Brain Damage?

[Achio]

My "10" month old (We don't know how old she is, but she's laying eggs and matured later than our other chickens that were from a different batch.) Speckled Sussex hen has, in the past few weeks, started acting weird.

- I've really only seen her eat out of my hand...She hasn't been eating out of the feeder as normally as all of my other birds.
- She's gotten lighter, loosing weight. She only weighs about the same as a 3 month old pullet.
- Her feathers are ratty.
- When offered food, she looks at it like she's never seen food before. She also pecks very, very slow and lightly. (Like she's picky)
- As of today, she barely has her eyes open. She'll stand pressed up against me (of her own accord) with her eyes closed for quite some time. (Until I moved her.)
- When her eyes are "open", she squints.
- She also has runny poops...

Can anyone help?!? I don't want to loose my chicky!

 

[Alaskan]

You poor thing!

How is she now?

 

[chickydee64]

You poor thing!

How is she now?

Oh good grief,
I am not good at this and really hope someone with more experience chimes in.
There are so many things it could be.................
Can you try to get her to eat more...... .yogart, scrambled egg ?.. use an eye dropper if need be........
and fluid so she does not dehydrate..................
Of course I always think cocci......is there blood in her stool??????????

 

[Achio]

Sadly, she's still not doing great. About two weeks ago I wormed, which made her seem more perked up; pecking fast enough to get food before the others.
Today, though, I couldn't find her, and when I did she was standing in the coop, looking confused. So I brought her in the house for a few minutes. She pooped (yellow and runny with bits of green) Then, when I brought her back outside, she fell over and ran into the fence. Also, when scratch was thrown out, she didn't come running with the rest of the flock. I gave her some on her own but she didn't even look at it. I shook the cup (it still had scratch in it) and she cocked her head and came towards me but didn't peck at it.

 

[Alaskan]

How horrid! I have no idea how to help, but you ave my sympathy.

Stuff like that is always heart breaking.

 

[Achio]

Bad news, we took her to the vet to attempt to find out what was making her sick.
The vet called back yesterday morning and told us that she had Marek's.
My mom took her to the Humane Society this morning to get her euthanized. :'(

 

[realsis]

I'm so so sorry about your girl! That's heartbreaking! I'm very sorry for your loss!

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry that you lost your hen. Be sure and have any chicks you get in the future vaccinated against Mareks on day 1, because that is the only time the vaccine works. It doesn't work on older chickens since they have been exposed.