Chicken paralysis? Fine last night, near death today

[seminolewind]

I have one hen who started to look ruffled, but some of them are molting, no big deal. Then I realize that her crop is hard even in the morning and I can pinch her breast bone with my fingers. I bring her in and treat her for impacted crop. It works. So I put her in a private pen. She doesn't really eat, but must be eating cookies (hubby) and bread (me). Anything. Looks pretty good but I'm thinking Marek's wasting symptom. Her crop is hard again even tho she's not eating feed.She has trouble swallowing with the treats. I'm thinking she's wasting, digestive parastalsis nerves are affected like with all the other Marek deaths. It's funny how we hold on and hope the next day will be better. I think when the bright green poop is noticed, it will be time.

I have two eight week old chicks. I hatched them in a bator. I kept them in the house. I vaccinated them myself. I kept them at the house for 4 weeks. Then I put them out in a private pen. Now it's 2 weeks later, and one is standing with her eyes closed and peeping. It's so sad. I did everything right with them and will still lose one or both.

I don't know what went wrong.

 

[humpbacks1962]

I dont want anything if I have no hope!

I came from work, found him alive and gasping for breath. I gave him olive oil and massaged his rock-hard crop. It softened up right away. I let him walk around the yard and he is out grazing here and there with the others.

I just gave him some more oil and massaged his crop again. I will continue to do that throughout the weekend if needed.

His actions tell me that he wants to live. This is a pet. And I am not ready to give up on my bird just yet.

 

[seminolewind]

I had to separate mine. I moved the better chick into a nice scrubbed cage on my patio next to the living room window. The sick one is sick. She won't open her eyes. She did drink some water with sulmet in it (last ditch effort). I put her in her little coop with water and food. I can't bring the unsick one in the house because I have 3 vaccinated chicks in the bathroom only a week old.

This has been a real crummy year. I was doing so well till 6 months ago.

 

[humpbacks1962]

Oh dear.. I am sorry to hear.

I've read that with this Marek's, those who survive the paralysis will die from internal tumors shortly afterwards.

I searched everywhere but did not find a connection between Marek's and sour, or impacted crop. I did give about a teaspoon of oil and would think that it would only take a few hours to pass all that food. He should go poopi overnight. If he does not, then I'll just do my best to help him live the time he has left comfortably.

I lost a pet chicken early this year then my second one was attacked by a racoon. An infection from a wound I did not see killed her about two weeks later. I suppose that losing chickens in large crops may not affect you that much if they aren't even named but when they are pets, seeing them suffer is devastating.

 

[seminolewind]

There's not much connection beteen Marek's and sour crop. But most of mine died from wasting away because the food was not moving along. It depends on which nerves are effected.

 

[humpbacks1962]

It has been 2 days since I posted this note.
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Instead of Activia, I got Dannon's "DanActive" liquid, probiotics yougurt. I preferred this one because I don't have to water it down, and give it to him full strength. Another reason is the count of probiotic bacteria is higher (in the billions) and another bug that others don't have. It is working its magic. Finally, this morning I realized he pooped for the first time in two days, and his crop felt emptier. Still, he passed some whole pieces of corn.

He is walking around, foraging here and there and I still feed him a couple teaspoons of DanActive every few hours. I massage his crop after feeding him. He has passed gas through both ends while I did this.

So, I am reporting that he seems to be doing well, and on his road to recovery. Although Marek's is a time bomb...