Can you tell from this video what this issue might be?

[chitownhens]

Here is what I know.

2 days ago the hen looked a little listless so I brought her inside. She then passed an egg with no shell about 30 minutes later on to the floor. She then perked right back up and was normal again.

The next day she was fine eating and acting normal until the afternoon when I noticed her back leg collapse. I brought her in and that is when I took the initial video. Her vision didn’t seem to be normal but she was able to find food as she ate the scrambled eggs off the floor.

Today she seems totally blind with one eye that has shut over night. The one eye that is open appears to be blood shot but I don’t know maybe that is the normal color of the outer portion of the eyeball. She can’t find food at all now nor will she eat from my hand. I was thinking Mareks too after some reading any thoughts.

I did have a sick hen about a week ago. Her comb was completely flopped over and after having her inside for several days she had gotten to the point where she could not stand very well or eat. I forced liquid down her throat as a last ditch effort to save her. Celery juice, probiotic juice and water. By the time the evening came she was in a box with her wings lifted up in the air like she was extremely hot or experiencing some type of fever. There was no way the hen was going to make it the worst I have ever seen. She flopped half her body over the edge of the box about 3” high and just laid like that. I gave her injectable Tylan as at this point it didn’t seem to matter. Somehow she made it through the night and after about a week she was doing fine. Somehow she survived maybe there is a connection.

Also what is odd about the hen that was sick the prior week was that she was ill about 2-3 weeks previously but then seemed to be well enough to put back until I notice she didn’t look right again. The odd part is when I would pick up this hen her back side seemed very stiff and large unlike any of the other hens. But once her illness passed she now feels normal like the rest of the hens. It was a subtle difference before but you could tell it just didn’t seem right. Her back side was so large that she couldn't lay on her side in the sun. She tried but she couldn't manage but now very back to being normal.

I guess it gets even odder if I add more here. There was another bird that was sick too previously to the one that I just mentioned and I didn’t think she was going to make it. This was a Red Star and she had gotten to the point where she was inside and collapsed next to my chair. On her side, feet up in the air, and taking her last gasp of breath. I have seen hens die before and I knew she was going to pass so I picked her up and put her in my lap it seemed to be the right thing to do until she was gone. She didn’t die and I started giving her antibiotics right away in about 2-3 weeks she was as strong as ever and now she is near the top of the pecking order just as before. This was definitely a respiratory illness because I knew she needed to get though those first 2 nights of wheezing and she did. I’m adding this because maybe this all matters.

This video is from this morning.

 

[chitownhens]

I gave her a shot of Tylan this morning and fed her juice from beef liver mixed with some vitamins. Maybe antibiotics doesn't make sense but I feel it's worth it as opposed to doing nothing at this point.

Her right opened up and she seems to be better but not even close to normal.

I gave her 3 dropper full of the beef liver blood and she seems better. She was just twisting her neck along morning along and walking in circles...........not sure what to make of it at this point.

 

[Eggcessive]

She can have some of the liver chopped--it would be full of B vitamins. I don't have much advice, other than continue what is working. It's interesting about the other chicken being ill. I wonder if it is connected. Besides Mareks, you could consider poisoning such as heavy metals or other toxins.

 

[chitownhens]

Thanks she is one of the few hens that doesn't eat liver so I will try the juice/blood again. I'm hoping she comes around and I have to give it my best effort.

I don't think heavy metals or other toxins are an issue but of course I don't know that for sure. Nothing I can think of that is different other then recently I did see a few mice which is not normal. So although I have not seen mice droppings the thought did occur.

She seems lost at the moment and blind or not seeing very well. Somehow she was able to find the water bowl yesterday so maybe her sight is only impaired for the moment. She drank quite a bit of water which is a very good sign and her tail feathers are up.

She tries to clean herself but can't manage to well............exactly the same thing the previous hen that almost died did. Maybe just a coincidence but will have to wait and see. What I do know is simply putting a bird down is not always the right answer the last 2 hens clearly proved that for me. They were on death's door step and they survived.

 

[chitownhens]

Another similarity to the last hen that was sick was she couldn't eat anything. She would peck and click her beak but wasn't eating except for watermelon which helped save her. This one is the same as I just picked up some watermelon and she is now eating I so will see how it goes plus she is able to drink water.

 

[chitownhens]

Update by the next day she could barely see and was walking around in a circle with her head tilted in an upward direction. She could find the bowl but would miss the feed by a few inches. Same with the water she would mostly miss but would manage some. By the middle of the week she was just about completely blind and seemed to be relying on sound and bumping into things. I started Tylan injections on the second day and she was force fed a portion of raw beef liver the size of a half dollar twice a day. Around the 5th day or so she appeared to be getting better and at this point is about maybe 80%-90% with the right eyelid closing on occasion. At first I thought maybe it was a stroke but I’m not really sure. The antibiotics were used in case it was something that was required but was unknown to me. My thoughts were maybe give it a try. Seriously I did not think she was going to make it after going blind.

I know some seem to believe culling might be the better option but I don’t hold that belief. I have had 2 hens that were on death’s doorstep and they made it back. My suggestion for those that have hens and they are pets too is to learn how to give an injection and have medications on the shelf. Sometimes there is no time to wait for a delivery or trying to find something you need now.

Thank you to those that offered support on the thread.

 

[Eggcessive]

Wow, she really looks much better. I am really glad to hear that, and to see the video. Thanks for the update, and I hope she continues to improve.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the update and video! She looks like she is recovering nicely

 

[chitownhens]

Thank you very much here is a better video. When she was just turning her head over and over I thought for sure she was not going to make especially as she kept getting worse.

 

[chitownhens]

The hen seems to be doing fine except that she still seems to be rubbing that right eye and tends to close the lid. Her sight is about 90% and she can easily eat feed but does have a hard time focusing on small items if fed by hand. Does anyone have any thoughts on the eyelid closing. I thought about maybe a daily eye flush with tylan and water for several days but not even sure it's infected. It does look a little watery but maybe that is due to something else..........thanks.