Millie Fleur suddenly unable to walk.... please help

[mainechickgirl]

Five days ago I discovered one of our two month only Millie Fleurs squacking and apparently unable to walk. I thought perhaps her leg was broken but she is in a pen with only one other Millie & a Bantam hen, so that didn't seem likely. When I took her out I saw that she wasn't standing on either leg although she was no longer making any noise and doesn't seem to be in any pain at all. I've separated her and aside from the fact that she is sitting with both legs out in front of her she seems quite healthy. She is eating & drinking, grooming, making happy little noises, her eyes are clear and everything else seems normal. When I hold her up a bit she seems to be able to move her legs and toes but won't stand on them?

Five days later there is no change, the other Millie is fine as well, I'd thought perhaps is was Marek's but see no other signs in any of the rest of my flock. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[rbaker0345]

all chickens have mareks, only a few exhibit signs. There is a treatment, an herbal one, but I can't remember what it is

 

[Lobzi]

You can try intensive vitamin B treatment. Ive had limited success with it. One young roo (he was about one month when he developed total wing and leg paralysis) completely recovered with the treatment. One hen (about 9 months recovered well enough to sort of amble around though not complete use of legs and wings) and my current little girl (about 4 months when she developed complete wing and leg paralysis) did not respond at all to vitamin b or any other treatment. Im thinking if the chicken is young it has a better chance of responding to treatment.
St Johns wort was also advised though I didnt use it much. Ive since read it is poisonous to birds so Im not recommending it as a treatment.
Good luck and do let us know of any changes/improvements.

 

[seminolewind]

Yes, you can try vitamins (B's), if they're on medicated feed there's a chance it could be that. It could be Marek's. Most common around 8 weeks. Did any come from anywhere other than your own hatched eggs or day old vaccinated hatchery chicks? Did you get them all at the same time from the same place?

There's no test, no cure, it does not spread by egg. If there were a cure, no one would have it anymore. It is not found in every chicken, however it's getting more and more common , to the point where it's safer to assume most have it. I would imagine if it is, your other two would be affected at some point.

I hope it's something else. Something fixable.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
No they do not....but as Semi said..it's becoming widely spread. Spread by the dander of feather follicles.....I hope that's not what it is for you but I would keep her separated from the rest until you figure things out....

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Absolutely false! Where on earth did you hear that? Let's make sure folks don't get the wrong information about this.


I have not had Mareks in my flock. Just because a bird can't walk, doesn't mean you should go immediately to a Mareks diagnosis. There are vitamin deficiencies, leg/hock injuries, etc. Hard to say unless you get the bird to a vet. I'd separate her and give supportive care, i.e. extra protein and vitamins, and observe her for a few days, see if there is any improvement.

 

[JakRat]

Quote:
x2

I had someone suggest baby vitamins too.

 

[mainechickgirl]

Thanks for the help so far..... the chick in question came from my parent's, right next door to me, we hatched two eggs from this group and the other chick is fine. (Although we have in the past questioned the overall health of those chickens, they are not the breed we normally raise.) I have been giving her Sav-A-Chick- should I add more B vitamin with this? She has NOT been on medicated feed, she's on an organic chick starter. It's been a full week and there are no changes, I don't believe her legs are paralyzed since she is still moving them, just not standing on them. Someone suggested "crazy chick disease" or encephalomalacia?

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Absolutely false! Where on earth did you hear that? Let's make sure folks don't get the wrong information about this.


I have not had Mareks in my flock. Just because a bird can't walk, doesn't mean you should go immediately to a Mareks diagnosis. There are vitamin deficiencies, leg/hock injuries, etc. Hard to say unless you get the bird to a vet. I'd separate her and give supportive care, i.e. extra protein and vitamins, and observe her for a few days, see if there is any improvement.

SpeckledHen, Sonew, It's good to hear the right info.
As SpeckledHen pointed out, one should not jump to possible Marek's, there are many other problems that can cause a lame chicken.

 

[mainechickgirl]

Such as?