I need help before it is too late!

[bowiebenson]

I have a buff laced polish, a roo i think, about 7-8 weeks now... He was fine last night when everyone was put to bed but when I went to turn on the light this morning and let everyone out to play, he did notget up.... he seems alert except for some reason he can't walk.... if i set him by food he will eat and peck just fine but water is a no-go... not interested.... I can't find anything on his skin that might bother him.... he is preened and clean..... he stood up once for a few seconds but sat back down with a thud and has not got up again... he is usually pretty skittish but when i pet him, he makes an effort to eat and peeps.... am I going to loose my baby? Is there anyting I can do for him.... in the first week I lost 2 of his buddies, same breed, to the wabbles.... like this but they were suddenly really weak and died within hours.... and only my polish.. the 10 other breeds i have here have been fine .... i must have 50 chicks here and all fine except trouble with the polish! All from McMurray too.... no contact with other birds.... nothing.... never had chickens before!

Please let me know if you have any words of wisdom that might help little Pooter here! Thanks!

 

[chicks4kids]

Have you done any research on sour crop perhaps? Other than that, I really can't offer any solid advice. Hopefully this BUMP will help you out some

 

[chickenGRAFFITI]

I would ask Peter Brown at First State Vet Supply online as to what to do. That is who I turn to when I get problems.

Other than that I dont know.

Bump.

Best Wishes

 

[bowiebenson]

Could it be Marek's?

 

[chickenzoo]

Could all the others perhaps slept on top of him during the night. I had a Goldlaced Polish That had that happen and I was sure she broke her back, wouldn't get up. After some vitamins in her water, separated her and put her on a towel with warm mushy food. It took three days but she got back to normal. If he was fine last night and it came on all of a sudden then I don't think Mareks is the cause. Coccidia would be my next concern if they are on dirt.....

 

[feathersnuggles]

Sounds like he could have Marek's. (OK, maybe not, after reading the post above me)

What are the wabbles, by the way?

 

[MotherJean]

If you haven't already done so, isolate the sick chick from the rest of your flock. Paralysis can be a symptom of several diseases/conditions - some are treatable, some are not. Treatable conditions include vitamin deficiency and botulism. Since only the one chick is sick, I think you can rule out botulism.

Vitamin deficiency: Give your chick 2 drops of Polyvisol vitamins (without iron) directly in the mouth daily. Spike her water supply with 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (preferably with mother) per one quart of water. Give a good quality chick crumble, like Purina Start & Grow, treats of plain yogurt, and cooked eggs. You can feed fresh leafy greens, but no grass. Make sure chick has appropriate size grit available.

If your chick's condition does not improve within a couple of days (or declines further) it's possible that your chick's paralysis is due to Mareks or Newcastle disease. If so, the paralysis is irreversible. There is no treatment and it would be best to euthanize.

 

[bowiebenson]

They are on medicated feed, can they still get coccidia? they are in an old horse stall.... floor is dirt and pine shavings..... they get grit, little corn, got to try some leaf lettuce a few days ago.... not much at all.... the poo pictures is actually the worst one today.. the rest have been real healthy looking.... I don't think anyone could have slept on him... he was inthe middle of the room and all of the other peeps were in the corners in some feed pans that they like to sleep in rather than eat out of....

he seems so alert and its moving around his box to the food by slightly walking but mostly using his wings at crutches.. it's cute but sad.... does Mareks come on this sudden?

 

[MotherJean]

Mareks can seem to come on sudden but, in fact, the infection will take some weeks to show symptoms. Paralysis is caused by lesions (sores, tumorous growths) on the brain. I am reluctant to say you are facing Mareks or Newcastle on the basis of a single sick chick. I know you said that you lost two others to "the wabbles," but there, again, it might have been due to a vitamin deficiency. I certainly hope that's the case. I can't help thinking that if it was Mareks or Newcastle, you'd have more chicks out of the 50 showing some sort of symptoms.

As to the cocci, yes, chicks can still be infected even though you've had them on medicated feed. It seems like the medicated feed just gives them a bit of protection/resistance, but it doesn't act like a vaccine. Paralysis, however, is not a usual symptom of cocci so I haven't really considered that as an explanation.

Problem is, the only way you can get a definite diagnosis on Mareks and Newcastle is with a postmortem exam. Since you can't diagnose those and can't treat those diseases, the best thing to do is treat with the vitamins. You could also give this chick a few days of a broad spectrum antibiotic (like Duramycin, terramycin). It certainly won't hurt and it might help.

 

[babsbag]

7-8 weeks is a little young for Marek's, I think it is usually around 16-25 weeks. I would seperate the bird just so you can see what he is doing as far as poop, if for no other reason. I brought one inside last night that is about the same age as yours just because she looked a little droopy. Ends up that she had the bloodiest poop I have ever seen. Almost all the liquid in her droppings was blood. I started her and the rest of her friends on Corid and by morning she was her normal self again. They have been on medicated food, but only on dirt for 1 week. Anytime I see a young chicken not acting "norma" and they have been exposed to soil, I think cocci before anything else.

I have Marek's in my flaock and have lost 3 birds to it so far and it did come on all of a sudden, and not at the same time. One was in Feb, one in April, and one in June. I have a hen with the eye form of it as well. She seems ok, but doesn't lay anymore.

My birds were also out of the normal age range, about 8 months old when the first one died and it usually hits much younger.

I hope you don't have Marek's. It is a horrid was to start a flock.

Vitamins and scrambled eggs can't hurt either.