Chicken can't walk

[crazyducklady23]

I have a chicken that has not been able to walk for about a week now. She was doing great and then slowly started to decrease in her ability to walk. I thought maybe she was egg bound but I did not feel an egg. I looked at her eyes and they are normal. It looks like she can't use one leg, it is not hot, red or swollen. Not really sure what is wrong. I have her separated so she is left a lone and I have been giving her vitamins in her water which she is drinking. I have been soaking her in a hot bath everyday thinking if she is egg bound it would help or else just to give her a little relaxation. Any ideas???

 

[Chook Ryan]

I have a chicken that has not been able to walk for about a week now. She was doing great and then slowly started to decrease in her ability to walk. I thought maybe she was egg bound but I did not feel an egg. I looked at her eyes and they are normal. It looks like she can't use one leg, it is not hot, red or swollen. Not really sure what is wrong. I have her separated so she is left a lone and I have been giving her vitamins in her water which she is drinking. I have been soaking her in a hot bath everyday thinking if she is egg bound it would help or else just to give her a little relaxation. Any ideas???

 

[Chook Ryan]

Hi There,
I had the same thing happen over the same sort of time frame to one of my plymouth rocks in June. I took her to the vet and she said it was Mareks and I needed to euthanise her immediately. I couldn't do it and to her home to work out a better way or better time as the chook was really distressed at the vet. When I got home I decided to try Biohawk For Cats and Dogs. Its a digestive aid with some antibacterial and antiviral properties. (I'll disclose that I am also a seller of this product now so you know). I am pleased to also let you know that the chook is now perfectly happy and healthy although she still is slightly paralysed in one leg it has not stopped her getting around and enjoying life. She lays one egg a day for weeks now and loves me because I hand fed her for a while when she was sick. Since then I have contacted Ingrid the vet and let her know and we are now going to run tests to check if it was Mareks but she was confident it was at the time of the consult. I have also contacted the biomedic who makes the product (Cliff Hawkins) and he informed me that it does indeed work on Mareks and can be used in place of vaccination if a vaccination is not available. For example if you are small backyard grower. Anyway, I would try it. It worked for my girls.

 

[Chook Ryan]

Also please know that I am posting this to help in a time of difficulty. I am also happy to back up the info I've posted. I didn't separate my chicken so she didn't get distressed and I thought if she died she would at least be with her flock. They weren't picking on her or anything. xxx

 

[Chook Ryan]

I have a chicken that has not been able to walk for about a week now. She was doing great and then slowly started to decrease in her ability to walk. I thought maybe she was egg bound but I did not feel an egg. I looked at her eyes and they are normal. It looks like she can't use one leg, it is not hot, red or swollen. Not really sure what is wrong. I have her separated so she is left a lone and I have been giving her vitamins in her water which she is drinking. I have been soaking her in a hot bath everyday thinking if she is egg bound it would help or else just to give her a little relaxation. Any ideas???

Hi There,
I had the same thing happen over the same sort of time frame to one of my plymouth rocks in June. I took her to the vet and she said it was Mareks and I needed to euthanise her immediately. I couldn't do it and to her home to work out a better way or better time as the chook was really distressed at the vet. When I got home I decided to try Biohawk For Cats and Dogs. Its a digestive aid with some antibacterial and antiviral properties. (I'll disclose that I am also a seller of this product now so you know). I am pleased to also let you know that the chook is now perfectly happy and healthy although she still is slightly paralysed in one leg it has not stopped her getting around and enjoying life. She lays one egg a day for weeks now and loves me because I hand fed her for a while when she was sick. Since then I have contacted Ingrid the vet and let her know and we are now going to run tests to check if it was Mareks but she was confident it was at the time of the consult. I have also contacted the biomedic who makes the product (Cliff Hawkins) and he informed me that it does indeed work on Mareks and can be used in place of vaccination if a vaccination is not available. For example if you are small backyard grower. Anyway, I would try it. It worked for my girls.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have a chicken that has not been able to walk for about a week now. She was doing great and then slowly started to decrease in her ability to walk. I thought maybe she was egg bound but I did not feel an egg. I looked at her eyes and they are normal. It looks like she can't use one leg, it is not hot, red or swollen. Not really sure what is wrong. I have her separated so she is left a lone and I have been giving her vitamins in her water which she is drinking. I have been soaking her in a hot bath everyday thinking if she is egg bound it would help or else just to give her a little relaxation. Any ideas???

Can she move her toes or bend the affected leg? How is she sitting or lying? Any scabs on the bottom of the foot? Can you post any pictures? With a weak leg, Mareks usually comes to mind, but instead, there are many other conditions that need to be considered. Vitamin or mineral deficiency, an injury, a leg bone deformity that has worsened with age, and other things are possible.I would put her on either a chicken vitamin orally (Poultry Cell vitamins), or in her water (Vitamins With Lactobacillus, SaveAChick vitamins with electrolytes) or one added to food (Poultry Booster with a little vegetable oil to get it to stick to food.) Some also use human B Complex crushed into food--1/2 tablet per day. Here is a long but comprehensive article about Mareks and lookalike conditions: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[crazyducklady23]

Can she move her toes or bend the affected leg? How is she sitting or lying? Any scabs on the bottom of the foot? Can you post any pictures? With a weak leg, Mareks usually comes to mind, but instead, there are many other conditions that need to be considered. Vitamin or mineral deficiency, an injury, a leg bone deformity that has worsened with age, and other things are possible.I would put her on either a chicken vitamin orally (Poultry Cell vitamins), or in her water (Vitamins With Lactobacillus, SaveAChick vitamins with electrolytes) or one added to food (Poultry Booster with a little vegetable oil to get it to stick to food.) Some also use human B Complex crushed into food--1/2 tablet per day. Here is a long but comprehensive article about Mareks and lookalike conditions: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

She can not bend her toes on her affect leg, they seem to just go dead. She just lays there with her legs under her. I did not see any scabs or anything under her foot. When i examined her I touched her leg in one spot and she got mad but I did not see anything wrong in that area? She is about five years old and like I said before has done great for me. I have been giving her Nutri-drench in her water. I will try the B-complex also to see if that does anything for her. Thanks!!