Egg bound? Marek's? Help!

[diamondsilkies]

OK so I have this serama x japanese bantam hen (Lola). She's about 7 months old and until today has been acting super healthy. However, I went out to the chickens after getting home this afternoon, like I always do, and found her sitting on the ground all fluffed up. I figured she might have been laying an egg or something, so I let her be. Later I came back and she had shifted a little. I needed to clean where she was sitting and didn't want to scare her, so I scooped her up and put her in a nesting box. She let me do so without any protest which was a little weird since she can be skittish sometimes, especially when laying an egg.

About a half hour later, I came back out and she was still sitting in the same spot. I watched her for a little while and noticed a larger hen come to the nesting box and peck her a couple times. Lola looked upset but didn't move, which I thought was weird. I picked her up and set her on the ground and she just sat down again. I moved her a couple times and every time she just plopped down. A couple times she seemed to have trouble with her balance, as she would shift to one side and her tail would flare like it does when they loose their balance. Then the same hen who was picking on her earlier (they don't get along super well, they're normally in separate pens) came and pecked her again. Lola looked like she was trying to get away but couldn't stand well, and ended up rolling on her back after loosing her balance again.

Now, I know several people in town who have had Marek's disease going around their flocks, so I've been keeping an eye out for sick chickens. Since she seemed to have some issues with standing and balance I was worried maybe she had Marek's. I set up a little quarantined area for her inside the house with an old plastic laundry basket and an old towel. I mixed some food with water and mixed some electrolytes I had on hand with water. The electrolytes packet also said to have fresh water available, so I made a little bowl with fresh water too. Then I put them and her in the laundry basket on the towel, close enough so that she could eat and drink without having to move too much. She showed interest in the food mash, and drank when I dipped her beak in the electrolyte water.

After closer inspection, I noticed that occasionally she would start straining and breathing hard, as if she was trying to push out an egg or something. She mostly just sits with her neck all hunched over. I didn't notice that she felt strange, or like she had any lumps. Her comb is red, and I'm pretty sure she laid her egg yesterday. Her tail is really droopy, but I know she can lift it because she does when she looses her balance. Does she have Marek's? Is she egg bound? Or is it something else? Is there anything else I can do for her? She's one of my very favorite hens. I'll try to download some pictures of her and the setup.

 

[Engine823]

She may be egg bound. Gently feel her abdomen with you hand and see if you feel an egg inside her. You can also lubricate a finger and feel inside her vent and see if you feel any egg.
I had one do that once. I gently massaged her abdomen from front to back toward her vent and it seemed to help her pass the egg. I also had checked her vent with a lubricated finger that also may have helped.
You were correct to separate her from the flock because they may mistreat her. If she is straining I would think that it is.
I'm a amateur but I hope this may help your sick baby!

 

[orrpeople]

I am so sorry to hear your little girl is not doing well.
You have done all the right things so far. I am not an expert with egg binding, and this may very well be the case for your bird. How old is she? How long has she been laying? Answering those two questions can help with your Marek's questions, as the virus often strikes pullets at or just beyond point of lay. (Although, it is a virus, so it plays by its own rules - many, that it makes up as it goes.)
Two items to consider also, as either treatment or prevention: Do you have a good vitamin (Nutri Drench or other fast acting liquid)? Have you wormed her lately?
Consider Marek's, although it belongs to the herpes family, kind of like AIDS. The healthier the bird and its environment, the more ability it has to withstand the effects of the virus. Because technically, although a bird may die from Marek's, it is often not the obvious reason for death. I, and most others (the virus is everywhere!) will be happy to answer any questions you have. Best wishes to you and your little silkie!

 

[diamondsilkies]

I gave her a little massage earlier which she didn't seem to mind. I didn't feel any unusual lumps. Her crop was relatively empty, although I have seen her eating. She definitely prefers the wet food over the dry. She hasn't pooped since I quarantined her, though.

She was shivering a little bit and it can get cold sometimes in the room she is in so I turned on a space heater I have. I put it on the floor in the opposite corner of the room so she wouldn't overheat. It seemed to perk her up a little bit. When I set her down she was a little farther from the food and she attempted to walk over to it, although she was very off balance and tripped on the way. I set her up again in front of the food and she took a few bites.

She is seven months old and just started laying a couple weeks ago, so she fits the usual description for Marek's. I will pick up some Nutri Drench tomorrow from the feed store. I haven't wormed them for a little while but I feed them pumpkin seeds, which are supposed to be a natural dewormer.

 

[diamondsilkies]

Here she is in the coop with her neck all hunched.

And then here is her setup. Regular water is in the white dish, electrolyte water in the clear dish.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Don't depend on pumpkin seeds for deworming. You will be disappointed. And your birds will be wormy. Use medication.
For an eggbound bird warm baths are recommended. Do a search here on eggbinding for details. The warm water helps their muscles relax. I have also read of people recommending epsom salt in the bath water.
Good luck with your hen.

 

[orrpeople]

Sorry for calling her a silkie in my earlier post. She does look like a little sweetie.
Her posture (hunched) indicates pain. Chickens mask symptoms so they don't incur the bullying of other birds who instinctually want to drive any infirmity from the flock. It also looks like she may be drooping a wing (the pic from the top).

As @CapricornFarm recommended, it wouldn't hurt to give her an epsom salt soak and a nice warm blow dry afterwards. Just make sure she doesn't get chilled.

If it is Marek's, it's kind of a wait and see thing now. Sometimes they rally and appear much better for a while (the tumors that put pressure on nerves causing paralysis may shift as they grow). The fact that she is still wanting to eat is a good thing.

 

[chickens really]

Sounds Broody too me...

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I think she is either egg bound or possibly starting to go broody. Just my 2 cents.

 

[orrpeople]

Inability to stand and or balance is not a classic sign of broodiness.