chicken showing signs of illness but cant work out what is the matter with it, can anyone help.

[helenpeckover]

my mum has a young chicken. she has asked me to look up the signs of what is up with it but i can find nothing wondered if any one on here had any clues. the chicken is eating and drinking and seems to be pooing etc ok. it can move it wings but cant stand or hold its own weight on its legs. does anyone have any ideas would be a great help.

helen

 

[BantamLover21]

my mum has a young chicken. she has asked me to look up the signs of what is up with it but i can find nothing wondered if any one on here had any clues. the chicken is eating and drinking and seems to be pooing etc ok. it can move it wings but cant stand or hold its own weight on its legs. does anyone have any ideas would be a great help.

helen

It sounds like the bird might have some sort of vitamin deficiency. To treat, either get some poultry vitamins or some Polyvisol infant vitamins to give the bird. Also, how old is the bird? If young (0-4 weeks of age), then it could have splayed leg. This is caused by slippery bedding or a deformity, and can be remedied by using a rubber band or band-aid to tie the legs together.

Lastly, do you know if the bird was vaccinated for Marek's disease? That disease can cause, among other things, paralysis in birds under a year of age. It is everywhere in the environment, so vaccination is a good idea. Unfortunately, if Marek's is what the bird has, there is no real treatment--the bird will likely either die on its own, or you should put it out of its misery.

 

[Wyandottes7]

It might be a vitamin deficiency. Get some polyvisol infant vitamins (should be easy to get from a supermarket), and start giving 1-2 drops a day. See if this helps. Paralysis of the wings and legs and the inability to walk sound like Vitamin B deficiency to me, so vitamins should help.

Do you know exactly how old the bird is? Marek's Disease can cause the symptoms you describe. It generally affects young birds that are older than two months or so. Unfortunately, there's no real treatment for the disease.

Hope this helps!

 

[NovaAman]

How's the balance, what does its poo look like, are its eyes equally dialated, what's the diet, it she laying, how are the comb and wattles color wise, lethargy?

I'd isolate in a cage, feed high protien along with vitamin supplement, get a stool sample to the vet and see about worms as a first step.

 

[helenpeckover]

thanks so much for all your help mum said thanks too. the hen is not laying yet mum said it should have started though. it will be near one year old soon.

 

[NovaAman]

Hmm... That might be the problem. What kind of hen is it? When she stands are her legs close together, or are the splayed a bit? She might be nearing lay point now, and she's constantly squatting... Is her tail up or down? Feel her abdomen and see if you can feel an egg bulge.