MARECKS OR NOT? NOW A BROODY HEN!

[Bird momma of 5]

We are new to Chickens and EVERYTHING that comes with it. My Polish has been "suffering" for the last 2 weeks. He started with a "March walk" , now it toes are curled, if he stands us he is wobbly, he can barley walk and more so than not, his legs slide from him. My husband took him to the vet - it really didn't amount to much but a bill. She thinks it could be nerve damage, isn't convinced it is Marecks. We tried the St. John's Wort - No success. We tried baby vitamins, feeding him water. He just continues to downhill. The only human thing to do is whatever the chicken word is for putting him down. BUT, I'M open to ANYTHING. This Polish (Toppin Hat) is so ugly he is adorable and a very sweet rooster!! NOW, my Buff orphington is acting Broody (I guess). She squaks and makes other noises at us. You pick her up - she plops right back down. When I do see her walk, she walks fine. So Marecks - spreading to my other hens or just a broody momma, or.... she misses the rooster.
I was told chickens are easy to raise. I'm really second guessing this. They are not just chickens to us - they are our pets.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sorry your guy is having trouble.

Is your hen staying in a lay box?

I usually see Marek's progress much faster than that. There are some things that present like Marek's. How old is he? What do you feed including treats and supplements. How many birds total in how much space? You say the hen is missing him... so you have him separated? Were you baby vitamins without iron? Did they have any E or selenium or B's in it? How has your weather been? Was he staying with the flock when they forage or whatever even though he is having difficulty?

If it IS Marek's, and he isn't completely paralyzed... he may survive, and all your other birds would have been exposed anyways. That being being said, if Marek's is suspected I remove them from the flock so that less virus spreads from dander and such that is still sloughing off of the currently symptomatic bird. Well, that was the first time. Now I cull immediately if I suspect Marek's.

Sorry, chickens are easy to raise if nothing goes wrong. After raising more than 100 birds over the past 8 years, I am still learning every day. I was lucky enough to not experience any of the rough stuff during the first 4-5 years though.

If you have room for chicks and want some... it's easy to adopt them to a broody hen during the night, and quite a blessed sight to behold.

All questions are in attempt to get an accurate picture to help and not meant for judgement. Are you able to post a short video of him?

Sorry your vet visit was unhelpful, that's WAY too often the case. Was she an avian vet? Run any fecal tests?

ETA: Is he eating and drinking? What does the feces look like?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We are new to Chickens and EVERYTHING that comes with it. My Polish has been "suffering" for the last 2 weeks. He started with a "March walk" , now it toes are curled, if he stands us he is wobbly, he can barley walk and more so than not, his legs slide from him. My husband took him to the vet - it really didn't amount to much but a bill. She thinks it could be nerve damage, isn't convinced it is Marecks. We tried the St. John's Wort - No success. We tried baby vitamins, feeding him water. He just continues to downhill. The only human thing to do is whatever the chicken word is for putting him down. BUT, I'M open to ANYTHING. This Polish (Toppin Hat) is so ugly he is adorable and a very sweet rooster!! NOW, my Buff orphington is acting Broody (I guess). She squaks and makes other noises at us. You pick her up - she plops right back down. When I do see her walk, she walks fine. So Marecks - spreading to my other hens or just a broody momma, or.... she misses the rooster.
I was told chickens are easy to raise. I'm really second guessing this. They are not just chickens to us - they are our pets.

Can you post a video of your Polish and of your BO? That would be most helpful
Upload your video to youtube or vimeo and provide us a link.

For the Polish, you provided children's vitamins - what kind?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
How old is he?

If it is Marek's, there is nothing you can do but just wait and see. Try offering some B vitamins. Crush 1/2 human B-Complex vitamin (no iron) and add that to his food daily for a couple of weeks. He would probably benefit from extra protein - you can give him chick starter, flock raiser, tuna, egg, meat, etc. I'm sure others will chime in with their thoughts, but this is one of the best, comprehensive articles I know of about Marek's, so you may want to read this through - http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

As for your BO - it does sound like she is broody. When you take her from the nest, does she try to get back to it - they almost seem desperate to get back to the nest and they are ticked off to boot. A fluffed up growling, squealing hot mess of a hen - if that's what she is, then I would say broody

 

[Bird momma of 5]

Many thank to you both for your replies.
I will upload a video today (depending on winds and electricity).
Toppin (rooster) is maybe 10 months old. Same with the BO. We feed them all the crumbled layer feed, tons of meal worms and found out my hubby gives them left over canned cat food (I thought chickens were herbivorous). As far as supplements, nothing but oyster shells and grit. The baby vitamins did not contain iron- Poly Vi Sol , the vet did give him an antibiotic (SMZ TMP) - did nothing. We tried Tylan 50 prior to that - nothing. We been feeding him by hand Pediatric electrolytes, baby food (peas), canned cat food. He will peck at his food, but we don't know how much he is getting. We seen him hobble up to water and drink - sporadically. Again the St. John's Wort - Maybe 500 mg.
The weather is nuts. We go from 35 and raining to 70, then dip back down. Today 60-70mph winds.
As far as the BO - she will do anything and everything to get back in the box!
If the rooster hasn't been with the hens for over a week, are their eggs still fertile?
MANY, MANY THANKS. The little guy weighed in at 2.5 lbs over a week ago, I'm sure he has lost weight. We don't want to see him suffer, starve - he is so sad to watch.
OHHH - When the "weird walking started" (Day 1) he did try to hang with the hens and even "mate" Day 2 - he tried, but went into the coop and mainly stayed be himself.
I do hear "breathing" - the vet didn't say anything. We did put Organic Vinegar in his water for a couple of days (and do add it to the water feeder for the hens).

VIDEO coming soon! many thanks!!!

 

[Bird momma of 5]

Shoot, forgot to mention that his feces was fine - no parasites.

 

[Bird momma of 5]

This is how he is standing

 

[Bird momma of 5]

additional pics and

video #2

where now he is more slouched

 

[Nuffy]

additional pics and View attachment 1280600 View attachment 1280602 video #2

View attachment 1280600 where now he is more slouched

So sorry you are going through this, what a pretty boy. Cut back on the meal worms can cause kidney damage if they get to many. Look up avian leukocytosis symptoms sound similar. A bit to the hock can cause problems as well, look for holes around the coop. Once again so sorry. Keep up on the vitamins, take him of layers and back to growers or all flock no need for the added calcium. Good luck

 

[Bird momma of 5]

 

[Bird momma of 5]

AHHHH, Having a hard time with 2nd video. 20th attempt: