Help - Lethargic, Unbalanced Pullet

[Numberscruncher87]

I need some advice regarding a sick pullet. She is 24 weeks old and has not yet started laying. A few days ago I noticed her limping and she gradually became lethargic. Now she can’t walk more than a couple steps and then she collapses and lays down, and seems off balance. Her wings are drooping and her tail is down when she does stand. Her poop is normal, not runny or discolored. Her vent appears normal. She is not sneezing or coughing, and her eyes are clear. Her comb is red, as usual. She does not have mites or bumblefoot. She was vaccinated for Marek’s at the hatchery. She has been isolated for a couple days and was eating and drinking well yesterday, but not so much today. I have given her nutri-drench since yesterday but it doesn’t seem to be helping.

Any idea what this could be or how I can help her?

 

[azygous]

First, thank you for providing such good background information. It's not often we have everything we need to start making educated guesses about a condition. Usually, we need to drag it out over several posts to get enough info to start helping.

My guess is that it's heat related. Has it been very hot there? Even when a chicken is drinking enough water, heat stress can set in as electrolytes become out of whack.

Try cool water with sugar and salt and baking soda added - a cup of water with a talbespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt and baking soda. Or give straight Gatoraid. Do this every hour until the chicken is acting normal again.

If she is fading quickly, place cold compresses under her wings to cool her down.

 

[Numberscruncher87]

First, thank you for providing such good background information. It's not often we have everything we need to start making educated guesses about a condition. Usually, we need to drag it out over several posts to get enough info to start helping.

My guess is that it's heat related. Has it been very hot there? Even when a chicken is drinking enough water, heat stress can set in as electrolytes become out of whack.

Try cool water with sugar and salt and baking soda added - a cup of water with a talbespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt and baking soda. Or give straight Gatoraid. Do this every hour until the chicken is acting normal again.

If she is fading quickly, place cold compresses under her wings to cool her down.

 

[Numberscruncher87]

Thank you for the response! It has not been too hot here lately - low 80s during the day. I have been giving her water with electrolytes and nutri-drench daily. She is eating well and is alert, but still will not walk or stand. She just lays there and pecks at her food and looks around. If I pick her up, she can flap her wings and she curls her toes. Do you think a round of Corid would help? Or does this not sound like that type of issue?

 

[azygous]

It doesn't match coccidiosis symptoms. It's more like a neurological issue. The curling toes is ominous. I would speculate Marek's if the chicks hadn't been vaccinated, although it's not a guarantee they can't get Marek's if they're exposed to a different strain than what was in the vaccine.

Try vitamin E oil directly into the beak. Use it with boiled egg or give a sliver of selenium with it. Nutri-drench doesn't have these vitamins. It also doesn't have enough B vitamins for strengthening the legs, so dissolve a B tablet in the water daily. It may help. It may not, but it's worth a try.

 

[Numberscruncher87]

Almost two months later and the hen is mostly recovered. She started laying a few weeks back and lays almost every day. The only remaining issue is that her inner toe on both feet is curled and she seems a bit uncoordinated when she walks. Is there anything I can do to correct the remaining issues? She has made a great recovery considering I thought we’d have to euthanize her! She’s been on vitamin B complex and vitamin E with selenium since mid August.

 

[azygous]

I'd say your hen has beat the odds! I had the at 50/50. What wonderful news!

Vitamin E is fat soluble so it gets stored in the fatty tissues. Too much for too long can build up and we don't want to risk adverse effects. So you can stop giving that to her.

B vitamins are water soluble so she excretes the excess. You can keep up with those a while longer to see if it will further strengthen her legs.

I also suggest an occasional treat maybe three times a month, of canned mackerel or some other fish. Give it to all the chickens at the same time you give it to this hen so the special treatment won't go to her head. (Last part is a joke, but you have to use up the can.)

 

[Numberscruncher87]

Thanks for the reply! Given that she has recovered for the most part, could this still be Marek’s or does it point more toward a vitamin deficiency? There are two other chicks we bought with her that appear to have wry tail, which makes me wonder if there was a vitamin deficiency even though they were fed the same chick starter we always give our chicks.

 

[azygous]

Marek's shouldn't be ruled out. Chickens can become symptomatic for a while, then recover. It's not how it usually works, but it does happen.

It's also possible, because of genetics, these chickens are susceptible to vitamin deficiency from time to time. That's why I suggest bolstering their diet with a rich source of animal protein once every other week or so. Fish is loaded with the vitamins these guys would require to keep ahead of any further issues. However, if neurological symptoms arise, you will need to give vitamin E again as mackerel is very low in that. It does have all the selenium they would need.

Stuffing them with multi-vitamins is not something I'm comfortable recommending. It's better to treat symptoms as they arise than risk toxic overload of vitamins.

It's possible to stave off adverse symptoms of avian viruses with good nutrition and care. I've seen this in my own flock that carries the leucosis virus, and other BYC folks have managed to avoid wholesale loss to Marek's by paying close attention to good nutrition and care.