Help!! Chicken droopy with limp neck

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Faverolle Queen

Faverolle Queen

In the Brooder
10 Years
Apr 6, 2009
28
0
32
Missouri
My buff pullet is 16 weeks old and was fine until this afternoon I noticed her walking real slow and her feathers were puffed up then she would stop and lay her head on the ground. Her neck is very limp. If this will help...she also pooped out a very yellow liquid. When I looked where she had pooped a few minutes later it had turned white and kind of powdery. She still walks, but she walks all wobbly with her head held down.
Any help would be appreciated. Is there anything I can do to help this poor chicken???? Please anyone HELP
 
Can you tell us why you think this might be botulism and not weakness from another bacterial infection? Or even dehydration? Or possibly a broken egg within her?

For example, has she had access to any of the following:

A compost pile, kitchen scraps, discarded food/feed
Wet/soured feed or mildew
maggots (even in decaying woods)
fermented berries/fruit or anything over-ripe
meat or milk products
any toxic plants
Algea water/stagnant water/ponds

If she can pick her head up, I'd not put botulism on the top of the list as a bird with a limp neck and botulism at that point can't pick up their head. The flush can often kill a bird who doesn't have botulism. So it's very very important to literally remember that you may kill your bird by using a flush. Do pull the feathers - if they come out easily then it IS botulism but the lack of that symptom doesn't rule out botulism either.

If you use one, I'd highly recommend doing it the way MSUcares recommends:
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/solutions.html
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/disbact.htm

I'd like to see a broken egg within her ruled out. Would you say that the yellow droppings could at all be yolk?

I'd also want to see avian monocytosis ruled out as she's of that age and sometimes white chalky droppings (and possibly passing yolk) are symptoms. Incidentally this was a name for a nonspecific illness that has now mostly been ruled to be other things, but at the time it was treated with molasses (likely to flush out bad bacteria and toxins).

So if you do it just know the risks.

You will also want to put her up seperate because IF this is botulism (well any toxin producing bacteria) then you want to throw each and every dropping away quickly and keep everyone away from the bird. Wash your hands thoroughly. You will not treat for more than four hours as it would completely deplete the bird (if it won't in less than that time). You will then need to really push probiotics preferably not yogurt strictly. I would really recommend acidophilius capsules or Probios brand powder instead if you can. But at LEAST use yogurt. You must. You must replace good bacteria as you're flushing them out, leaving a completely vulnerable gut particularly vulnerable to opportunistic bacteria and yeast.
 
My hen is doing this too. She is at least a year and a half old and can't lift her head. She also puffs out her feathers. In addition, she has lost a lot of feathers and acts blind. It happened very suddenly. It has been about 3 days now.
 
I just wanted to add to this forum, my recent experience with one of my hens. I went out two days ago and one of my favorite hens, had lost all control of her neck and head was touching the ground. I read on this forum about treating this condition with molasses flush. Let me tell you, It Works!!!! In les than 24 hours she is completely back to normal!! Thank you for the advice
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Please try the molasses treatment! I separated her in a pet carrier first of all, then every 4 hours used a small syringe to give my hen 2-4 cc toward the back of her throat. Then give her a small amount of water. You should see an improvement next day / 24 hrs
 
Last edited:



KarenNowell said:
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Click to expand...
Please try the molasses treatment! I separated her in a pet carrier first of all, then every 4 hours used a small syringe to give my hen 2-4 cc toward the back of her throat. Then give her a small amount of water. You should see an improvement next day / 24 hrs. IT IS SOME KIND OF MINERAL DEFICIENCY
 
A week ago I had a Jersey Giant hen begin to isolate herself and act
lethargic. She progressed over 3 days to be unable to stand and her neck was drooped and completely paralyzed. I have lost several hens to Merak's and I was immediately concerned that this was what Purdy had. I saw some differences. She was not "Clutching" Her eyes were clear and bright. She was unable to eat or drink. I began bu putting her in a small kennel with a rolled towel around her like a nest to keep her upright and to support her head so she would not restrict her airway. i gave her a dose of Meloxicam ( animal NSAID ) for any inflammation in her neck or spine that could be causing the paralysis. I followed up with a combination Molasses and poultry Nutri -Drench vitamin flush. I used 1/4 cup of water, 2 Tablespoons of Molasses and 2 dropper fulls of Nutri-Drench mixed together. I administered 5, small animal, liquid syringe style dropper fulls into her crop. She appeared dehydrated so I also administered 5 syringes of water. i did this morning, noon, evening and night. The next morning she was holding her head up by herself. i continued this therapy and fed her crumbled hard boiled egg and also some yogurt. By day 2 she was right as rain and i was able to re introduce her to the flock. I have another chicken presenting with the same symptoms. At first I thought it could be botulism as I had found a dead bird pecked in the grain shed. I am re thinking this now and believe it mat me mildew of mold related as we have had 2 weeks of dismal rainy weather. The second chicken, Charlie, has begun to respond to this therapy and I am hopeful she will recover.
 
Balsam farmer said:
A week ago I had a Jersey Giant hen begin to isolate herself and act
lethargic. She progressed over 3 days to be unable to stand and her neck was drooped and completely paralyzed. I have lost several hens to Merak's and I was immediately concerned that this was what Purdy had. I saw some differences. She was not "Clutching" Her eyes were clear and bright. She was unable to eat or drink. I began bu putting her in a small kennel with a rolled towel around her like a nest to keep her upright and to support her head so she would not restrict her airway. i gave her a dose of Meloxicam ( animal NSAID ) for any inflammation in her neck or spine that could be causing the paralysis. I followed up with a combination Molasses and poultry Nutri -Drench vitamin flush. I used 1/4 cup of water, 2 Tablespoons of Molasses and 2 dropper fulls of Nutri-Drench mixed together. I administered 5, small animal, liquid syringe style dropper fulls into her crop. She appeared dehydrated so I also administered 5 syringes of water. i did this morning, noon, evening and night. The next morning she was holding her head up by herself. i continued this therapy and fed her crumbled hard boiled egg and also some yogurt. By day 2 she was right as rain and i was able to re introduce her to the flock. I have another chicken presenting with the same symptoms. At first I thought it could be botulism as I had found a dead bird pecked in the grain shed. I am re thinking this now and believe it mat me mildew of mold related as we have had 2 weeks of dismal rainy weather. The second chicken, Charlie, has begun to respond to this therapy and I am hopeful she will recover.
Click to expand...
Welcome To BYC!
Glad you were able to help Purdy and that she is better!
It would be hard to know what is the cause - Botulism, Mycotoxicosis or something similar are good guess, especially since the Molasses flush seems to be making a difference.
If you happen to lose one and want to find out the cause for sure, the best way would be getting a necropsy/testing through your state lab.

I hope your other bird recovers just as quickly as Purdy.
 

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