Hen can't walk.... why?

[justplainbatty]

Thanks for the support and compliment Seminolewind. Ranchgirlcooks, don't give up, not all birds die of Mareks and you may as well keep trying to help her. The rest of the flock is already exposed so there's no need to cull her on account of the others.
Please keep posting progress if you please, we would love to know course of treatment and the outcome.

 

[Akrnaf2]

If you decide to keep alive the seek hen, you must take in consideration that the hen is actually a Virus production plant, that produce MDV 24/7 (if she have the strand that infect the skein and the feather follicles) and that put in risk any new chicks that you will decide to raise.

 

[ranchgirlcooks]

I'm so distraught. The mentioned hen is still hanging on, no worse and no better. But I went into the coop this morning and the littlest hen, about 6 weeks, is just lying there and she is typically very active. So I pick her up and she doesn't even open her eyes. I put her back down and she is wobbly. So I take her up to the house (by this time, her neck is starting to twist) and check her vent and clean her up and give her some electrolytes via dropper and she just dies right there. My kids are there and just so so upset. We are 3 weeks into this chicken venture and 2 have died and one can't walk.

Am I doing something wrong? Their coop gets plenty of fresh air, I rake the poop out every other day. I change the water several times a day. They eat Purina feed, fruit and veggie scraps, nuts, seeds, and eggshells. This little hen was absolutely fine last night before dark....running around, eating, drinking. I'm ready to give these chickens away

 

[justplainbatty]

I'm so distraught. The mentioned hen is still hanging on, no worse and no better. But I went into the coop this morning and the littlest hen, about 6 weeks, is just lying there and she is typically very active. So I pick her up and she doesn't even open her eyes. I put her back down and she is wobbly. So I take her up to the house (by this time, her neck is starting to twist) and check her vent and clean her up and give her some electrolytes via dropper and she just dies right there. My kids are there and just so so upset. We are 3 weeks into this chicken venture and 2 have died and one can't walk.

Am I doing something wrong? Their coop gets plenty of fresh air, I rake the poop out every other day. I change the water several times a day. They eat Purina feed, fruit and veggie scraps, nuts, seeds, and eggshells. This little hen was absolutely fine last night before dark....running around, eating, drinking. I'm ready to give these chickens away

I know this is hard. If it Mareks you cannot give the birds away nor can you eat them. (eggs ok) Your land is now "chicken sick" Mareks can stick around for at least 7 yrs past when you stop keeping chickens. You may as well learn all about Mareks. Send the one who just died for a necropsy to confirm Mareks and what type-tumorous,visceral, etc. I am so sorry for the way your chicken experience is going. Make sure you are giving the B vitamins (polyvisol) I mentioned. Keep a closed flock, all your birds are carriers now. Some may never show it, others beat it, some die. We'll do all we can to help and support you.
P.S. Are you giving them grit? No bird can live without it.

 

[ranchgirlcooks]

Thank you....I will run and get the Polyvisol today. I'm giving them eggshells....is that considered 'grit'? How much is a necropsy? As for the little one....I am aware it may very well have been my fault...maybe I drowned it giving it too much water? It was just a dropper but strange that it died when I was giving it water. But it was for sure showing symptoms of something.

 

[ranchgirlcooks]

I read this: Some birds develop temporary paralysis that disappears after 1-2 days. They appear to return to normal, but frequently die from internal tumors a short time later

Am I just prolonging the inevitable? It's been 4 days that she has been not able to move her legs but 8 days since I noticed that first little limp.

 

[Akrnaf2]

This is a link to an article that deal with the most impressive residents that the Fayumi chicken breed have against MD.
I think that this breed or maybe it crosses are a good choice in an area that is heavily infected with MD.
You can try to raise Fayumi chickens if you still want to continue with this wonderful hobby!
http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol4Iss2/Duguma.pdf

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you....I will run and get the Polyvisol today. I'm giving them eggshells....is that considered 'grit'? How much is a necropsy? As for the little one....I am aware it may very well have been my fault...maybe I drowned it giving it too much water? It was just a dropper but strange that it died when I was giving it water. But it was for sure showing symptoms of something.

I read this: Some birds develop temporary paralysis that disappears after 1-2 days. They appear to return to normal, but frequently die from internal tumors a short time later

Am I just prolonging the inevitable? It's been 4 days that she has been not able to move her legs but 8 days since I noticed that first little limp.

Grit is granite. They sell it by the chicken food and oyster. It is sifted from quarries to meet their needs. It's sharp and helps the bird grind food, most of it is ground in the gizzard but some is in their crop. Wild birds eat stones,pebbles and sand but they have much more area to range to find it than chickens. It's best if you provide it daily. Once the grit has become round and too small, the birds pass it in their poop.
If you dropper feed a bird, make sure the liquid goes down to the right of the tongue, the big hole behind the tongue is the trachea.
The amount of time it takes to recover from Mareks depends on what kind it is and breed and age of affected bird. Mareks tumors can kill later but it is hard to know if that will or will not be the case. I don't know how much a necropsy is in your state. Call the State Veterinary Office to find out. Make sure you are keeping the deceased one bagged in the refrigerator and send it asap. I really think Seminolewind would be a good person to talk to. Send her a PM and maybe you two can even talk by phone. Also, in Casportpony's signature, she explains how to send a bird for necropsy.

 

[justplainbatty]

This is a link to an article that deal with the most impressive residents that the Fayumi chicken breed have against MD.
I think that this breed or maybe it crosses are a good choice in an area that is heavily infected with MD.
You can try to raise Fayumi chickens if you still want to continue with this wonderful hobby!
http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol4Iss2/Duguma.pdf

That was a very interesting article/study. So, I would agree that Fayoumi chickens and by the study suggestion, White Leg Horns and Rhode Island Reds would be the most resistant with high survival when vaccinated. Maybe she can find hope in that.

 

[ranchgirlcooks]

Well, I ended up putting her down yesterday. She just was not getting any better and it got to the point where she couldn't even shift her position.

I'd love to know what it was but a necropsy is >250.00. Such a shame since other than not being able to move her legs she was fine, not acting sick or anything. But she is bird #3 we've lost and we've had chickens for about a month so I'm not doing so hot over here. I hope luck improves because I really do like the chickens! Thanks for all of your advice