Missing belly feathers, wobbly legs...so confused

[KRack]

Hi All!

I have a little black star that's around 1 year old. She recently had roundworms (2 weeks ago) that I treated her for, and she bounced back really well. Everything seemed great until I noticed her wobbling around yesterday evening. She's eating great, seems to be drinking ok, and poops look normal. Her comb is fine, she's in good spirits and her tail is even up! She's just stumbling around like she can't walk well from time to time. I was washing her butt feathers a little bit ago and noticed she has a pretty bare belly! I had to move feathers out of the way to see a big patch that are just gone! I don't see any mites or bugs, or signs of them. When I had her stool tested at the vet 2 weeks ago, they confirmed round worms and also said some coccidia (?) were present, but not enough for them to be concerned to treat for coccidiosis.

My initial thought was coccidiosis, because although it seems rare that they get wobbly, I have read of some cases where it happens (so I got corid and started her on it last night). My second thought was Marek's. But now I'm wondering if it's a vitamin deficiency and she's having a hard time molting? I'm. Clueless.

This is my first go at chickens, so any insight would be much appreciated!!

Thanks!

Kendra

 

[Eggcessive]

I would treat her with the maximum dosage of Corid for 5 days. Dosage is 10 ml of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water. Make aure that she drinks well. Don’t give B vitamins while on Corid. Is she losing balance, using her wings, or does it seem one leg is weaker? A video of her walking can be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here which could be helpful.

 

[KRack]

I would treat her with the maximum dosage of Corid for 5 days. Dosage is 10 ml of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water. Make aure that she drinks well. Don’t give B vitamins while on Corid. Is she losing balance, using her wings, or does it seem one leg is weaker? A video of her walking can be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here which could be helpful.

Thank you!!

I'll try to have my husband help me figure out uploading a video. She walks normally sometimes, and stumbles others. It's almost like shes crouching down when she walks sometimes too. She's never used her wings for balance and it doesn't seem to be one leg more than the other.

She's not egg bound, which I sort of suspected from the crouching. She laid an egg today with no problems.

 

[KRack]

I'm going to take a stool sample to the vet tomorrow.

Thoughts on giving St. Johns Wort for possible Mareks, while giving Corid? Just hoping to catch things early.

 

[KRack]

Update - her toes are beginning to curl on one leg. I think this indicates paralysis more than just being wobbly, so I'm assuming Marek's. I started giving her colloidal silver yesterday, and will continue that 3x a day and try to run out to get St. John's Wort today.

I think I'll start the rest of the flock on colloidal silver preventatively as well.

 

[Kiki]

What exactly do you feed your flock?
Do you already know that you have Marek's in your flock?
When was the last time you brought new to you birds home?

 

[KRack]

Organic layer crumbles. Oyster shells always available.
No, I can only treat based on symptoms.
They've all been here about10-12 months.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you get some riboflavin at the local store, and start that daily. Do not use B1 thiamine while on Corid, but riboflavin (B2) is okay. I doubt that colloidal silver will do anything. If St. Johns Wort really cured or prevented Mareks, there would be studies that showed it. I would try to treat her symptoms first. Is she having runny poops with mucus or blood? Try to get that fecal float on some of her droppings. If she doesn’t have coccidiosis, then treat for curled toes. An injury to the leg can also cause curled toes on one leg if the nerve is involved. Let’s hope this is not Mareks, but it is too early to say.

 

[KRack]

Can you get some riboflavin at the local store, and start that daily. Do not use B1 thiamine while on Corid, but riboflavin (B2) is okay. I doubt that colloidal silver will do anything. If St. Johns Wort really cured or prevented Mareks, there would be studies that showed it. I would try to treat her symptoms first. Is she having runny poops with mucus or blood? Try to get that fecal float on some of her droppings. If she doesn’t have coccidiosis, then treat for curled toes. An injury to the leg can also cause curled toes on one leg if the nerve is involved. Let’s hope this is not Mareks, but it is too early to say.

I plan on running to the store in a bit to look for some things, I'll check for riboflavin. Her poops have looked normal, she had one that was a little extra runny today, but still normal looking. No blood or mucous. I'm calling the vet to see if I can do a fecal float today.

I haven't seen any injury when I've checked. What is the treatment for curled toes?

 

[KRack]

Can you get some riboflavin at the local store, and start that daily. Do not use B1 thiamine while on Corid, but riboflavin (B2) is okay. I doubt that colloidal silver will do anything. If St. Johns Wort really cured or prevented Mareks, there would be studies that showed it. I would try to treat her symptoms first. Is she having runny poops with mucus or blood? Try to get that fecal float on some of her droppings. If she doesn’t have coccidiosis, then treat for curled toes. An injury to the leg can also cause curled toes on one leg if the nerve is involved. Let’s hope this is not Mareks, but it is too early to say.

Sorry, just read that treatment for curled toes is the riboflavin lol.