Help! Unbalanced hen!

The poop picture looks like the normally white urates are coral or pink, which can be normal at times, especially overnight. If there is blood in the actual poop, then it never hurts to treat with Corid if you suspect coccidioisis. I recently treated a hen who lost balance for 5 weeks. She had good leg strength and usually could stand, but would fall backward or sideways after taking 2-3 steps. Then suddenly she got up and walked and has not stopped since, although she wobbles some.

So, it may be Mareks, but I feel like giving them a chance to get better, especailly since I have never seen Mareks before in my flock. Make sure that she can get to food and water. Think about using a sling if she will tolerate it. Try vitamins, and offer her usuall feed with some egg or tuna for extra protein.

I'm sorry that your hen is not doing well.


Unbalanced and wobbly, if you can get a video of that - upload to youtube and provide a link.
There's so many things it could be, I would do as suggested by Eggcessive, see that she's eating/drinking. When did she last lay an egg?
thank you all! I will scramble an egg with some tuna for her, I have been giving her some Poultry Boost, and the only thing she seems to eat it if I offer her a mealeorm.. I'll will try and get a video... Should I separate her? The only issue is I don't have a good place to do it, because I have my chicks separated in the only extra area.
 
If she's not being picked on then I would leave her with the others to keep her stress level down. Since she's struggling with balance, you do want to make sure she is able to get to food/water and shade. I don't know about your weather, but it's hot here already, so you will want to check her frequently to make sure she's getting water.
 
If she's not being picked on then I would leave her with the others to keep her stress level down. Since she's struggling with balance, you do want to make sure she is able to get to food/water and shade. I don't know about your weather, but it's hot here already, so you will want to check her frequently to make sure she's getting water.
thanks! I made a chicken wire pen right off theirs because my bully hen was not being nice, she did start drinking water on her own, and taking a few bites of food.
 
She is in a sling I finished... She is a bit more interested in food, but I force fed her a little bit to make sure she doesn't starve.. she is doing MUCH better after I gave her activated charcoal! I'm thinking she ate something that wasn't good for her. Keep her in your prayers!
 
I just gave her some activated charcoal in case she is poisoned.... Guys...I want it straight....is it probably Marecks?:hit

She is in a sling I finished... She is a bit more interested in food, but I force fed her a little bit to make sure she doesn't starve.. she is doing MUCH better after I gave her activated charcoal! I'm thinking she ate something that wasn't good for her. Keep her in your prayers!
:hugs I don't know sweetie.

Can you feel her abdomen - is there any bloat/swelling or fluid? Do you know when she last laid an egg?

The Charcoal, is that in a form of a flush? Don't give that long term - just for a few hours. Try to get her hydrated since flushes are dehydrating.
She won't starve in a day, so focus on getting fluids into her along with the poultry vitamins. Wet feed would be good to give along with the egg once she's drinking.
 
:hugs I don't know sweetie.

Can you feel her abdomen - is there any bloat/swelling or fluid? Do you know when she last laid an egg?

The Charcoal, is that in a form of a flush? Don't give that long term - just for a few hours. Try to get her hydrated since flushes are dehydrating.
She won't starve in a day, so focus on getting fluids into her along with the poultry vitamins. Wet feed would be good to give along with the egg once she's drinking.
thanks....
Classical Marek's (nerolymphatosis), also known separately as neural and visceral forms. This form of Marek's is generally thought to be the most common. Sadly, it is also often the most deadly:
  • Paralysis of one or both legs, and sometimes wings. This can include staggering, increasing loss of motor control in one or both legs, inability to stand or balance. This may present sometimes as one leg forward and one leg back (“the splits”) or simple paralysis of the legs. This is caused by lesions to the sciatic nerve, that controls the legs movement.
  • Going off of food or inability to “connect” with food when trying to eat. Sometimes mistaken for a sour crop or other crop problems, lesions on the vagus nerve can cause dilation of the crop and/or proventriculus. The inner lining of the gizzard may also be effected.
  • Difficulty breathing, darkening comb. Caused by several factors; brachial nerve lesions can restrict respiration. Additionally, lymphomas are known to grow into the heart muscle, reducing the chicken's ability for proper respiration. The comb may become very dark red or purple in appearance and gasping or trouble breathing may occur. Marek's does not cause discharge, watering eyes or nose, or gurgling-- however these symptoms may be the result of a secondary viral infection by a different disease.
  • Lymphomas / Neoplasms (cancerous tumors) throughout the chicken. Though these symptoms can usually only be observed after death and a necropsy is conducted, lymphomas typically grow on the thymus (located in the neck, near the crop). The tumors then move on to grow on any of the following: gonads, spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, proventriculus, adrenals, muscles, and sometimes skin (enlarged feather follicles). These lymphomas are often aggressive, fast-growing, and are usually fatal as they cause organ failure.
  • Weight loss, “wasting”, depression. Inability to eat, connect with food, or digest food because internal tumors can cause rapid weight loss in birds. They may also “waste away” more slowly with no other obvious symptoms.
  • Loose, watery, and/or bright green stool. As the digestive system shuts down, or because the bird is not eating enough, the stools become increasingly loose and consisting of very little to no solids. This may be accompanied by green, bright green, or yellowish coloration.
I'm so freaking out... She has almost all these symptoms:hit
 

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