Chicken can't stand or walk, paralyzed??

[azygous]

Vaccinated chicks need two weeks in isolation for the vaccine to encourage resistance. If you put the chicks with Ethel too soon, the vaccine will be nullified.

There are no guarantees what Ethel will do when exposed to these chicks. You may try it, but watch carefully how Ethel responds. I've had older hens behave splendidly with baby chicks, permitting them to climb all over them, but I've had hens snap at the chicks, and refuse to let them near.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

Vaccinated chicks need two weeks in isolation for the vaccine to encourage resistance. If you put the chicks with Ethel too soon, the vaccine will be nullified.

There are no guarantees what Ethel will do when exposed to these chicks. You may try it, but watch carefully how Ethel responds. I've had older hens behave splendidly with baby chicks, permitting them to climb all over them, but I've had hens snap at the chicks, and refuse to let them near.

Thank you. If she ends up getting them, I will build them a separate coop outside and inside for colder days/nights. And IF I do put them with Ethel, I will certainly watch her closely.
You know with so much going on with Ethel and now finding out that she is blind I really don't know what way this is going to go but so far with her standing up on her feet more and more every day, even today, a video from yesterday where she was standing on her left leg without her elbow down. Today she actually got up on both feet without her elbows down which is so cool because my mother also walked with a walker today for the first time and I had told her that her and Ethel were going to start walking on the same day, lol. I told my mom today that if Ethel gets to the point of walking again like a normal chicken I'm going to put a harness and a lease on her and walk her into the vet's office. That's not to say that there isn't something going on. Of course it could take her life later, but I'm just glad I didn't take his advice to put her down that day.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

Thank you. If she ends up getting them, I will build them a separate coop outside and inside for colder days/nights. And IF I do put them with Ethel, I will certainly watch her closely.
You know with so much going on with Ethel and now finding out that she is blind I really don't know what way this is going to go but so far with her standing up on her feet more and more every day, even today, a video from yesterday where she was standing on her left leg without her elbow down. Today she actually got up on both feet without her elbows down which is so cool because my mother also walked with a walker today for the first time and I had told her that her and Ethel were going to start walking on the same day, lol. I told my mom today that if Ethel gets to the point of walking again like a normal chicken I'm going to put a harness and a lease on her and walk her into the vet's office. That's not to say that there isn't something going on. Of course it could take her life later, but I'm just glad I didn't take his advice to put her down that day.

This is the ad for the chickens she is looking at. Are any of those breeds good breeds for laying eggs? And a longer than 5 yr life :-(

 

[mrskenmore]

I am so happy to see Ethel's progress. The video of her is really showing how much better she is getting. I was impressed by her neck strength. As for your post on the breeds, I would steer clear of the black sex links if you are looking for longevity. While a wonderful breed with a larger than life personality they tend to have reproductive issues and shorter life spans generally. Please continue to keep us updated with Ethel- you both are so strong it is remarkable. I am happy to hear your mom is making progress as well! Life has thrown you a lot lately and you are doing great

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

I'm getting so excited. Watch this video to see why. Go Ethel Go!!!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Am9FmTpbdet74HEd9

 

[Nero70002]

I thought you said you were getting chicks? The ad says 8 weeks old and fully feathered, but the picture is of chicks under a week.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

I thought you said you were getting chicks? The ad says 8 weeks old and fully feathered, but the picture is of chicks under a week.

When he posted that picture and that ad he was taking orders for them at the time. My mom has not contacted him yet so he may not have any available but apparently he doesn't let them go until they're 8 weeks old

 

[Nero70002]

Ok, I’d definitely ask for updated pictures if you are planning on buying any, just to make sure they are healthy pullets.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

So I have an update and a question. The update is that as you can see in the two videos, Ethel is walking on her feet, not her elbows anymore. She is still a little unsteady which I assume is still a bit of muscle weakness but also unsure of her footing being that she is blind. My concern and question is this: being blind, she seems to have trouble finding her food. We do take it to her when we see that she has lost it and sometimes she wants to eat and sometimes she doesn't. But I'm not feeling her crop full at all in the last several days. Despite seeing that she is eating. I just feel she isn't eating enough. Should we start tube feeding her again? She is still getting her vitamin B-100 complex and her Vitamin E 3 x day. I have also found a laboratory that I'm going to contact about doing the live Marek's test since I recently read that there is an ocular version of Marek's. It breaks my heart that she is so close to being back to herself and walking only for her to end up being blind.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cV8emfwtMeypc6E67

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qfJXAMdrJe3LLvRJA

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Hi @Gotalotofpetstoo , I've been away for a week, and it sure is good to see Ethel's videos showing her improving mobility. I don't know if you have ever dealt with a blind animal, but I've had two. An elderly dog that gradually went blind, and a hen that was born mostly blind due to cataracts on both eyes. With the old dog, he used my younger dogs as "seeing eye" guides. And my younger dogs somehow understood he needed them as a guide. When I opened the door to let them inside the house, the two younger dogs would brush next to my elderly dog as they ran past, & he would follow them up the steps. IF Ethel will tolerate young pullets, hopefully she can use them as her Her "seeing eyes." Re the blind hen, she lived to age 5 before dying a natural death. (I didnt necropsy to know the cause.) She was unfortunately bullied by some other hens. For that reason I provided her separate housing (a rabbit hutch) to sleep in at night to make sure she got enough to eat. She was still out with other hens during the day. (Only a few bullied her.) If Ethel can overcome everything else she has faced, she will be able to deal with blindness too, even more so if she will accept pullet friends. The main thing is always have her food, water, housing, etc in the same place.

To answer your question about the chick breeds, Rhode Island Reds usually live to at least age 5; I have a RIR hen that recently turned 8 and is going strong. Brown leghorns tend to live longer than white leghorns since they are not quite as high production layers. As stated earlier, black sexlinks are high production layers, and while they may live longer than red sexlinks, the higher egg production will shorten their lives. A hen laying an egg nearly every day is somewhat comparable to a mammal giving birth nearly every year. Most people want high-production layers and not hens that live a long life. But I have quite a lot of hens of various breeds that are now ages 5 and up, and there are many chicken breeds that should live to at least 5. Of course there are no guarantees, and one thing I've learned (and you probably have too) is that when we love a human or animal, we are never ready to see them go.

I saw that azygous helped you a lot this past week. If you don't hear from her soon, tag her to address your tube-feeding questions; she won't mind.