can a chicken have a stroke?

[lilssht910]

I am new to this so if someone could help that would be awesome!!!!! My daughters chicken started out 4 days ago with not using 1 leg-she had reflexes in it just not using it and last night we went out to put them away and we found her in the pen NOT using either leg- no broken bones at first we thought maybe a pulled or sore muscle... but now we dont know..... she is eating and drinking and using her wings as balance.... please someone help me... this is her second chick to lose

 

[S&SPoultryExchange]

I have had full grown chickens do this to me. I always thought well maybe a snake bite or something similar, but a old man at the feed store one day said that overloads of certain vitamins and minerals can cause something similar to a stroke in poultry. I have lost 4 to this in the past 2-3 years. I have always wondered if that were true, but it sounds right to me.

 

[Momo]

Yes, any animal can have a stroke ... but your description doesn't sound like one. Sounds more like Mareks, to be honest ... sorry.

 

[lilssht910]

Thank you for your help- she is still holdin on, and now in the house so I can keep a close eye on her. I know we will lose her and its hard on my daughter but she wants to try to save her.... you know how kids are.....

 

[Amethyste]

I have been told many times by old-timey chicken people and not so old-timey chicken people lol that chickens are prone to heart attacks and strokes. I know for a fact that I lost 4 of my original flock to those two things, according to the necropsy.

They didnt all at the same time mind you!

But yes, it is possible. I think one or two of ours were brought on by stress tho....we had a terrible raccoon attack on our BR head hen Boo..and all 7 of the birds were rather traumatized. (She was so brave defending her sisters!!)

We lost those two thru heart/stroke issues (according to the necropsy) over the next two weeks after Boo died. Finally caught that dang racoon prowling around and needless to say he got the fear of my hubby put into him and we have not seen a coon for over 2 years. We did have one a few weeks ago tho, but the girls seemed to be ok and didnt panic as much this time. Course they called out the alarm and my hubby came rushing out to the rescue of his girls lol It was actually quite cute to see them run to him when they saw him come in the pen lol

 

[S&SPoultryExchange]

Quote:
I thought mareks was only in chicks.

 

[purpletree23]

In order for us to help you we need more information........Please answer the questions at the top of the forum page.

Until you can do that it sounds like you have a vitamin deficiency. Get some Poly Vi Sol vitamins. They are a liquid baby vitamin that you can get at any pharmacy or even walmart. Get the formula WITHOUT IRON. Give the chick one drop in the morning and one drop at night. Give the drop on the side/top of the beak so the medication can run into the beak slowly and the chick can swallow and won't inhale it. Try this for at least two weeks. If the baby is going to improve it will do so by then but we need more info.

Make sure it eats and drinks. If it won't eat make a mash out of its starter crumbles and Gatorade and feed it to him.

 

[lilssht910]

I am sorry to say but we lost her this morning..... after trying just about everything we could she just kept getting worse.... thanks to all that tried to help.

 

[thebritt]

So sorry.