Polish Hen Help

[Mamabrinkles]

I have a Polish/Poland hen that is just over a year old. A couple of days ago she lost her balance and ability to control her legs. This has happened before when she was a baby, and we were pretty sure she was vitamin deficient because after a couple of weeks of ensuring proper nutrition she made a full recovery.

Anywho, it's back. We are trying to ensure proper nutrition, but as we make headway and see improvement, she gets bad again as soon as she lays an egg. Any ideas on how I can get her to stop laying until she is recovered?

 

[Eggcessive]

It's possible to stop laying by placing in a darken cage or room for 16 hours a day. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? What type of feed does she get?

 

[Mamabrinkles]

We feed Scratch and Peck, which I know is part of the problem because she picks out the pieces she wants to eat and leaves the rest. I doubt she was vaccinated for Mereks, I know that her symptoms make it a possibility, its kind of a common symptom in a sick chicken. Thanks for the advice on the darkened room!

 

[Mamabrinkles]

Not much change in her balance today. Last night we were shocked to find her perched on her roost, which is like three feet off the ground. She laid another egg today and was a bit prolapsed for about a half hour afterwards, but she sucked it back in on her own. Got some poly v sol and gave her a few drops and covered her pen with a black cloth to keep it darker longer.

As for the Mareks possibility, I figure she has done this before, so if it is that, she has already exposed the flock so we are leaving her in her pen where she is happy.

Anyone else find that quarantining them causes more stress than leaving them alone?

 

[Eggcessive]

With Mareks a possibility, I would not isolate her, but let her remain with the others for company, until or unless she is bullied or feels poorly.

 

[Mamabrinkles]

We brought her in last night as she wasn't eating and we needed to keep a closer eye on her. When we got her up this morning she was unable to even lift her little head up. So around noon we culled her. She was our first loss and we are heartbroken, but we know we did the right thing. RIP little Josefina. :-(

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry for your loss. I hope no others get sick.