Hello,
This is my first post and I am new to raising chickens (aside from the ones we had when I was a kid). I have two hens I bought from my local feed store. They are about ten months. The man at the feed store says they are vaccinated. About three days ago, the Araucana had a prolapsed vent, which after some tending, resolved itself. I washed her bottom as best I could with water and a little peroxide. After smearing it with honey, it went back in and I treated the area with a little neosporin. It hasn't come back. Now, she's developed what looks like a palsy at first: bobbing head, listing to one side. The next day, her head was hanging, upside down. She can get up and walk, and hold it up pretty well, but when she sits down or I hold her, it flops.
She gets up and walks around, pecks for food, drinks, and tries to keep up with the other. She's even laid an egg every day. I called the feed store and he said it sounded like a vitamin B deficiency, and that I should give her drops, which I started yesterday. At first I saw a marked improvement. This morning, however, she's really wobbly. She's still eating, just misses the mark sometimes. I feed her laying crumbles, they have fresh water everyday and are free range most of the time. They also have a large coop that I can confine them in if I need to.
I have read some posts here about Mareks, and one lady had what sounds like the same experience (and hers died of Mareks). My girl is still trying to act normally. Do you think this could be a result of the prolapsed vent? As far as they go, it didn't seem to be a "big" one. About the size of a large cherry tomato. No other injuries that i'm aware of.
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
This is my first post and I am new to raising chickens (aside from the ones we had when I was a kid). I have two hens I bought from my local feed store. They are about ten months. The man at the feed store says they are vaccinated. About three days ago, the Araucana had a prolapsed vent, which after some tending, resolved itself. I washed her bottom as best I could with water and a little peroxide. After smearing it with honey, it went back in and I treated the area with a little neosporin. It hasn't come back. Now, she's developed what looks like a palsy at first: bobbing head, listing to one side. The next day, her head was hanging, upside down. She can get up and walk, and hold it up pretty well, but when she sits down or I hold her, it flops.
She gets up and walks around, pecks for food, drinks, and tries to keep up with the other. She's even laid an egg every day. I called the feed store and he said it sounded like a vitamin B deficiency, and that I should give her drops, which I started yesterday. At first I saw a marked improvement. This morning, however, she's really wobbly. She's still eating, just misses the mark sometimes. I feed her laying crumbles, they have fresh water everyday and are free range most of the time. They also have a large coop that I can confine them in if I need to.
I have read some posts here about Mareks, and one lady had what sounds like the same experience (and hers died of Mareks). My girl is still trying to act normally. Do you think this could be a result of the prolapsed vent? As far as they go, it didn't seem to be a "big" one. About the size of a large cherry tomato. No other injuries that i'm aware of.
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
