Dying chick - help requested - paralyzed suddenly

[NurseNettie]

The "fluid swelling" you found is her crop--- where the food is held. It's supposed to swell and deflate to accomodate the food and liquid she's taken in. She likely vomited due to it being manipulated, especially where you said you examined her after her first big feed of cereal. If she hadn't pooped in a couple days, it's to be expected that it was pretty foul smelling. Do you have her under a heat lamp, or in a warm place? I'm not sure I'd wrap her in a towel when she's alone--- she'll use a lot of energy trying to get out of it, and if she's feeling "trapped" , won't likely try to go to her feed, and won't go away from the "nest" to poop.. They aren't normally wrapped or covered in nature, unless they're under a broody mom, and even then, they can get away to go poop

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[gaz131]

Sounds a lot like Mareks disease


Marek's disease is a Herpes virus infection of chickens, and rarely turkeys in close association with chickens, seen worldwide. From the 1980s and 1990s highly virulent strains have become a problem in North America and Europe.

The disease has various manifestations: a) Neurological - Acute infiltration of the CNS and nerves resulting in 'floppy broiler syndrome' and transient paralysis, as well as more long-standing paralysis of legs or wings and eye lesions; b) Visceral - Tumours in heart, ovary, tests, muscles, lungs; c) Cutaneous - Tumours of feather follicles.

Morbidity is 10-50% and mortality up to 100%. Mortality in an affected flock typically continues at a moderate or high rate for quite a few weeks. In 'late' Marek's the mortality can extend to 40 weeks of age. Affected birds are more susceptible to other diseases, both parasitic and bacterial.

The route of infection is usually respiratory and the disease is highly contagious being spread by infective feather-follicle dander, fomites, etc. Infected birds remain viraemic for life. Vertical transmission is not considered to be important.

The virus survives at ambient temperature for a long time (65 weeks) when cell associated and is resistant to some disinfectants (quaternary ammonium and phenol). It is inactivated rapidly when frozen and thawed.
Signs

* Paralysis of legs, wings and neck.
* Loss of weight.
* Grey iris or irregular pupil.
* Vision impairment.
* Skin around feather follicles raised and roughened.

does that sound like any of the things wrong with your bird i hope not but this may help if it does...... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=135247 ...... good luck

 

[kristenm1975]

Thank you NurseNettie, that all makes sense. I'm glad to hear it really is just her crop and all the nice warm food in there as opposed to a tumor.

I've wrapped her at times when it seems like she's expending a lot of her energy flapping around trying to stabilize herself. It's a nice old thin towel so it's swaddles but doesn't weigh her down. Since last night, as she's begun pooping again, I've stopped the wrapping. She's on a heating pad with a plastic cover and several layers of newspaper over that, with a 100-watt bulb over her. The temp is about 90 in her box.

Gaz131, so far what sounds like Marek's in my chick is the flopping around. Other than that, I'm not seing any other symptoms and most important, I'm not seeing any signs of it in the other 4 chicks she was in with prior to being hit like this. Still crossing my fingers.

 

[NurseNettie]

Sounds like you're doing the right things. Be sure there's enough room so she can get away from the heat if she's overheated, too

Good luck!

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