Can’t stand, trembling head and legs, lethargic...

[Sunshine Chick]

I had a hen die of coccidiosis (I think that's what killed her anyway) but she was poorly before that. Her symptoms remind me of what you're describing but toward the end mine was poopung straight blood. She had lost a lot of weight. I gave her yogurt too but stopped because it seemed like it was giving her diarrhea. I didn't have her isolated long before she died so I don't know if the corid would have helped her at that point but without isolating her I wouldn't have recognized the symptoms. I found blood in the others' poop so they all got the treatment and all fine now. Maybe check your other birds for bloody stool if you don't see blood in hers but corid won't hurt

Thank you. I haven’t noticed straight blood or anything, but her poop is rather dark... dark green/black. I now remember that can be a sign of internal bleeding. Isn’t that so? So maybe she has been bleeding this whole time, and I just never noticed.

And aww, how cool! I’m sad I lost Sparkles, she was one of my favorites. And this one is a speckled Sussex too (sigh). Guess I keep learning as I go. I just hate that birds have to die for me to gain experience.

Hopefully soon I’ll know enough to keep all my birds well!

 

[Sunshine Chick]

Many things mimic paralysis when it's often caused by starvation, or heat or cold exposure. Prolonged illness can cause weakness and affect balance.

I won't rule out bacterial infection, though. The raw milk you feed can have pathogens in it that may be making these chickens sick. If treating for coccidiosis does not improve these sick birds, then I would treat them with an antibiotic for infection.

Corid can be found at most feed stores or online. I prefer the liquid as it's easier to deal with especially preparing the drench which you will administer with an oral syringe directly into the beak. You should see immediate improvement if this is indeed coccidiosis.

If it's true you have Marek's in your flock, these sick birds may be becoming symptomatic. That would have been good to mention.

I don’t know if it’s Mareks or not, only that the symptoms line up. Though I would think the 50% mortality rate and fast-spreading nature of the disease would have more birds sick at once (or am I thinking of the wrong disease?) I might send this bird in for testing if I only knew where to start. She’s still alive, but I’m not confident she will be for long.

Thank you for your other input, I wasn’t aware that those other things can cause dizziness and weakness to that extent... though it makes sense that it could.
That’s what I like about this site... usually when animals are sick my emotions run so high I don’t think things through clearly. So I get some perspective from here.

 

[azygous]

Here's your state ag lab info. Give them a call. You could possibly take your hen alive to the lab, and have them euthanize her for you, then oerfor the tests.

Animal Health & Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory: (614) 728-6220
General Animal Health Inquiries: [email protected]
Laboratory Results & Other Laboratory Inquiries: [email protected]​