Could really use some help. My Polish is struggling

[CJS Flock]

I posted a few days ago about my Polish pullet struggling to walk. It’s been two weeks now and she doesn’t seem to be improving, but not getting worse. She is in her own area, gets up to eat and drink, is pooping normal, no diarrhea. She is alert and tries to preen, just can’t seem to get her legs to cooperate. I’ve been giving her ploy-vi-sol in the afternoon (hence the stains on her beard) and doxycycline 20% in the morning. I’m at a loss and not 100% convinced it’s Marek’s. Hoping you all can help me if you’ve had or seen this issue before. I want her to live her best chicken life and this doesn’t seem to be it. She’s a little over six months old. Videos attached are of her tonight on her “rehab” rug. Its in her ICU room and seems to help with stability.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I posted a few days ago about my Polish pullet struggling to walk. It’s been two weeks now and she doesn’t seem to be improving, but not getting worse. She is in her own area, gets up to eat and drink, is pooping normal, no diarrhea. She is alert and tries to preen, just can’t seem to get her legs to cooperate. I’ve been giving her ploy-vi-sol in the afternoon (hence the stains on her beard) and doxycycline 20% in the morning. I’m at a loss and not 100% convinced it’s Marek’s. Hoping you all can help me if you’ve had or seen this issue before. I want her to live her best chicken life and this doesn’t seem to be it. She’s a little over six months old. Videos attached are of her tonight on her “rehab” rug. Its in her ICU room and seems to help with stability.

In your other thread, she was walking a little better, it looks like she's worse now right?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/having-difficulty-walking.1429307/

I would be inclined to agree with @Eggcessive that Marek's is a good possibility.

You may want to try giving her 1/2 tablet of human B-Complex once a day and 400IU Vitamin E once a day along with a bit of egg. See if that helps.

I'm sorry that she's not improving.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions. I found my 4 month old roo like this, this morning and I believe it confirms what I’ve been hoping wasn’t the case. We’ve decided to cull both. Not an easy decision, but given the odds of any other outcome, we think this is for the best.

I am sorry for your loss. Sometimes the best we can do is to end the suffering.

ETA: You might want to send them in for a necropsy to make sure that it was Marek's.

 

[CJS Flock]

I am sorry for your loss. Sometimes the best we can do is to end the suffering.

ETA: You might want to send them in for a necropsy to make sure that it was Marek's.

Thank you. It really was for the best. Not easy, but the right thing to do.

 

[Allthefloofs]

Ohhh, I was following this. I am so sorry for your loss. It's better that they don't suffer. I second the necropsy. We had one on a gal that we lost and it was really helpful moving forward.

 

[CJS Flock]

Ohhh, I was following this. I am so sorry for your loss. It's better that they don't suffer. I second the necropsy. We had one on a gal that we lost and it was really helpful moving forward.

Thanks I’ve contacted UT they have a program that does them so hopefully I will hear back

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions. I found my 4 month old roo like this, this morning and I believe it confirms what I’ve been hoping wasn’t the case. We’ve decided to cull both. Not an easy decision, but given the odds of any other outcome, we think this is for the best.

Sorry about your birds, a tough decision to make
Hopefully you can find out more through necropsy, let us know.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you! She’s up and down. Sometimes she stands tall and fully stretches. The first video she had a pretty good day, the next day didn’t really move at all. Then today she was moving a lot more and preening. I’m just confused about the up and down and if I should cull her. I don’t want her to not be able to do chicken things with her flock. I’ve been giving her Purina grower feed, scrambled egg in the morning, some green spinach leaves and every other day a tablespoon of zero fat Fage. I’ll get the vitamin E since I don’t have that. I do have the B complex capsule so I don’t have to crush them. What is the best way to administer it? I truly appreciate all the help!

You can mix the vitamins in a little of the yogurt or feed if you wish.

 

[CJS Flock]

what do you do to the rest of your flock now?

Any that were showing signs of slowing down or not as active, we’ve decided to cull. The others are fine, so we will not do anything with them but let them live their best life. I decided late summer that I would no longer buy from anywhere other than reputable hatcheries where I can get the Marek’s vaccination done. I don’t breed or sell so it’ll remain here and not be spread by me. I’m always learning so this is just one more lesson for me

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. If you can keep the bodies cold, but not frozen, to send themmin for a necropsy by the state vet, they canntest for Mareks, and look for a cause of death. Here is a list of state poultry labs:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm