Help Please!!!!! My Silkie is paralysed!!!!! UPDATED!! VIDEO!!!

[Lacrystol]

Here is a video.

My wonderful DH set it up for me. Its a bit shaky and the it has a bit of glare. The first few seconds really shows how shaky he is. After a few minutes though he stopped doing his leg back thing and would not perform for the camera...go figure. You can really see it though in the first few seconds as he walks toward the far wall, then turns around and tries to run back past the waterer. Its the best I can do since he acts like Im a big bad wolf!

Thats Stumpy in the brooder with him. Dont worry, hes not stuck under the roost bar, he just likes to sit there for some reason....maybe its because its by the food.

I really need to know if its Meraks. If it is, Im going to cull and sanitise.

He is 6-8 weeks old, no other symptoms, just the leg problems. He is on vitamins and antibiotics. He gets medicated chick starter. He has not come into contact with anything different than any of the other chicks. The brooder is filled with shavings. The waterer is cleaned every morning. All the chicks have all been fed, handled and treated the same. No symptoms are in any of the other chicks. The others are real close to the same age. All but Stumpy have come from the same breeder. The breeder is not currently having any issues with any of her flock or chicks. Her adult flock free ranges with turkeys. The chicks have only been outside once, about 2 weeks ago on the lawn for about 3 minutes each. They ate nothing. I have not gone to the feed store since getting these chicks, so i doubt i would ahve tracked anything back on my clothing or shoes. I dont know or visit any other chicken owners.

The only way for sure that you can tell if it's merek's is by taking him into a lab and have him tested, of course, they prefer to have the chicken alive in which they will cull him. It does seem like it's going forward but He also pulls it back and walks on it. It also looks like he's walking on the back part of his leg not the part where his nails are so he is protecting that leg. Which indicates possible soreness or injury. If he is pulling or stressing when you touch that leg, i would say he injured it. With Mereks they get paralized, they usually don't feel a thing so therefore he would have no reason to pull back. I am not an expert but have had several experiences with leg problems. Right now I have a silkie that got string so tightly wrapped around her feet it cut the circulation off and she is limping something horribly..

I personally would keep up with the Vitamins and work with him, I don't think antibotics is really going to do anything for him. If he injured it or even if he has Mereks antibotics is going to do nothing for him. So If you want to stop that you can but keep up with the Vitamins. exspecially Vitamin B-2. He will either recover or get worst. If you see that leg going forward to where his is down and can't walk at all, then I would say definitely Mereks and cull him. But right now, since he is using it, I would keep up with the Vitamins... Did I read right that you said the other leg is going backwards? I'm not seeing that in the Video, check out her skin, see under her feathers, does her skin look flaky? Flakiness is another sign of Mereks, in fact from what I know that is one other way how the other chickens get it by inhaling the flaky skin...

Tell me the history, did you hatch her or did you pick her up, if you picked her up from somewhere did you confine for at least a month? How long has she been like this? how long have you had her that is if you picked her up somewhere. If she has Merek and you picked her up from somewhere, usually the move will stress out a chicken and put the disease into overdrive, sort of speeking. How does her poop look like? is there any diarear? Feel her body, does she feel skinny? Does she eat a lot and seem like she's not gaining a pound? This is just some other things you can look for to determine, of course, it's different with every chicken but perhaps this will help you determine if possible Mereks or just an injury... Also check her crop, does she fill it at the end of the day and is it empty by morning, to determine this, try giving her as much food as possible during the day, then when it's bed time take the food away, feel her crop, in the morning when you go to give her, her food for the day feel the crop first... if it's empty that's a great sign her system is working... How much polyvisol are you giving her? For the Vitamin B-2 you can take a pill and drop it in her water the pill will melt, it will make the water yellow but at least you know she's getting a good shot of it.

hope this helps you a little....

 

[Reurra]

I got him and the black silkie and the cochins all in the same week from the same lady.

I have had him and the other for about 1 month.

Symptoms started roughly 5 days ago.

All of my chicks are healthy but this one.

He is alert and eating, last night his crop was full.

He does feel in his foot because he pulls away if I stroke the feathers of his leg.

There is no injury I can see from the outside.

His skin is not flaky.

He has no swollen follicles.

No feathers are falling out.

He should be between 6 and 8 weeks old.

