Hen with crooked neck and ataxia (Updated...necropsy says Marek's)

[babsbag]

This morning she didn't want to eat very much at all. I am really afraid that she is dehydrated more than anything. I am sure that she is not getting enough fluids and I am so afraid of her aspirating the fluids. I give her VERY wet crumbles with everything added to it. Last night I could feel her crop full for the first time, but I didn't get much into this morning before I had to leave for work.

If she doesn't make it I can get a free necropsy done in California since she is from a backyard flock. My vet can send her to them overnight express if that happens. I am hoping it does not. Everyday when I get home or get up in the morning I expect her to be dead, and I keep thinking that if she has this much will to live then I have to keep trying. But it sure does take alot of time to feed her 1/4 t at a time. I wish I knew how to do the crop tube.

 

[babsbag]

Update. My hen is still alive. I have to hand feed her and give her water from a dropper, and she still can't walk. The really strange thing is that in the mornings she is breathing with her mouth open, tongue hanging out (literally), and won't eat a thing. Anything I put in her mouth just comes right out the sides of her beak, she won't swallow. Her eyes are closed like she is in a trance and near death. When I come home from work she is much better. Her breathing is normal and she eats everything I offer her, but I have to put it in her mouth. She holds her head straighter and trys to stand and walk, but she still falls over. She has followed this morning-evening pattern for over 2 weeks now. I expect her to be dead everyday when I come home since she looks so horrid in the mornings. So far so is hanging in there.

I feed her moistened crumbles with applesauce, vitamins, nutri-drench, vitamin A, E, and D, and scrambled eggs. Also strawberries, pears, and bananas. She had a 3 day course of Baytril and 5 days of Tylan 50 prior to the Baytril.

I am wondering if she has encephalitis. I know that this isn't mosquito season, but she sure acts like she has a brain trauma or brain involvement of some sort. Does anyone know if a bird can recover from encephalits if that is what it is?

 

[babsbag]

Against all odds my hen is still hanging in there. Many a time I expected to find her dead when I came home. I really don't think she will pull through this. She goes into a trance like state and breathes with an open mouth. When she is like this I can't feed her, it just drools out the side of her beak. She won't eat or drink on her own. I have tried everything but worming her. The vet looked down her throat and didn't say anything about gapeworm, but her symptoms as of late seem to fit. She stretches her neck out and it is obvioulsy hard for her to swallow. But it could also be a tumor of somekind.

If I worm her needlessly it may just hasten her demise, but I am not sure that is a bad thing. I can't pay for euthanasia for her and can't stand to break her neck and no one to do the deed for me. I just can't believe that she is still alive.

Is there any painless way to put a chicken "to sleep"

Thanks

 

[babsbag]

My hen died last night

A necropsy is being done.

 

[hen-thusiast]

Sorry about your hen. You gave her so much TLC and love. She was so lucky to have you!

I just read all your posts and she sounded like she was quite a fighter. Please keep us updated as to what the necropsy results are.

 

[babsbag]

I got the necropsy report back on my hen and it says the nasty "M" word, Marek's.

I have no idea where this came from. I started with chickens last August and bought them all from the same breeder. She was truly chicken obsessed and they were very well taken care of. I can't imagine that her chickens have Marek's.

The closest chickens to me are about 1/4 mile. There have never been chickens on this land. All the materials for the coop were new. I don't show, and I don't visit shows.

This is just so frustrating. Everyone else looks fine. I intend to get the vaccine and do all my birds, even if they are adults. According to this article this is a good idea. I only have 7 chickens so it should be fairly easy.

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/poultry-health/mareks-disease.html

Such sad news

 

[SuziQ991]

I'm so sorry to hear about your hen. I have been following your thread and hoping she would pull through

 

[babsbag]

Thank you. I am now going to really be the worried mother hen with these feathered friends of mine. I hope no one else gets sick.

 

[shay20]

So sorry to hear this.