Help! 8 week old silkie chick suddenly can't walk

[tnelly13]

I have an 8week old silkie chick who was fine on Saturday (running around being her normal self) and when I went to feed Sunday morning she was laying on her side in the coop. I took her out and set her down, she was able to run away from me and then would fall down on her chest then eventually lay over on her side with her legs behind her. As the day went on she seemed to get worse and could no longer stand up on them at all, I have her separated and gave her some electrolytes this morning. She holds her head up and doesn't really seem to be in pain, she was also scooting around using her wings. She pecks a little of the chick grower but I am not sure how much she is actually eating, stool seems to be okay. Any ideas on what I can do for her? If anything?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chick. She seems to be having some symptoms of possible Mareks disease, or something else that causes neurological symptoms. Things like lead or chemical poisoning, moldy feed, or eating a poisonous plant may also cause it. Vitamin E deficiency can cause it. I would start some poultry vitamins and electrolytes in her water as you are doing, or try a product such as Poultry Cell vitamins 2 ml given orally daily. Offer her some raw or cooked egg, and make sure that she can reach her food. A chicken sling or chair may help to get her up to keep her from getting her droppings on her. Here are some articles to read about Mareks disease:
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/#/disease/Marek's_Disease

Edited by Eggcessive - 10/1/14 at 8:58pm

 

[tnelly13]

Thank you, I offered her some egg yesterday but she wasn't interested. She will pick at her chick grower and she is drinking out of the dropper well. Her wings seem to be functioning and she can move her legs more but still doesn't have enough control to keep them under her. I am still clinging to hope that she will get better, as far as her mind is she seems very aware/alert.

 

[rlbrand]

this sounds just like my 6 week old chick. this happened 4 days ago now.. still alive, but she won't stand or walk still. she eats and poop seems to be normal, just can't use her legs.

How is your chick doing?

 

[tnelly13]

Mine is still about the same, she is very alert even grooms herself where she can reach but just uses her wings and drags herself around. Seems happy other than her legs, which she will kick around quite a bit especially when you pick her up. I believe its an injury, I spoke to a vet this morning and I am going to take her in the morning to try and get it splinted up. He said we should try to keep the splint on a week or so and see what happens. I really didn't want to be paying for a vet visit for my $7.00 chicken but I want to help her since she doesn't seem to be in any pain. It has been 5 days now, but she does seem a little stronger. Hope your will be okay too. Never thought I would be getting this attached to my chickens, I am a horse person.

 

[rlbrand]

Unfortunately, my little pullet showed no signs of recovery. Her feet wouldn't flail at all, or move, just looked seazed with her feet curled up. She started eating and drinking less, stopped making any noises, and slept all day.. the first two days she could move her self around on her wings, but that stopped and she couldn't move at all, except her head. She began to have trouble breathing and started to have tremors. I ended up deciding euthanize her, was hard to see her in pain. I had her since she was 3 days old... so hard to have to see her go.

I am glad to hear yours is showing no signs of pain, and hopefully can get help from the vet to be back to normal again soon. Sounds like she has a good chance. I'm quite certain from all the threads and research I have done she had Mareks. So far the rest of my flock seems normal, and I pray it stays that way. I hate to have to go through loosing another chick.

 

[emmaie892000]

Sorry about your loss rlbrand
Best of luck with your chick tnelly
Mareks truly terrifies me, and I hope I never have to deal with it.

EDIT: I had to change up the names, got them switched!

 

[tnelly13]

I am sorry to hear about your chick RLBRAND. I do not have a new update on mine, she is still the same. Vet splinted her legs on Friday but I took it off yesterday because she couldn't move at all with it on- didn't even try to move. I am afraid she may not get better, it has been 9 days since the injury. I don't want to have to euthanize her when she seems happy otherwise

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for you loss.