Is it time to cull my 3 month old hen? Vet said it's a pinched nerve or Marek's.

[Purifiedx]

VIDEO HERE:

My husband and I are first time chicken owners. Two weeks ago one of our hens, Moon, very suddenly had balance issues. Just hours before she was running around and jumping up on all the roosts. Then when we went to give them an evening treat before bed we noticed her walking with difficulty, couldn't stay up on the roost so we took her inside. She didn't seem to get worse but we took her to the vet and he gave her a B12 shot and an anti-inflammatory to see if it helped. He said pinched nerves almost never resolve unless caught early so it was a very slim chance. The other option was Marek's so he said to just keep monitoring her.

A few days ago I started to find her on her back several times a day when I went to check on her, unable to get up. She has a tendency to panic quite a bit when this happens. I usually know when she's toppled because she makes a sqwauk. It's now been two weeks with no improvement but I keep thinking if it were Marek's she'd be much worse than she is at this point. She technically can walk, but with great difficulty as I find her in various places in the room all day.

It's upsetting because she is such a sweet girl. The past two weeks we've been letting her cuddle us on the couch in the evening over a towel so she doesn't get lonely. We are mentally preparing ourselves to have to cull her... and how we would do it.

 

[nuthatched]

Can she still grip with her feet?
I'd try treating her a vitamin regime before culling. If your birds came from a hatchery and have had much experience with other birds, it might nit be mereks.

 

[Purifiedx]

Can she still grip with her feet?
I'd try treating her a vitamin regime before culling. If your birds came from a hatchery and have had much experience with other birds, it might nit be mereks.

While she can move her legs her toes don't grip much if at all. She jumped on that pink bin a few times at night but I never got to witness her getting up there. She hasn't tried to roost up high in days though.

We have been giving her a quite concentrated vitamin powder in her water for the past week with apple cider vinegar and VetRx. Before she was drinking water with hen boost powder with all our other chickens.

 

[Kearaaaa23]

I had a similar problem to this and it wasn't mareks or a pinched nerve. My chick was 7 weeks old and we found her on her back unable to walk or move properly when she was perfectly fine the day before. It is just initial panic but if she can slightly walk/crawl then she'll probs recover. I suggest giving her vitamins especially B12 and D, feeding her shredded garlic twice a day and ACV in water and also egg yolks. Keep an eye on her poops too, if you see any red or blood its probably cocciodiosis (causes paralysis in wings,neck or legs). Makes sure she eats a lot and gets plenty or rest. Hope this helps

 

[nuthatched]

While she can move her legs her toes don't grip much if at all. She jumped on that pink bin a few times at night but I never got to witness her getting up there. She hasn't tried to roost up high in days though.

We have been giving her a quite concentrated vitamin powder in her water for the past week with apple cider vinegar and VetRx. Before she was drinking water with hen boost powder with all our other chickens.

Vet rx is just Vicks rub for chickens, it won't treat anything. Neither will acv. I'd try to give her 400.I.u vitamin E capsules and a third of a B complex tablet mixed into some egg yolk, every day for a few weeks. it won't hurt.

I had a similar problem to this and it wasn't mareks or a pinched nerve. My chick was 7 weeks old and we found her on her back unable to walk or move properly when she was perfectly fine the day before. It is just initial panic but if she can slightly walk/crawl then she'll probs recover. I suggest giving her vitamins especially B12 and D, feeding her shredded garlic twice a day and ACV in water and also egg yolks. Keep an eye on her poops too, if you see any red or blood its probably cocciodiosis (causes paralysis in wings,neck or legs). Makes sure she eats a lot and gets plenty or rest. Hope this helps

The vitamins were a great plan. but you're very lucky you didn't kill her will the garlic, it's toxic to birds in high amounts and that's pushing it.

 

[Kearaaaa23]

Vet rx is just Vicks rub for chickens, it won't treat anything. Neither will acv. I'd try to give her 400.I.u vitamin E capsules and a third of a B complex tablet mixed into some egg yolk, every day for a few weeks. it won't hurt.

The vitamins were a great plan. but you're very lucky you didn't kill her will the garlic, it's toxic to birds in high amounts and that's pushing it.

Yes I've heard,we only gave her a shred or two in the morning and night and it seemed to give her relief for a few hours but we never fed her more than that.

 

[Purifiedx]

Vet rx is just Vicks rub for chickens, it won't treat anything. Neither will acv. I'd try to give her 400.I.u vitamin E capsules and a third of a B complex tablet mixed into some egg yolk, every day for a few weeks. it won't hurt.

Yeah I guess I just tried whatever I could in hopes it'd help!

I will look into getting specifically vitamin B and E. Do you have any recommendations on what to get and where? I actually have B complex for humans but I imagine I want something specifically for chickens?

I just don't want to give up on her!

 

[Purifiedx]

I had a similar problem to this and it wasn't mareks or a pinched nerve. My chick was 7 weeks old and we found her on her back unable to walk or move properly when she was perfectly fine the day before. It is just initial panic but if she can slightly walk/crawl then she'll probs recover. I suggest giving her vitamins especially B12 and D, feeding her shredded garlic twice a day and ACV in water and also egg yolks. Keep an eye on her poops too, if you see any red or blood its probably cocciodiosis (causes paralysis in wings,neck or legs). Makes sure she eats a lot and gets plenty or rest. Hope this helps

How long did it take your chick to recover?

 

[nuthatched]

Yes I've heard,we only gave her a shred or two in the morning and night and it seemed to give her relief for a few hours but we never fed her more than that.

That's good to hear.
I'm puzzled though, what do you mean by relief? There are no pain relieving or numbing properties in garlic, but it might have made her groggy/subdued since it's a blood thinner.
I'm glad she's doing great!

 

[Kearaaaa23]

That's good to hear.
I'm puzzled though, what do you mean by relief? There are no pain relieving or numbing properties in garlic, but it might have made her groggy/subdued since it's a blood thinner.
I'm glad she's doing great!

I'm not quite sure but she was a lot more active and would walk around more, without the garlic she'd just be lethargic all day. We also fed her some tumeric in her food