Well it's been a while since I've posted anything and I've had lots of ups but mainly downs since then - too many to list.
All my girls are over 3.5 years and ex battery hens. I had nine and I've lost three over the last few months. I had to have the most recent one put to sleep last Saturday, she had gone blind over a few days starting from the Wednesday. From reading other posts I was hoping she would learn to live with it but on Saturday morning she appeared to be losing her balance too so I thought it wasn't fair to keep her going. Some of the girls had coccidiosis about 6 weeks back and had been treated with antibiotics but she never seemed to get it and seemed fine and healthy until she suddenly lost her sight.
Another girl became paralysed about 4 weeks ago but by syringing vitamin B and antibiotics into her daily I now have her back to strength and still can't believe she got better. I kept her in the house and nursed her on the hour but now she's back with the others.
I was working this afternoon, before leaving I put the girls in their pen. One of them, Georgina who was treated for coccidiosis was in great form and was looking for somewhere to lay an egg (none of them have laid an egg for a long time) so I was hoping she was finally back to full health. When I got back from work this evening my partner had let the girls out and I noticed Georgina was just sitting on the drive. When I went up to her she "spoke" to me as usual but then I realised that she too had gone blind. I am at my wits end - how could this have happened so quickly?
Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this blindness? As battery hens they would have been vaccinated against Marek's disease but could the vaccine have worn off now that they are older? Both Georgina and the hen that died last week had no obvious signs and their eyes didn't look any different to the other hens. The vet said that the hen that I've nursed back couldn't have had Marek's disease as you can't reverse it and it's a virus so antibiotics wouldn't have worked on it.
Maybe I shouldn't be linking the two blind birds with the temporarily paralysed girl?
I would really appreciate any help or suggestions that anyone can give.
All my girls are over 3.5 years and ex battery hens. I had nine and I've lost three over the last few months. I had to have the most recent one put to sleep last Saturday, she had gone blind over a few days starting from the Wednesday. From reading other posts I was hoping she would learn to live with it but on Saturday morning she appeared to be losing her balance too so I thought it wasn't fair to keep her going. Some of the girls had coccidiosis about 6 weeks back and had been treated with antibiotics but she never seemed to get it and seemed fine and healthy until she suddenly lost her sight.
Another girl became paralysed about 4 weeks ago but by syringing vitamin B and antibiotics into her daily I now have her back to strength and still can't believe she got better. I kept her in the house and nursed her on the hour but now she's back with the others.
I was working this afternoon, before leaving I put the girls in their pen. One of them, Georgina who was treated for coccidiosis was in great form and was looking for somewhere to lay an egg (none of them have laid an egg for a long time) so I was hoping she was finally back to full health. When I got back from work this evening my partner had let the girls out and I noticed Georgina was just sitting on the drive. When I went up to her she "spoke" to me as usual but then I realised that she too had gone blind. I am at my wits end - how could this have happened so quickly?
Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this blindness? As battery hens they would have been vaccinated against Marek's disease but could the vaccine have worn off now that they are older? Both Georgina and the hen that died last week had no obvious signs and their eyes didn't look any different to the other hens. The vet said that the hen that I've nursed back couldn't have had Marek's disease as you can't reverse it and it's a virus so antibiotics wouldn't have worked on it.
Maybe I shouldn't be linking the two blind birds with the temporarily paralysed girl?
I would really appreciate any help or suggestions that anyone can give.
