Help! Very sick chicken.

[Baby_the_duckling]

None that aren't open till tomorrow. I live a few hours from the city. I guess I should try to see about getting her in in the morning if she makes it through the night. Thank you.

Good luck

 

[Sylie]

None that aren't open till tomorrow. I live a few hours from the city. I guess I should try to see about getting her in in the morning if she makes it through the night. Thank you.

I am so sorry that you are having this problem, we all understand how frustrating it can be to have a sick chicken. I really hope that she makes it through the night and that you are able to get her to the vet. Please keep us updated on the situation.

 

[rebrascora]

I would agree that it sounds like Marek's disease. Silkies are particularly prone to it. Please don't leave her wet overnight. Use a hair drier to blow dry her. Leaving her wet when she is already sick is not ideal unless you have extremely hot weather.
If you can get some Nutri Drench or Poultry Cell vitamin supplement and give her a few drops direct into her beak that may help give her a boost. Keeping her comfortable and stress free is importasnt. If she is unable to support herself in an upright position, a chicken sling or hammock may help. They can be made quite simply from everyday items....

Some people cut a third hole under the vent to let poop drop through and attach little pots to the front of the box for food and water and adjust the sling so that she can reach them.
Some birds take to a sling well and others do not like them. It is important to adjust the height so that her feet just touch the bottom as may birds panic and struggle if they can't feel the ground. If she will not settle in the sling, try placing her between 2 rolled up towels to keep her upright.
Unfortunately bringing anything other than day old chicks into your flock risks bringing disease, even from a well respected breeder. Marek's disease is exceptionally common and NPIP certification does not cover it.

Good luck with her but I'm afraid you may be in for some heartache.

 

[A_lynn13]

I would agree that it sounds like Marek's disease. Silkies are particularly prone to it. Please don't leave her wet overnight. Use a hair drier to blow dry her. Leaving her wet when she is already sick is not ideal unless you have extremely hot weather.
If you can get some Nutri Drench or Poultry Cell vitamin supplement and give her a few drops direct into her beak that may help give her a boost. Keeping her comfortable and stress free is importasnt. If she is unable to support herself in an upright position, a chicken sling or hammock may help. They can be made quite simply from everyday items....



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Some people cut a third hole under the vent to let poop drop through and attach little pots to the front of the box for food and water and adjust the sling so that she can reach them.
Some birds take to a sling well and others do not like them. It is important to adjust the height so that her feet just touch the bottom as may birds panic and struggle if they can't feel the ground. If she will not settle in the sling, try placing her between 2 rolled up towels to keep her upright.
Unfortunately bringing anything other than day old chicks into your flock risks bringing disease, even from a well respected breeder. Marek's disease is exceptionally common and NPIP certification does not cover it.

Good luck with her but I'm afraid you may be in for some heartache.

I brought her in an blow dried her and now she's inside in a box. Thank you for the info. I feel so sad for her. Two days ago she was fine and playing in the grass and now she can't move or keep her head up. Thank you

 

[rebrascora]

I have had some young birds with Marek's make some remarkable recoveries and get well as quickly as they took ill, but they will always have the disease and be prone to further attacks but quality of life in between is so normal you would not know they had such a horrid disease. It sounds like you will need to help her eat and drink. To ensure that she doesn't get dehydrated it would be best to feed her mushy food like scrambled eggs or her regular food soaked in water to make a mush. Adding scrambled egg to it will make it more appealing. If she doesn't make it, you would be well advised to have a necropsy performed by your state agriculture dept diagnostics lab, so that you know for sure what you are dealing with. Hopefully I will be wrong, but Marek's is incredibly common and widespread, so the most likely diagnosis in my opinion.