whats wrong with my hen? *video* unbalanced...NEW VIDEO~post#385

[oliviad51]

I have a buff orpington hen that has a problem walking. She is alert and with no apparent injuries. She almost kind of squirms like a snake. If she tries to walk, she falls over. I have a flock of 40 or so chickens, and I treated them all using Wazine a couple of weeks ago. (My guinea birds battled round worms about 6-8 months ago and they showed similar symptoms, like being unbalanced.) She is eating and drinking, and I have her away from the other chickens, but otherwise, can anyone offer me any suggestions? Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4WhADHIstw


please watch this video..she didn't do much walking but I got as much as I could.

 

[Lobzi]

You are correct that you cant over-dose on WATER SOLUBLE vitamins, of which the B's are part. I read somewhere not to give vitamins with iron to the chickens and Id be careful with the fat-soluble vits such as A, E and D just as in humans.
I was so anxious for help for Baby. I crushed on high potency B with each offering of food. He never ate the entire amount as other chickens ended up getting some of the food offering, particularly Little Friend, his constant companion through it all, besides myself.

Baby and Little Friend just prior to the paralysis:

Baby and Little Friend during the paralysis. Baby could not move around so Little Friend would lay next to him most of the time.

 

[Lobzi]

I just went out to the yard to snap a pic of Baby. He is so fast its hard to catch him standing still for a shot. This is the best I could do:

Proof of his successful recovery!

 

[Lobzi]

Please, everyone who tries the vitamin B therapy do let us all know how the recovery progresses. Thanks, Robin

 

[Pip&Squeek2]

I took little Runt outside to get some fresh air and to peck in the grass for a little bit. I noticed that the left leg looks bigger and stronger...like there is a lot of muscle. However the right leg looks tiny compared to the other. Even the toes on the right are tiny...compared to the left side. Seems like the left also has more vibration to it. Tremor like movement.

Still eating good. Doing the little tweeting and singing. Drinking is still a problem but I use a dropper to get water in.

It's been 4.5 days of the vitamin B therapy. Should I be seeing any improvement or do you think we are dealing with something else? I'm so lost and afraid. Sorry to keep posting but I feel like that is all I have at this point. Nobody here in the household understands how to handle what I am dealing with. They think of chickens as food...not pets. Lol They all just deal with me and my love for animals...including my chicken friends.

~S

 

[melanie01678]

Hi all,

I've been following this post as I have a silkie with a paralyzed leg that hasn't been working for the last 3 + weeks. Not sure if it's Mareks, LL, or a vitamin deficiency, but she also is having a respiratory issue and lots of watery/yellow snot. I am trying to cover all of the bases in terms of treating her. I now have an extensive collection of spices, vitamins, cranberries, garlic, yogurts, etc...I've been making concoctions in the blender, trying to add as many nutritious and fortifying ingredients as possible. I will continue to treat her as long as she is able and willing to eat.
My family and friends think I am totally nuts - but i will do what I can to help her... I'm sure most of you have heard this too!
Anyway, I just wanted share this post in case any of you think you might be dealing with Marek's. The person who posts under the name Resolution has posted some incredible information regarding chicken nutrition/health - not to mention all kinds of other interesting info and pictures.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=290501&p=3

 

[RaeRae2]

Another quick update! Birta is doing GREAT and is nearly 100% back to normal! She is roosting at night, taking dust baths, scratching, and I let her out last night for a couple hours to free range and she was ALL over the farm, just like her normal self. She's still on the Baytril, and I am mixing the Osteo-Form powder in the general feed pan for everybody, since they're starting to lay now, and it won't hurt them.

I think she just got severely depleted on calcium from laying those mega jumbo eggs, and then free ranging all the time, and just not spending time eating the layer feed. She had more important things to do like chase bugs, and she probably didn't eat more than 3 bites of layer feed in a week, and she never touched the oyster shell I had out.

From now on I intend to keep her locked in the run with everybody else where she has to eat the food provided. I'll only let her free range a couple hours a day to eat bugs and weeds and stuff. That should keep her supplies up in her system and not let her get so depleted. Dumb bird! Geeze!

This picture is from last night. She's the pure white one on the edge of the gravel driveway.

 

[Jesseanne]

I, too, have a Rhode Island Red that can not walk more than a few steps and is very unbalanced and wobbly when she tries to walk. We have her separated from others and she eats and drinks and doesn't seem to be in any pain. We suspected heat stoke cause it was so hot so we started putting electrolytes in her water. She has been like this for over a week and her walking ability doesn't seem to be improving. Our hens came from a hatchery so they were vacinated for Mareks so that can't be the problem. I hope someone can help us with some advice on how we can help our girls!

 

[oliviad51]

Isn't it just the worst thing to see our hens like this? My guineas were losing their balance and falling over about 6-8 months ago. Then they started all of the sudden dying. We cut one open to see if there was any parasites in it, and it was worms. We very quickly treated them with some Wazine. (poultry wormer) I hope this isn't the problem with our hens. It also may be calcium, so Im going to take a trip to Tractor Supply and get some oyster shells, and I may put a little Wazine in their water as well. Even if she doesn't have worms, it will prevent them so no harm there.

I will let you know if this works so you can also do the same thing. Let me know if you find anything that helps!

 

[eKo_birdies]

i unfortunately can't offer any advice.. but i hope you 2 find an answer to this problem. hopefully someone with more experience will chime in!!