Hen can no longer sit up or walk what could it be??

[dandydoodle]

I have a young hen about 5 months old. She seemed fine until a about a month ago. I started noticing her having trouble standing. It slowly but, progressively got worse. Eventually she couldn't stand at all. She would just sit. Now she can't sit anymore and she lies on her side. She is still very alert and eats and drinks and talks to you. I asked before some people suggested Mareks but, I don't think that is it. She is in with other babies and no one else has come down with anything and it has been about a month. No one else is sick at all. Does anyone have any suggestions of what you think it could be???? Oh yeh, when this first started happening I ran her a course of antibiotics, I wormed her and gave her vitamins. I also put Apple cider vinegar in her water. None of these things helped.

Any suggestions of what it could be?
Does it sound like she was just born with a weak heart or something?

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[BantamLover21]

Do her legs seem paralyzed, or just really weak? Try pressing your finger into the ball of each foot, and see whether she responds (most chickens will curl their toes and/or clench their leg). Also, was she vaccinated as a chick for Marek's? Unfortunately, I really think that Marek's is the most likely--no other disease that I know of causes gradual paralyisis, yet no other symptoms. If you want her to live, you could try treating with hypericum/St. Johns Wort (here is a thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/135247/st-johns-wort). Otherwise, it would probably be more humane to cull her.

 

[dandydoodle]

Do her legs seem paralyzed, or just really weak? Try pressing your finger into the ball of each foot, and see whether she responds (most chickens will curl their toes and/or clench their leg). Also, was she vaccinated as a chick for Marek's? Unfortunately, I really think that Marek's is the most likely--no other disease that I know of causes gradual paralyisis, yet no other symptoms. If you want her to live, you could try treating with hypericum/St. Johns Wort (here is a thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/135247/st-johns-wort). Otherwise, it would probably be more humane to cull her.

I don't know if she was vaccinated or not. Isn't Mareks contagious. If she had Mareks wouldn't some of the other babies she lives with? They are all about the same age and have been living together for at least 3 months now. This is why I was thinking it isn't Mareks. I just really want to know what caused this.

If it is Mareks if I give her meds for Mareks will she improve some or will she stay at the state she is in now? I don't care if she can't get around well but, right now she really can't get around at all. Keeping her this way would probably be inhumane. Please let me know if these meds would make her improve if that is in fact what it is. If the meds will at least get her to a point she can hobble I will do it.

 

[dandydoodle]

Does anyone else have any other suggestions of what it could be?

 

[dandydoodle]

?

 

[Wyandottes7]

I don't know if she was vaccinated or not. Isn't Mareks contagious. If she had Mareks wouldn't some of the other babies she lives with? They are all about the same age and have been living together for at least 3 months now. This is why I was thinking it isn't Mareks. I just really want to know what caused this.

If it is Mareks if I give her meds for Mareks will she improve some or will she stay at the state she is in now? I don't care if she can't get around well but, right now she really can't get around at all. Keeping her this way would probably be inhumane. Please let me know if these meds would make her improve if that is in fact what it is. If the meds will at least get her to a point she can hobble I will do it.

Marek's is contagious, but it doesn't show up in all birds at the same time. Often, one bird will get sick, then a month or so later, another bird will get it.

There isn't really a treatment for Mareks (or, at least none that have been proven yet). However, you can try Hypericum(St. Johns Wart). There is a thread about St. Johns Wart and using it to treat Marek's on this website (just type in "St. John's Wart" in the search bar of this website). It certainly wouldn't hurt to try using it. It, according to the thread, can heal a bird with Mareks.

 

[BantamLover21]

I don't know if she was vaccinated or not. Isn't Mareks contagious. If she had Mareks wouldn't some of the other babies she lives with? They are all about the same age and have been living together for at least 3 months now. This is why I was thinking it isn't Mareks. I just really want to know what caused this.

If it is Mareks if I give her meds for Mareks will she improve some or will she stay at the state she is in now? I don't care if she can't get around well but, right now she really can't get around at all. Keeping her this way would probably be inhumane. Please let me know if these meds would make her improve if that is in fact what it is. If the meds will at least get her to a point she can hobble I will do it.

Marek's is everywhere, so allmost all birds are exposed to it. But not all birds exposed will become infected (many birds are resistant), and of those that are affected, only a few will show obvious symptoms. The others may have internal tumours and act normal otherwise; you may never even know they're ill until they die or you have them necropsied.

A lot of people have had success treating Marek's disease infected birds with the meds for Marek's. Many birds make a full recovery, and I think that there is a good chance that your hen would, too. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to try and treat her, even if you aren't sure whether it will work.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Does anyone else have any other suggestions of what it could be?

It is possible that she has a vitamin deficiency, though I think that Marek's is more likely. Try giving her some vitamins for a couple weeks, and see if that helps. You can give special poultry vitamins (you can probably order online, and a feed store might carry some), or you can give Poly Vi Sol baby vitamins.

 

[realsis]

Does her neck seem bent or twisted in any way?? If yes it could possibly be wry neck. Is the head bent down to the chest or anything at all different about her neck??

 

[dandydoodle]

Marek's is contagious, but it doesn't show up in all birds at the same time. Often, one bird will get sick, then a month or so later, another bird will get it.

There isn't really a treatment for Mareks (or, at least none that have been proven yet). However, you can try Hypericum(St. Johns Wart). There is a thread about St. Johns Wart and using it to treat Marek's on this website (just type in "St. John's Wart" in the search bar of this website). It certainly wouldn't hurt to try using it. It, according to the thread, can heal a bird with Mareks.

I will check it out. Do you know where I could get it? I guess if I gave it to her and she got better at least I would know what was wrong. Thanks.