Calling all Experts!

[Plymouth Gonzo]

Hello Community.

I have a three year old Buff Orpington who has been sick for about 5 weeks now. I first noticed several months before I separated her that when she would sit in my lap she was falling asleep/closing her eyes more frequently and for longer periods. When I would let the girls out I noticed she was less social, flapping her wings A LOT, and laying down while the others would scavenge. Then they began attacking her so she has been separated for the past 5 weeks. Her condition progressed with her laying more on her left side, staying puffed up and closing her eyes and drooping her head most of the time. I took her to the vet and the vet could not find anything wrong so concluded that it is probably neurological. I could not afford the blood test or xrays, but had her checked for worms and there were none. The vet said she had a fever. She is now at the point where I will pull her out of her cage and put her down and she doesnt move at all. She is still puffed up. She did lose a lot of weight prior to me bringing her to the vet but she has been eating well and seems to have put the weight back on. She is still looking around for predators and talks a little but appears to be losing functions on her left side. Maybe a stroke?? The video I posted shows her flapping her wings and if you notice the left side struggles to get up more than the right however in this video she raised her left pretty high. Please share your experience and thoughts as to what can be wrong. Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be hard to know exactly what is wrong with her without doing a necropsy after she dies, unfortunately. She could have Mareks disease. Mareks can cause tumors which can affect nerves of the extremties and neck. Reproductive tumors, internal laying, and ascites can all cause problems walking due to pressure. Did she ever waddle before she became like this. Are her toes curled under? Do you have any pictures of her legs and feet? Have you added any new birds to your flock in the last few months. Older birds normally don’t just develop Mareks, but if they have been recently exposed by a carrier, they could get it. Here is some reading about Mareks:
https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[staceyj]

So sorry for what you’ve been going through.

Does this hen still lay eggs?

Did the vet check her for symptoms of internal laying, feel her for ascites- “water belly” (the fever concerns me... do you know what her “temperature was at the time of that vet exam?) or mention the possibility of a vitamin deficiency? Do you know how much she weighs or how her weight *seems* to compare, based on lifting her and feeling her body conditioning in comparison to other similar sized flock mates?

A buff can look big and fluffy, but under all the golden fluff, be seriously underweight.

Sorry for so many questions but some of them might set us on the right path.

 

[Plymouth Gonzo]

Thanks eggcessive. No curled toes. I can post some pics after work. No new birds either. My other 4 hens look well and are not showing any symptoms. I would have to agree that she might have internal tumors because her tail is kept down and she looks like she is straining but poops just fine. She was doing this prior to the vet and the vet did check for a bound egg. I am stuck wondering how long I should let this go before euthanizing her because I am not seeing progress.

 

[Plymouth Gonzo]

Hi Sacey,
I do not know what the temp was. I presume she is puffed up because of the fever and she has stayed puffed since. I have been feeding her grower feed mash with Vitasol mixed in in case it was a vitamin deficiency with no results. She definately feels heavier than she was and about the same as the other girls. Edit...and no she has not layed since molting back in september

 

[Eggcessive]

Sometimes hens will be laying internally and they matpy have a larger than normal lower belly between the legs. Sometimes they will have big egg-like material in masses, or they sometimes have oviduct cancer. Those are very common. I have learned so much doing a necropsy on my older hens who have died. You can also get a professional necropsy by your state vet to get a diagnosis. I would try to make her comfortable and and keep her close to food and water. One they stop eating or just seem miserable, that is when I think about putting them down. Sorry that she is sick.