I need help diagnosing what is going on with my chickens. Maybe it is really just injury, but I am worried. 
Last week I had a RCR polish go ill. He had been tender on one leg and I later found him in a corner, ruffled, eyes closed, and very weak and lethargic. I brought him in, and thought maybe he had been poisoned by a spray I had used inside the coop to prevent mites. I followed the instructions for poultry and kept them far away out to free range while it aired out. I washed him, blow dried him and gave Nutri-Drench and vitamins/electrolytes via a syringe. Kept him overnight, he perked up and I sent him out to the flock. He ate/drank and swiftly recovered.
Prior to this I had two other chickens come up lame for one day before bouncing back completely. I figured they were mashing themselves on the coop floor (they wont roost) and some how were hurting themselves.
Around Monday, soon after the polish recovered, my sultan came up limp, ruffled, dropped tail, and weak/lethergic. Same symptoms. I gave her the same treatment, washed/blow dry, supplements, vitamins, electrolytes. I stuck her back with the flock that evening as she perked up a little. I caught her eating and drinking. The next day she was markedly improved but still tender on a leg. Still, now, she is a bit quiet but will at least run when I approach like she typically does. Other than being a bit "off" she is doing well.
Today, open the coop door and find the same RCR polish limping again. He seemed bright, alert, ate and drank, scratched in the run and I took photos of everyone. Went out to check on him this afternoon and give them some steamed brussel sprouts and found him in his corner, hunched up, ruffled, eyes closed, lethargic and weak. I brought him in and gave him a slurry of yogurt, Nutri-Drench, and vit/elect water. He couldn't even hold his head up. I panicked and put him in a basket with a blanket, and jumped on BYC for a search for what to do.
Hear a wet poopy (
) so uncover him. Clean up the basket and set him on a new blanket where he begins picking up, chirping loudly, walking away and having many more bowel movements. He pooped on me while feeding, the wet poop in the basket, a ceacal poop in the new blanket while I was on the phone with a vet friend, and then one more time on the floor as he sprinted from the basket again. I was able to get some more water and vit/elec mixture down him before putting him out with the flock. He is nestled into the coop right now.
What the heck is going on?! No discharge from eyes, no wheezing, no lumps or bumps. Everyone else seems okay, great poops from all, and healthy appetites. They were due for a worming today, as I had some silkies with runny poop and weight loss. I'm not sure what to do now, and I'm not sure what to think or do from here to be proactive. No ocular changes and no nasal discharge. I'm worried about Marecks, of course, but I am not so certain. So many other things can present with lameness.
Help me. I don't know what to do!
Last week I had a RCR polish go ill. He had been tender on one leg and I later found him in a corner, ruffled, eyes closed, and very weak and lethargic. I brought him in, and thought maybe he had been poisoned by a spray I had used inside the coop to prevent mites. I followed the instructions for poultry and kept them far away out to free range while it aired out. I washed him, blow dried him and gave Nutri-Drench and vitamins/electrolytes via a syringe. Kept him overnight, he perked up and I sent him out to the flock. He ate/drank and swiftly recovered.
Prior to this I had two other chickens come up lame for one day before bouncing back completely. I figured they were mashing themselves on the coop floor (they wont roost) and some how were hurting themselves.
Around Monday, soon after the polish recovered, my sultan came up limp, ruffled, dropped tail, and weak/lethergic. Same symptoms. I gave her the same treatment, washed/blow dry, supplements, vitamins, electrolytes. I stuck her back with the flock that evening as she perked up a little. I caught her eating and drinking. The next day she was markedly improved but still tender on a leg. Still, now, she is a bit quiet but will at least run when I approach like she typically does. Other than being a bit "off" she is doing well.
Today, open the coop door and find the same RCR polish limping again. He seemed bright, alert, ate and drank, scratched in the run and I took photos of everyone. Went out to check on him this afternoon and give them some steamed brussel sprouts and found him in his corner, hunched up, ruffled, eyes closed, lethargic and weak. I brought him in and gave him a slurry of yogurt, Nutri-Drench, and vit/elect water. He couldn't even hold his head up. I panicked and put him in a basket with a blanket, and jumped on BYC for a search for what to do.
Hear a wet poopy (
What the heck is going on?! No discharge from eyes, no wheezing, no lumps or bumps. Everyone else seems okay, great poops from all, and healthy appetites. They were due for a worming today, as I had some silkies with runny poop and weight loss. I'm not sure what to do now, and I'm not sure what to think or do from here to be proactive. No ocular changes and no nasal discharge. I'm worried about Marecks, of course, but I am not so certain. So many other things can present with lameness.
Help me.
I don't know what to do!
