Bougiechicks

Chirping
Aug 24, 2018
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our girl goes to the vet in two days, but I just wanted to get some opinions. She is about 10 weeks, silkie, brought her hone from a breeder about a month ago. This week she was stumbling around, so we brought her inside thinking she was injured. Now she is having trouble with her balance, but is still trying and able to slowly get around. I don’t see any swelling or injuries. She’s still eating and drinking. Poop looks normal. Weight hasn’t changed. Eyes look normal (but sad!) Any advice on what we should do in the meantime before she see she her vet? We will not cull our bird. If the vet suggests putting her down there then we will consider it. She’s still very active and aware so we would like to fight for her. I have electrolytes in her water and have been feeding her medicated feed, scrambled eggs, oats, and strawberries.
 

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I'm sorry that Kiwi is still not doing any better.
Sadly from the way that she is laying down I would suspect that she is suffering from Marek's Disease.
There is no cure or treatment for Marek's all you can do is offer supportive care or kindly put them out of their misery when they are suffering and in pain.

Here's some information for you to read about Marek's:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Thank you! I appreciate your help and support. For now we are going to provide comfort care (chicken hospice) until she seems she is in too much pain or is suffering, then we will have her put down. Very sad! She is a sweet girl.
 
Is her crop emptying overnight?
Photos of her poop?
Did you keep her with other chicks/chickens her age and breed?

Stumbling around could be a number of things. Yes, one is Marek's. Dehydration, a peck to the head on a Silkie, vitamin/nutritional deficiency, neurological and/or development disorder, Coccidiosis are a few other things that come to mind as well.

What's in the electrolytes - do you have a photo of the package?
I would continue to keep her eating the chick starter, eggs and maybe 1 strawberry. Eliminate the oats. Too many extras can dilute the protein and nutritional intake in young chick. See that she has a source of grit free choice.

Does she always hold her head down or to the side like in your photos?

Thank you so much for your response! She seems to be emptying it every night. I will double check tonight as I haven’t particularly paid attention. She was kept with other silkies and one Brahma, who is about a month older. They were all recently treated for coccidiosis with corid and the two showing signs seemed to recover. I will put some grit in there tonight also! And she’s using save a chick electrolytes. She usually holds her head low, but not always to the side like that.
 
Thought I would update in case anyone ever looks up information and finds this. Kiwi is still the same, but seems in pain when she tries to get up. I wish she would stop trying. We put her in a sling but she was too confused to eat in it. Legs are still very wobbly and she does the splits or side to side legs. We are feeding her vitamin e with selenium and a lot of b vitamins mashed up with water and food. Her appetite is still high. We are also starting the hypericum twice a day as well. I’ll keep updating.
 

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10 weeks, silkie, brought her hone from a breeder about a month ago. This week she was stumbling around

having trouble with her balance, but is still trying and able to slowly get around.

I have electrolytes in her water and have been feeding her medicated feed, scrambled eggs, oats, and strawberries.
Is her crop emptying overnight?
Photos of her poop?
Did you keep her with other chicks/chickens her age and breed?

Stumbling around could be a number of things. Yes, one is Marek's. Dehydration, a peck to the head on a Silkie, vitamin/nutritional deficiency, neurological and/or development disorder, Coccidiosis are a few other things that come to mind as well.

What's in the electrolytes - do you have a photo of the package?
I would continue to keep her eating the chick starter, eggs and maybe 1 strawberry. Eliminate the oats. Too many extras can dilute the protein and nutritional intake in young chick. See that she has a source of grit free choice.

Does she always hold her head down or to the side like in your photos?
 
Thought I would update in case anyone ever looks up information and finds this. Kiwi is still the same, but seems in pain when she tries to get up. I wish she would stop trying. We put her in a sling but she was too confused to eat in it. Legs are still very wobbly and she does the splits or side to side legs. We are feeding her vitamin e with selenium and a lot of b vitamins mashed up with water and food. Her appetite is still high. We are also starting the hypericum twice a day as well. I’ll keep updating.
I'm sorry that Kiwi is still not doing any better.
Sadly from the way that she is laying down I would suspect that she is suffering from Marek's Disease.
There is no cure or treatment for Marek's all you can do is offer supportive care or kindly put them out of their misery when they are suffering and in pain.

Here's some information for you to read about Marek's:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
 

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