Help - pullet can no longer walk at all

[big mami]

One of my 5 month old Barred Rock pullets was limping the other day and now cannot walk at all. I've examined her and there is no injury I can find. She doesn't flinch or make a sound when I feel her legs and stretch them out. If I put her up on her feet, she just collapses. All we can do at this point is isolate her with her own food and water on the floor so she can reach it. Any ideas what it might be?

 

[HEChicken]

Was it a limp like her leg hurt, or a limp like she no longer had control of one leg and had to drag herself around with the other? Mareks causes gradual paralysis in the legs leading to them having increasing difficulty walking but not sure if that fits your description.

 

[kellysmall87]

Sounds like she's paralysed to me. Esp with no feeling in legs. Maybe it's neurological and there's nothing you can do. As long as she feed and drinks then that will be fine, but she'll be lying in her own faeces and it will take a lot of work to keep her clean and maggot free.

 

[kellysmall87]

what happened with her?

 

[big mami]

We culled her and then cleaned the coop like crazy. So far, no others have symptoms. Wish us luck!

 

[kellysmall87]

Such a shame but it did sound like you had to do it. Good luck and I hope it's nothing contageous.

 

[big mami]

So far so good - none of the others have any symptoms! We might be out of the woods now that it's been a week - yes?

 

[kellysmall87]

I should imagine so, yes. Fingers crossed!