He drinks and eats regularly.

He is on shavings, though the package does not state what kind.

He is not skinny but he is not muscular either.

He gets .25-.30 ML Polyvisol once daily.

There are vitamins in his water and antibiotics, which the vet suggested I use in case of internal infection.

He is on medicated chick starter which the vet said I should put him on, he did not have it before, just standard chick starter up to 4 days ago.

He does not have a fever that i know of.

He sleeps leaning over, nearly on his back.

He does not stretch out his legs when sleeping.

He is not breathing heavy or laying inert.

He does try to walk, but it is unsteady.

He does not cross his legs when he walks.

He does not seem to have diarrhoea or runny poop.

His cecal poo was sort of army green an hour ago, but he dropped a normal poo recently.

They do not get treats like bread or anything else. I ahve not introduced these ones to worms yet.

No panting.

No Sneezing.

No wheezing or discharges of any kind.

When sitting down, it looks as though her left leg wants to straighten out rigid. It sticks out in front of her instead of being tucked underneath.

 

[Lacrystol]

I got him and the black silkie and the cochins all in the same week from the same lady.  

I have had him and the other for about 1 month. DO YOU HAVE OTHER CHICKENS AND DID YOU KEEP THESE GUYS AWAY FROM THEM FOR THE FULL MONTH

Symptoms started roughly 5 days ago. FOR AN INJURY IT WILL TAKE LONGER TO HEAL

All of my chicks are healthy but this one. GLAD TO HERE THIS


He is alert and eating, last night his crop was full. GOOD TRY TO CHECK IT IN THE MORNINGS TO MAKE SURE IT EMPTIES.

He does feel in his foot because he pulls away if I stroke the feathers of his leg.  

There is no injury I can see from the outside.

His skin is not flaky. GOOD

He has no swollen follicles. GOOD

No feathers are falling out. GOOD

He should be between 6 and 8 weeks old. OK

He drinks and eats regularly. THAT'S GREAT

He is on shavings, though the package does not state what kind.  HUMMMM, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE PROBLEM THOUGH

He is not skinny but he is not muscular either. HES PROBABLY NOT MOVING AROUND MUCH, AS LONG AS HE FEELS, HE'S GOT WEIGHT THAT'S GOOD.

He gets .25-.30 ML Polyvisol once daily. THERE'S SOMETHING JUST AS GOOD AS POLIVSOL AND THAT IS POUTRY DRENCH. GET SOME VITAMIN B-2 IN HIM

There are vitamins in his water and antibiotics, which the vet suggested I use in case of internal infection. I WOULD THINK AFTER 5 DAYS THE ANTIBOTICS WOULD HAVE HELPED BY NOW OR AT LEAST SHOW SOME SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENTS. WHAT KIND OF ANITBOTICS ARE YOU USING..

He is on medicated chick starter which the vet said I should put him on, he did not have it before, just standard chick starter up to 4 days ago. GOOD

He does not have a fever that i know of. THE SKIN UNDERNEATH WILL FEEL REALLY WARM

He sleeps leaning over, nearly on his back.  TRYING TO PICTURE THIS??? IS HIS HEAD ON THE GROUND TO THE SIDE OR IS HIS HEAD COMPLETELY UPSIDE DOWN SO HE'S LOOKING UP???

He does not stretch out his legs when sleeping.  THEY SHOULD BE TUCKED UNDER WITH AN INJURY THEY AREN'T GOING TO STRAIGHT THEM AT ALL IT WOULD HURT TO MUCH TO DO SO.

He is not breathing heavy or laying inert. GOOD TO HERE

He does try to walk, but it is unsteady. DOES HE FALL OVER, IN THE VIDEO HE BABIES THAT LEG SO IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME THAT HE'S UNSTEADY.. BABYING THAT LEG HE'S BOND TO LOOSE BALANCE.

He does not cross his legs when he walks. NOPE PROBABLY KEEPS THEM SPREAD APART..

He does not seem to have diarrhoea or runny poop. GOOD

His cecal poo was sort of army green an hour ago, but he dropped a normal poo recently. GOOD SO HIS SYSTEM IS WORKING...

They do not get treats like bread or anything else.  I ahve not introduced these ones to worms yet. SPEAKING OF HAVE YOU WORMED YOUR CHICKENS LATELY.

