Help! 13 wk old pullet head hanging down and shaking

[VeggieGoneEggie]

Worst nightmare: I’m on vacation out of state, and my house sitter watching my chickens for me says something is wrong with Stella, my 13 wk old silver laced Wyandotte pullet. It’s so hard not being there, but I’m trying to determine what’s wrong from afar and see if there’s something my sitter can do. I’ve been gone for 6 days.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) Last I saw (6 days ago) she was perfectly healthy, everything typical. From what I’m told, she was normal yesterday morning when the flock was let out to free range in our fenced in yard. 13 weeks old. Silver laced Wyandotte pullet. Weight unknown but appeared normal.

2) What is the behavior, exactly. Report is: She is walking very slow, but steady (not stumbling/imbalanced). Head is hanging down and appears she can’t lift it. Head is shaking/twitching. Also reports one eye looks gray/white.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? At least 13 hours, as of this posting. Not more than about 30 hours.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No, not that I’m aware.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. Reports that no signs of injury are seen.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. No.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Has been drinking clean water and chick grower... unsure if Stella is currently eating.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. unknown.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? N/A

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? Most ideal situation: treat or stabilize for 4 more days until I return home and can see a vet with the bird. Otherwise: advice on what I can ask my house sitter to do, or if I should ask her to take Stella to a vet to be euthanized.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. This is the video my house sitter made for me this morning - really hard to see though:

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use: Predator proof coop and run at night. Flock gets let out to free range in fenced in yard during the day. Pine shaving bedding. A bale of straw that sat out for hopping on got wet with rain, so broke up the bale for all the birds to scratch around in about one week ago. Yard has a compost bin where vegetable/fruit scraps, garden weeds, and chicken manure goes.

 

[Eggcessive]

With her neck down and a grey eye, it could possibly be Mareks disease. Do you know if she was vaccinated for it? Eyes can turn grey from blindness due to cataracts, infection, injury, viruses, and vitamin deficiency.

If her neck is stuck down or to the side, it could be wry neck, which is a neurological symptom, seen in head injury, vitamin E deficiency, or seen in several diseases, such as Mareks and other. If the neck is limber and she cannot raise it, that can be a sign of botulism from eating dead animals or buried vegetation—things that have been in an anaerobic environment underground or unde water. Botulism normally causes paralysis of feet and legs, moving up the body to wings, and neck.

Mold poisoning or other poisoning can can neurological symptoms. I would bring her inside the coop or house in a dog crate, basket, or bath tub with food and water. Offer water up to her beak. Give her a few drops of Poultry NutriDrench, Poultry Cell, or add electrolytes to her water. Pedialyte or gatorade are good substitutes. Vitamin E, thiamine, and selenium are good ingredients in a chicken vitamin to give. Offer some soft chopped egg, and some wet watery chicken feed in a small bowl. Watch her poops for anything unusual. An old towel, puppy pads, or paper towels are good for bedding.