Help: Nervous System Disorder?

[ReseisCL16]

My Blue Wyandotte hen (about a year old) seems to have trouble walking and responding to other chickens around her. She can still walk enough so that she can eat, drink, and get in the coop at night by herself, but whenever she does walk, her left leg seems to give out and she trips over it constantly. I raised her from a chick too, and I can usually hold her without much difficulty. However, recently, when I picked her up to inspect her leg, she squirmed and squawked until I set her down, which is really unusual. She also doesn't seem to be able to see very well.

I have had another bird with a nervous disorder, and she was eventually paralyzed. Does anyone recognize her symptoms? Will this eventually happen to my hen?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mareks comes to mind. Often times the change to fall weather will trigger illnesses to flair up.

 

[ReseisCL16]

Oh, that makes sense. Mareks is incurable, right?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear your hen is not doing well.

I agree with @oldhenlikesdogs it does sound like she could be suffering from Marek's. You are correct, it is incurable. Some can rebound from some of the symptoms, the only thing you can do is watch to see that she is eating/drinking and offer support care like providing extra poultry vitamins that include B Vitamins and extra protein. Without testing/necropsy there is no way to know for sure. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Just in case, give her a thorough going over, check for lice/mites, see that her crop is emptying overnight, feel her abdomen for any swelling/bloat or feeling of fluid that would indicate reproductive problems and consider having a fresh sample of poop tested to rule out a worm overload. Molting is stressful and this is the time that any underlying illnesses or conditions can start to be seen.

Please keep us posted.

 

[coach723]

Mareks is not cureable, although some birds do survive, mortality can be high. There are some other illnesses and conditions that can mimic the symptoms. The only way to positively identify Mareks for sure is through necropsy, so if you lose this bird that would be best, then you would know for sure. Mareks is highly contagious.
Your best place to start for info on Mareks is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[ReseisCL16]

I did a few read-ups on Mareks when i first started with poultry, but that was a while ago. If she is contagious for Mareks, should i separate her?

 

[coach723]

It is always a good idea to separate a sick bird, for multiple reasons. However, if it is Mareks then your flock has already been exposed. I would separate her and provide supportive care as Wyorp Rock recommended, and give her a thorough going over and watch her for a while. It's much easier to monitor them when they are separated, and that way she will not be injured by other birds and compound the problem. If it is Mareks then there is really nothing you can do other than provide supportive care. If it is something else you have a chance to maybe identify it. As I said before, if you lose her, I highly recommend getting confirmation of what you are dealing with through necropsy, then you can make informed decisions about your flock moving forward.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If one bird has Mareks all will have been exposed at some point. Separation for the reason of fear of it infecting others will be useless. Separation to protect a sick bird is always a good idea. I have had Mareks birds, it doesn't always mean doom and gloom for the whole flock.

Testing will confirm or deny it.