11 wk Marans pullet is not walking correctly, weak, standing on legs with neck stretched out forward.

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

She had been hanging out by herself occasionally the last couple days but she was going into the coop / eating fine. So I thought she was just getting picked on because we have some extra roosters that will be going soon. Then today she was not able to walk well, kept sitting down on her legs in a squat with her head stretched out forward.

- No visible mites, lice, eggs, etc.
- No respiratory symptoms such as rattles or gasping, foamy eyes, watery eyes or nose, any pus visible.
- Crop appears normal.
- No visible injuries.

She is in quarantine, and ate an egg yolk with banana this afternoon but has been reluctant to drink her water with B vitamins, electrolytes in it unless I dip the tip of her beak in. When I pick her up she doesn't want to hold her head up.

If she dies I will get an autopsy from vet to rule out any of the "big ones" that would screw up starting our breeding program for a year or two.

Anyone seen similar behavior before? Other treatment advice?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She had been hanging out by herself occasionally the last couple days but she was going into the coop / eating fine. So I thought she was just getting picked on because we have some extra roosters that will be going soon. Then today she was not able to walk well, kept sitting down on her legs in a squat with her head stretched out forward.

Has she eaten anything moldy, rotten or some compost?

She may have suffered some type of neck injury since you have cockerels/roosters that are perhaps harassing her, it can be hard to know.

If she doesn't like the supplements in the water, eliminate them and provide fresh water for her to drink so she doesn't get dehydrated.

Give the vitamins directly to her in the beak. I'd start her on 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex daily.

has been reluctant to drink her water with B vitamins, electrolytes in it unless I dip the tip of her beak in.

- No visible mites, lice, eggs, etc.
- No respiratory symptoms such as rattles or gasping, foamy eyes, watery eyes or nose, any pus visible.
- Crop appears normal.
- No visible injuries.

She is in quarantine, and ate an egg yolk with banana this afternoon but has been reluctant to drink her water with B vitamins, electrolytes in it unless I dip the tip of her beak in. When I pick her up she doesn't want to hold her head up.

If she dies I will get an autopsy from vet to rule out any of the "big ones" that would screw up starting our breeding program for a year or two.

Anyone seen similar behavior before? Other treatment advice?

View attachment 4198588View attachment 4198589View attachment 4198590

 

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

Has she eaten anything moldy, rotten or some compost?

She may have suffered some type of neck injury since you have cockerels/roosters that are perhaps harassing her, it can be hard to know.

If she doesn't like the supplements in the water, eliminate them and provide fresh water for her to drink so she doesn't get dehydrated.

Give the vitamins directly to her in the beak. I'd start her on 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex daily.

That is a possibility, they free range. We don't have trash sitting around but you never know, it is an old barn so she could have eaten a nail or something silly too. Neck injury is possible, roosters haven't been aggressive but there are also older birds that the flock was gradually integrated in with over a couple weeks. Will do about water and vitamins. Thx

 

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

Has she eaten anything moldy, rotten or some compost?

She may have suffered some type of neck injury since you have cockerels/roosters that are perhaps harassing her, it can be hard to know.

If she doesn't like the supplements in the water, eliminate them and provide fresh water for her to drink so she doesn't get dehydrated.

Give the vitamins directly to her in the beak. I'd start her on 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex daily.

A cockerel is acting the same way now. That rules out injury. Has to be either contagious or they ate something. He is also isolated and will keep an eye on everyone else.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

A cockerel is acting the same way now. That rules out injury. Has to be either contagious or they ate something. He is also isolated and will keep an eye on everyone else.

Oh no, that doesn't sound very good does it.

Look at feed to see if anything is moldy, think if they ate something dead/maggots.

It's so hard to know what's happening. Botulism comes to mind.
If Vet Care is possible, that's always a good idea. It's not always so treating the best you can is often what we do.

Read up on Botulism in poultry and see if you think that may be the problem or part of the problem. Activated Charcoal can be given or you can give a Molasses flush. See if that helps.

https://bitchinchickens.com/2021/07/22/internal-flushes-for-chickens/

It's very possible at that age, you could be dealing with disease like Marek's. Also, other conditions like Parasites or Protozoa (Coccidia) could be contributors. So many things can happen.

 

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

Oh no, that doesn't sound very good does it.

Look at feed to see if anything is moldy, think if they ate something dead/maggots.

It's so hard to know what's happening. Botulism comes to mind.
If Vet Care is possible, that's always a good idea. It's not always so treating the best you can is often what we do.

Read up on Botulism in poultry and see if you think that may be the problem or part of the problem. Activated Charcoal can be given or you can give a Molasses flush. See if that helps.

https://bitchinchickens.com/2021/07/22/internal-flushes-for-chickens/

It's very possible at that age, you could be dealing with disease like Marek's. Also, other conditions like Parasites or Protozoa (Coccidia) could be contributors. So many things can happen

Good news: today both are significantly recovered. It was gradual, first sign they were improving was going back on feed and water, being able to walk again followed by holding their heads up correctly. Now they are acting somewhat normally. I did get in contact with someone who runs commercial chicken barns, he did not think symptoms matched up with Mareks or MG/MS, which were my greatest concerns. His guess was they had eaten something bad, and that alongside heat we have been experiencing got them down. Botulism pictures online, the neck does look similar to what these were doing.

Feed is fine as far as I can tell. We do have lots of nighttime predators though... Owls, cats, coyotes etc so they might have found something dead and eaten off of it. If any more get sick I could try to walk the brush and look for any dead animals but it would be hard to find the source I suspect. Right now since they have been in decent shape for a day or so... they are in a gated off barn stall near the others with their own feed and water so they are not outcompeted while they recover. No residual symptoms except for being a little thin, it seems.

Did give Vitamin E, egg yolk, brewers yeast, the molasses like you said alongside some higher protein chick feed instead of their pellets. Hoping for a full recovery and no more birds getting into whatever this was... thanks 4 the advice and ideas.