mereks question - please help

[missmissi]

My approx 5 y/o barred rock hen is displaying the signs of mereks. I read to administer 10-15 drops of st johns wart twice per day. So im giving her 6 ML as it measured 15 drops, twice per day. After 2 days, yesterday, she seemed to be making a strong comeback. But she seems now worse this morning. Its harder to walk and shes not passed any solid stool since we found there was a problem 3 days ago. Shs drinking wwll but not eating much.

Please help.

 

[HumbleHen207]

This isn't Mareks. Mareks is a disease that can infect birds of all ages, but symptoms will typically only show in birds under or around 16 weeks of age. I have a flock diseased for life with Mareks, it is a horrible, horrible thing. Maybe she has a discomfort in her abdomen, such as internal laying or egg binding? Some forms of mycoplasmas can affect the ability to walk in chickens as well. Nutritional deficiency may also be playing a role. Its a shot in the dark, as there are so many possibilities. Do you have any pictures of her or her legs?

 

[missmissi]

I couldnt get a pic of her legs today. She has a vet appt tomorrow. I can get pics tomorrow. She had impacted crop 2 weeks ago (this was the second time for impacted crop), shes likely not been consuming what she should for quite a while. She has a high level of neurological defect, appropriate nutrition is probably difficult for her to achieve. Occassionally i bring her inside for eggs, fruit and veggies or just to monitor how much dry food she will/can eat. Tonight she tried to eat hay when i took her to roost, she did not like it that i pulled several piece away from her after she had started swallowing. Shes a sneaky little sucker, i turned my back for 3 seconds and caught her. She was attacked by a hawk 2 years ago. She had stopped laying eggs about a year prior to that. She lived in our house for a month during recovery. She ate well for me including eggs, fruit and veg while on the mend indoors - during that month she laid an egg every day!

If i could keep a diaper on her she would be inside for a little while every day.

 

[minichicks05]

Try giving her vitamin d to help her legs get stronger that might help.

 

[missmissi]

Try giving her vitamin d to help her legs get stronger that might help.

This sounds great! In what form do you recommend?
I took her to the vet today, she still had impacted crop, that I thought I had dealt with well, but I had not. This is the 2nd procedure she's had to empty her crop.

 

[minichicks05]

I just gave it in the drop form kind and then I gave them rooster booster and you can find that at local feed store or on amazon.
Rooster booster I totally recommend it you can just put 1/3 in I think it says and then you just do that for the course of 3-5 days and then after just put them on water. I give it to them 2 times a month and it is great.

 

[missmissi]

Thx mini. She stayed on her indoor roost for most of the day. I had to go out for a while at lunch time and when i got back dh woke her and put her on the deck to eat, drink and move around. After a few minutes of normal eating and drinking she fell on her right side and couldnt get up. Id say its partial paralysis on her right side.

She did not have much to eat after surgery wednesday night, so she definitely needed to eat more. Hd held her on the kitchen floor feeding her scrambled eggs, apple sauce, crumbled feed and the 1 thing she was excited in eating was dried meal worms.

Shes propped up on the indoor roost (small rug with rubber backing, rolled tight, in case she falls shes not far from the floor) and last noght we had to lean that right side against the legs of my kitchen island and the ladder over her to hold a towel or blanket for darkness/privacy.

I will try all of your suggestions today since its safe for her to eat more post op. Thanks so much.

 

[HumbleHen207]

Happy to hear your hen is doing alright. Keep us posted. She is getting to the age where chickens frequently begin developing issues. After about age 3 health problems are not uncommon. They can live well into their teens though! Birds typically recover well from impacted crops, I wish the best for you and your hen!

 

[minichicks05]

Hope your little friend gets better glad I could help you out

 

[missmissi]

Not much improvement. I feel the minor improvement is due to doses of vitamin D and electrolyte/probiotic/booster I'm giving her by syringe, as she refuses to eat or drink anything with those 3 things. Her previous crop impaction had her bouncing back in 2 days. This is day 5 post op and she's not changed much from pre op. We will have to evaluate her potential for quality of life this weekend. I can't keep her inside much longer. She can barely walk and falls over standing or stationary. She'll start eating crazy stuff if she goes outside again, unable to find the food or water, not likely to make it up ramp to roost. Major improvements are needed.