she said layley the bird has seem lethargic..and earlyer than that the bird would not fly to the roost.
Might i add what you wrote " I have never heard of any of the other diseases, that can cause paralysis, leaving a bird in her position, so's to speak, seriously, that's classic Marek's and a picture of the 'roadrunner' position is used in all Marek's diagnostic articles. "
How many of thoes are bactierial infections?
Im happy her bird is doing well. Dosnt change my opinion tho.

edited by staff

 

[seminolewind]

Annie, I had a vaccinated (twice) chicken do that to me. Her batch was vaccinated by me and then vaccinated 3 weeks later. I put her in the garage because I didn't know what to do with her, she was very sweet, 7 weeks old. Then she lived in my bdrm for 6 more weeks. Then she started to make walking motions so every day we would practice her walking for weeks. She did get better and now she's an egg layer. The rest of the batch were vaccinated like her, but outside. 3 dropped dead from a seriously fast strain of coccidiosis. A week later, 2 more dropped dead from an eye infection. I believe their immune system was poor from Marek's exposure. I don't doubt that a Marek's bird can also have an illness at the same time. She said she was lethargic and wouldn't eat. Normally Marek's birds act normal, eat normal, etc. Just can't walk. So there may have been something else going on.

 

[CluckCluck18]

The one thing I think we can agree on is that we all love our flocks and care for our chickens in the best way we know at the time. Then when we learn more we improve. "When you know better you do better". I feel that having chickens really changed me for the better.....we are more alike then we are different, we are all in this together and need to stick together. Annie, hope all is well with your little girl.

edited by staff

 

[Annie44]

I'm not sure where you are getting your time line from Coupe, but I am not reading her first posting the same as you are. She states that for the past week the bird has been out in the run having a great time with the other chickens. Then "lately though" no exact time given...2 days? 3 days? Don't know. Then she goes on to tell us that "this morning" she found her on the coup floor. I know it's very easy to quickly read something and then file it away in our heads a bit differently than it was presented. I'm guilty of it myself upon occasion and it is why I have included her original post here.

Coup, if you go to this linked thread you will see how Annie44 talks about school and her Mom. Maybe she really doesn't know as it was probably her Mom who took care of everything and not her herself. As you can see by the above post I made there are a lot of things that can cause paralysis in our birds and I haven't even started with the vitamin deficiencies yet....

edited by staff

Actually, I did most everything myself, teehee. My mom helped with the two-person jobs and the occasional change of food.

And as I recall it was about 2 days.

 

[Haunted55]

Actually, I did most everything myself, teehee. My mom helped with the two-person jobs and the occasional change of food.

And as I recall it was about 2 days.

Did you ever find out what the medicine was?

How is she doing now? Is she able to walk any better on her own and are any of the other birds showing any of the same symptoms?

 

[Annie44]

Did you ever find out what the medicine was?

How is she doing now? Is she able to walk any better on her own and are any of the other birds showing any of the same symptoms?

Yes! Finally I just found out the meds! I forgot that during our first trip to the vet's, she was given an injection of Baytril. Then for the antibiotic, she was given something called SMZ antibiotic.

She is doing great now! She's still not really walking, but she full of energy and when I start her out, she can hop for many yards, then stand on one leg, then hop some more. I plan on using one of those rubber kids' stocking stuffer things-- the semi-dome that you flip inside out and it goes flying up?-- and attaching a sort of sock to it, and that way she'll be able to stand up better on her own. She hops to feed and water dishes, pecks around on the ground, and does practically everything that the other chickens do