28 week old Pullet stumbling and sitting on haunches

[KatieK418]

Hi I am new to posting on BYC but have been reading the forum for 2 years. I have a 28 week old pullet named Lizzie who just today started stumbling around and walking very unsettling crisscrossing her legs as she's walking. She sits on her haunches a lot and is unable to stand on one leg. She is eating and drinking and running around she's just unsteady. I've started to treat her with vitamin b12 and selenium. Any suggestions on what it could be and what else I can do for her. She had a sister who passed away at 8 weeks of age from similar conditions in the end she had full torcullis and couldn't be remedied after a week of intensive treatment of vitamins and minerals and Tube feeding. I really hope not to have to go through this again with her sister Lizzie. Any advice and help you guys can offer would be much appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I would switch to B2 or riboflavin. That can be a sign of riboflavin deficiency, but also may be a sign of Mareks disease. Riboflavin deficiency can cause walking or sitting on hocks, and curled toe paralysis. Mareks can cause a loss of balance, paralysis of one or both legs or wings, a twisted or limp neck, and other symptoms. If you lose her I would recommend getting a necropsy by your state vet and tested for Mareks.

 

[KatieK418]

Is mericks surviveable? If so what can I do to help get her through this? She's our baby and our favorite chicken treats her like her daughter. The thought of them being apart breaks my heart.

 

[Eggcessive]

Mareks is usually fatal, but some can live for awhile depending on the amount of symptoms. I would just treat for the B2 deficiency with a good poultry vitamin added to the water, but check the label to make sure it has riboflavin. There is a good article about Mareks called "the great big giant Mareks faq" if you do a search or Google it. Many other things can look like Mareks, so don't get discouraged yet.