No panting. GOOD

No Sneezing. GOOD

No wheezing or discharges of any kind.GOOD

When sitting down, it looks as though her left leg wants to straighten out rigid.  It sticks out in front of her instead of being tucked underneath.

DOES THE OTHER ONE GO TOWARDS THE BACK KIND OF LIKE SHE'S DOING THE SPLIT. IF NOT THEN IT COULD BE REALLY SORE TO SORE TO LAY ON, ALTHOUGH I WOULD THINK IF SHE INJURED IT THAT BAD, SHE WOULDN'T WANT TO LAY DOWN AT ALL JUST KEEP STANDING UP PULLING THE ONE FOOT TOWARDS HER CHEST..

IF SHE SEEMS LIKE SHE'S DOING THE SPLIT CHANCES ARE IT COULD BE A CASE OF MEREKS. YEK.... IF NOT PLEASE GET SOME VITAMIN B-2 IN HER... A REALLY GOOD ANITBOTIC TO USE IF YOUR VET THINKS AN INTERNAL INFECTION WOULD BE TO INJECT HER WITH TYLAN, 1/2cc, THIS WOULD KNOCK OUT THE INFECTION YOU ONLY NEED TO USE IT FOR THREE DAYS. I DOUBT IT IF IT'S AN INTERNAL INFECTION THOUGH you can get this at tractor supply it's used for cows but it can be used for chickens just very little...an internal injury will take longer then 5 days for sure...Could take weeks..

 

[Lacrystol]

Just in case you can't tell I have responded inside your post as well as at the bottom....

 

[Reurra]

Yeah its like the splits, but the minute the leg goes back she pulls it under her again.

I held her up, supporting her under her chest and put pressure on both her legs at once by pushing down slowly. She made resistance, but her legs trembled as if weak.

We dont ahve a tractor supply here, we are in Canada...you know the land of igloos lol

The leg going behind her, like the splits, both times was like a stumble or a slip like she lost footing. I dont know if her right leg is getting tired of supporting her weight off the left one. In the video, in the beginning you can see how she over steps like taking stride when she tries to run.

The pharmacy opens on monday, Ill see about getting the B2 pills then. The polyvisol has B2 in it....does she need a massive dose?

 

[Reurra]

Thanks for looking that over so well!

Ok....The other chickens outside have not come in contact with these chicks. One, the chicks inside are too young to integrate with the older birds outside, and 2 yes, Im giving them quarentine time. I keep my hands clean and make sure i do the outside coop before coming in and doing the babies so that I dont carry anything outside to my hens. I take care to change shoes too.

The left leg is the one I see sticking out, the right leg is the one that seems to be stumbling and slipping more, sometimes it looks as though it wants to jerk backwards and he is trying to keep it under him like a normal leg.

He can walk normal sometimes, especially if I get him up and make him move his legs. But shortly after he acts as though his leg is really tired or weak. He does have feeling, I have confirmed that.

When he sleeps, he tried to wiggle his head under Stumpy. When he is alone he rest it in an upright position, then slowly as he falls into a deeper sleep his body leans over and he almost goes over on his side completely though his head stays tucked. He does not stargaze or have any sort of loss of control in his neck or head. He does shake his head like he has an itch, he scratches now and again.

If I hold him for a while he pants, but thats probably because Im warming him with my own body.

I wormed the hens in May, but I have not done the chicks, i didnt want to hurt them and Im not sure of dosing for chicks.

 

[Reurra]

The feathers on his feet are really thick, almost like spikes. Can these hurt them at all?

 

[Sylvestor12]

Probably not, It doesn't seem to affect my silkies in any way.

 

[leadwolf1]

If your chick is now doing splits, I would be very concerned that it is Marek's. At first, they do have some control but, it will get worse. And, contrary to popular belief, the paralysis with Marek's is different then normal paralysis that we think of. They will jerk back when pinched or poked. They will move their legs just lose the ability to control and walk on them. At this point, I would recommend euthanizing and having a necropsy done. The lab that I used did not want live birds, they preferred that they had been euthanized first.

I'm so sorry

 

[Suzierd]

I think there's still a good chance it's a injury, no one else is or has got any symptoms right? Is there a vet you can take him to? Hope he gets better. It takes time for a pulled muscle to heal.