Help! Silkie staggering, trouble walking

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i have a 1-1/2 year old silkie hen who i noticed tonight was staggering, having trouble walking. i went to pick her up and she fell over, legs sprawled. i got her up and felt all over. i do not feel any lumps, bumps or breaks. She is staggering walking, using her wings for balance. Her mouth is open a bit, panting, probably as i am paying so much attention to her.

i checked her vent and i can see a bit of her intestines, but she is not prolasped. i do not feel anything abnormal in her stomach, such as internal laying. Not sure what else to check. All chicken docs in the neighborhood are closed right now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hereachick]

I had one silkie that had something similar but, it was a roo.Everyone said it would die. I took it to the vet they gave me some bacterial med,wormer,and anti inflammatory med (they didn't offer much hope and thought the bird would die) which I used as directed but the roo showed little improvement.So I tried vitamin /electrolyte water for a wk. a mixture of plain yogurt, layer pellets,honey and applesauce every day.Even treid catfood both canned and dry.Just when I was about to give up this roo stood up on his own.He's out in the pen with the others today.(this was about a yr ago)
Currently, I have another roo a mille fleur who (a few wks ago) started off just being weak falling over to one side when stood up and panting alittle.I've tried everything! Thought at first it might be botulism from the wet hay,tried the cure for that nothing.Everything I tried hasn't worked instead he stays about the same only now he seems to favor one side.Thought at first it was paralysed but when forced to use it he will.I now think as others have said it's Mareks disease from which there is no cure! It can also infect the rest of your flock I'm told.Best to kill it! However, I cannot kill anything so I will wait and see just as I did before.I keep him seperated from the others in a pen of his own hoping he will either get better or die on his own. His appetite is great and he has no troubles eating so whatever it is if given time???? Last roo took about 2 months to recover.Hope this helps you at least alittle. Good luck!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Have you checked her for head injuries? Is she vauled or not?

I would take her out of the flock and give her a safe secure place to rest like a pet carrier or small cage. Bring her inside if you have to so that you can watch her until you can get her to a vet, or accurately diagnose the problem.

 

[dlhunicorn]

...i checked her vent and i can see a bit of her intestines, but she is not prolasped. ...

put her in a warm bath or on a hot steamy towel for a bit in case it has to do with problems in laying (which can sometimes cause problems this)... hopefully the problem will be gone once the egg is laid.​

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Thank you all so much for your responses. i did remove her from the flock and and gave her yogurt and scrambled eggs. She ate like she was starving. Her breast bone feels a little too prominent. She may not have been getting enough food. She is always the most frantic when i take treats to the pen, thrusting herself up against the side of the cage like maybe she can break through the chain link and get to the food first.

i kept her in the spare aviary for the next day, providing extra food. She was pretty quiet, and then she laid an egg and squawked her head off.

i let her out and she looked to be walking normally. i am totally perplexed! She is vaulted. Would a head peck cause that wobbly walk, tucked tail, and (what looked like) vertigo? She is a scrapper, so will get into little dominance fights every so often with a couple of the other head hens.

Anyhow, she wanted back in the flock so i put her back. Still pulling her out each day for a bowl of scrambled eggs.

Hereachick, so sorry if your roo has Mareks. That was the first thing i thought about my girl, so read up on it. Sounds like it can be treated, but isn't curable. Hope that is not what your guy has. Let us know, okay?

 

[hereachick]

so glad to her your girl is ok!