Has anyone's chicken ever recovered from paralysis?

[Eme]

Update:
It's been pretty much a week, and not much has changed. I had changed the crumbles a few days ago and he eats a lot by himself now. I have been giving him poultry vitamins as well as Bcomplex (with B12) and vitamin E in his water.

He is pretty alert and clucks when I walk into the room and since i put him in a towel shaped like a doughnut, he stays propped up pretty well, with food and water up against him.

His legs feel very warm, but I don't know if it is because he's constantly sitting on them - the only time he attempts to move is when he poops, he struggles a bit, I guess to not get it all over himself. His poo used to be very dry and green, but now its become more brown and moist, with just a little bit of green. It's all been solid and its never been all over him.

The only odd thing i noticed is if i move him into certain positions, he seems to feel pain. He'll start panting and closes his eyes, almost like he passes out. Then if i move him back, he is alert and eating again. One leg still seems tight against his chest (facing forward) and the other one sticks out in front. If he moves himself into certain positions it seems like his back seizes up, and his neck goes forward and he pants and closes his eyes. But if i shift him back, he's completely fine and doesn't seem to be in pain.
I really want to know what this is, and if he has a chance of recovering. I *think* i felt him twitch his foot when I was massaging his foot today, but I can't be certain. I guess I'm just really wanting him to get better. It pretty much just feels loose and no resistance when I move his leg and toes. He seems to have no control.

I am hoping as well that he doesn't have anything contagious to my two parrotlets. He is living upstairs in the bathroom across the hall from the parrotlet room, so I've tried to be careful to change my clothes and disinfect my arms between rooms.

I'm not sure how much time I should give him to get better...I still don't know whether its a disease/injury/poisoning/vitamin deficiency. If its marek's wouldn't he be deteriorating rapidly? And if its a vitamin deficiency, wouldn't the vitamins show some positive effect by now?

Hoping for the best.

 

[crtrlovr]

This could be any one (or more) of several issues, but when I dealt with a VERY similar situation, it was confirmed to be a combination of coccidiosis and Marek's. None of the ones I lost (and it was around 10 or so) displayed the classic Marek's posture of one leg forward, one leg back -- all of mine started losing their balance/coordination, then started settling slowly back on their hocks and eventually BOTH legs would be out in front of them. I tried antibiotics, injectable B vitamins, high protein feeds, St. John's wort, electrolytes, ... none of it helped much at all. One of the little bantam cochins lived for 3 mos. in the house, but it finally got to the point where she was miserable, and I could tell it by looking in her eyes. I'd been keeping her propped in a padded ring-type pet bed, sitting on disposable puppy pads, with her water & food dishes on elevated stands so she could reach them. I'd take her outside and prop her up in the grass or in a big planter so she could dust-bathe (she couldn't do it as well as the other chickens, but she certainly gave it a good effort -- I'd help her by sifting the loose soil over her back and under her wings for her) and enjoy outside air. I'd massage her legs and feet. I did everything I could think of, and her stools kept getting more watery and unformed, with bits of undigested crumbles in it, with a very foul odor (which was not the issue -- if I could have kept her feeling better and happy, I could find a way to deal with the odor issue). I talked to the vet, and he said it was a part of the disease process and that she was NEVER going to get any better, and would continue to waste away until she was too weak to survive. It absolutely broke my heart, but I knew at that point the kindest thing was to let her go with some dignity.

I hope you are NOT dealing with Marek's, but if you are, some of them CAN survive and develop a resistance to it. The vet said I should maintain a "none in, none out" policy and not hatch any, nor bring in adults from any other source. If (and it's a BIG if) I ever get any more chicks, they will either come from a hatchery that vaccinates, or from a breeder who vaccinates (and so far, I've not found any).

 

[tammye]

it took at least a week before my hen began to stand with assistance, took two weeks before she could walk, if yours has the same problem. I soaked her in a large bowl I use to wahs the car, so a dish pan, bathroom sink can be used to soak them. His front leg looks odd, maybe he hurt hinself, hence the pain reaction, all of these things would take time to heal, hope he gets better, poor guy

 

[Sportsterjeep]

I'll give you a little encouragement. One of my wifes favorite bantam polish pullets was found laying on her side in the run at about 3 months old. We took her in the house and she got special treatment. Electrolytes, vitamins, scrambled eggs, etc. This wasnt easy because she didn't have much of an appetite for the first week or so. She was inside for a month and a half before she even started kicking around in her brooder home. She finally recovered after about 2 months and after we found her perched on the side of the brooder for the second time, she went back out to the pen. It has been six months and she is fully recovered and normal.
The vitamin and electrolyte powder is good mixed with the water. You can also use enfamil infant vitamin drops without iron, we use these alot at our place.

 

[Eme]

Final Update:

Thanks to everyone who has been supportive and informative through this whole ordeal. However this story didn't have such a happy ending. Today I took him to the vet. He was still eating fine and looked alert, but had started having trouble extending his neck to reach his food without seizing up. The vet was pretty positive that it was marek's, she didn't find any broken bones or other injuries. So we decided to euthanize him. Which was sad. I didn't expect myself to be so affected by it, but I guess having him in the house made me bond with him. Also the fact that he was still pecking at his food and clucking just made it harder.

The vet also warned me that we may be seeing more cases, and recommended I not get anymore chickens (which sucks cause i only have roosters).

she is also doing some research on whether it is contagious to my parrotlets.(When she gets back to me ill update my other post)

All in all it was a pretty crappy day. However she was impressed by all that I knew and all that I've done to keep him alive, and I have you all to thank.

 

[Silkie Sue]

i started reading your post because i also have a "paralyzed" chicken and am looking for all the help i can get.
i'm sorry your story did not have a happy ending.

it's amazing how attached we get to these frustrating little creatures

 

[FRlEDeggs]

I'm really sorry about your chicken

I have had a pullet that can't stand for 2 months now...
She spends all her time in her "chicken chair"and I'm hoping she will get better with time.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Oh, I am so sorry for your loss

 

[exop]

Eme, I'm so sorry to hear about your roo.

Strength, exop

 

[ZaneyMama]

I'm sorry you had to put him down. I am debating doing the same with my hen who is showing very similar symptoms. She cannot stand at all now.

I hope your week gets better.