Multiple chickens displaying symptoms

[bone_daddy]

About week and a half ago I had a chicken that seemingly could kick its legs at me but was unable to hold its weight and stand. She kept hobbling and falling forward. I assumed it could be a sprain since it seemed like one leg was worse and isolated her to keep her from hurting it more. Currently she is still eating, drinking, and it is the only symptom she is seeming to display. I have been periodically putting her in a sling that she is very enthusiastic about but she still cannot stand. But now I have a second chicken that again can kick its legs at me but cannot stand and just rolls around or falls over. At this point I’m concerned it may be mareks disease. I’m not sure what to do at this point other than maybe give them vitamins as a Hail Mary in case somehow it is a deficiency. These chickens are a little over 3 weeks old which I also know is a common time for mareks to pop up if it does. I have a flock of 6 that grew up together and so far only two are displaying symptoms. Any suggestions?


I know some may say to take them to the vet but unfortunately I can’t seem to find one even an hour away from me. Everywhere I call that seems like it would take chickens says they don’t and everyone collectively has told me there really aren’t any in the area anymore.

 

[azygous]

These symptoms can belong to a number of things other than Marek's. The tiny detail of being able to move the legs says that it may be neurological, pointing to a vitamin E deficiency. Imbalance and lack of coordination are some symptoms of this, usually referred to as wry neck, though the neck may not be affected. The treatment is vitamin E capsules, one per day until the symptoms improve.

The symptoms could also be from a sudden change in weather from cool to hot. It can cause imbalance and weakness and lack of coordination. The treatment is one cup of water with one teaspoon sugar with a pinch of salt and baking soda for each chicken affected. Untreated, this can be fatal. Give the solution for 48 hours.

Another cause can be from damp feed turning moldy or moldy bedding in the coop or run. Another cause can be botulism bacteria from the chickens digging deep into a compost pile where anaerobic bacteria thrives. These are very difficult to treat, usually requiring an antibiotic in the latter. Mold toxicity requires detoxing and removal of the toxic substances.

 

[Folly's place]

About vitamin deficiencies: what are you feeding, and what are the mill dates on your feed? Some vitamins degrade over time, feed within two or at most three months of the mill date on each bag!
Check with your state veterinary path lab or state or extension poultry experts about this! Having a bird tested would be a very good idea, ASAP.
All good ideas above, but an actual diagnosis would be best.
Mary

 

[bone_daddy]

These symptoms can belong to a number of things other than Marek's. The tiny detail of being able to move the legs says that it may be neurological, pointing to a vitamin E deficiency. Imbalance and lack of coordination are some symptoms of this, usually referred to as wry neck, though the neck may not be affected. The treatment is vitamin E capsules, one per day until the symptoms improve.

The symptoms could also be from a sudden change in weather from cool to hot. It can cause imbalance and weakness and lack of coordination. The treatment is one cup of water with one teaspoon sugar with a pinch of salt and baking soda for each chicken affected. Untreated, this can be fatal. Give the solution for 48 hours.

Another cause can be from damp feed turning moldy or moldy bedding in the coop or run. Another cause can be botulism bacteria from the chickens digging deep into a compost pile where anaerobic bacteria thrives. These are very difficult to treat, usually requiring an antibiotic in the latter. Mold toxicity requires detoxing and removal of the toxic substances.

I’m just going to address these one by one. The neck does not seem to be affected. They do freak out when I try to grab them to help so they spaz out a bit but outside of that once they calm down nothing looks unusual. The chicken that’s had it for a week and a half is able to hold her neck and stretch it to eat as well. I was going to grab some rooster booster vitamins today since they contain vitamin E and some others that they could potentially be deficient in.

The weather where I live has been gradually getting warmer.( I live in Arizona) the days have been fluctuating between 80-90 with the occasion day with a high of 70 although that’s rare at this point. None of the other chickens seem affected by it but I can still add that to their water since it can’t hurt.

Since I’m in a very dry climate there bedding is never damp. Their coop is also completely covered so even when it does rarely rain their bedding doesn’t directly get wet and any residual moisture from the air dries pretty immediately. Their feed is also kept in a gamma seal container and kept where it can’t get wet. It is only opened for a minute or so when they are being fed.


I’ve attached some pictures of the chicken that’s been affected for a week and a half. I haven’t taken pictures of the chicken that’s started displaying symptoms today yet since she seems too distressed when I mess with her. I don’t want to freak her out more by hovering.
The bandage is due to her scraping her leg from hobbling.

 

[bone_daddy]

About vitamin deficiencies: what are you feeding, and what are the mill dates on your feed? Some vitamins degrade over time, feed within two or at most three months of the mill date on each bag!
Check with your state veterinary path lab or state or extension poultry experts about this! Having a bird tested would be a very good idea, ASAP.
All good ideas above, but an actual diagnosis would be best.
Mary

I am feeding nutrina starter feed. Unfortunately I don’t know where to get her tested since I can’t find any avian vets that take chickens or any farm vets in the area. The feed was purchased in the last month and has been kept in and airtight container still in the bag so it doesn’t contact the container. The mill dates I’m unsure of and will have to check.

 

[Folly's place]

Mill dates matter, and some stores are not good about rotating stock, and will tell you that feed six months old or older is fine.
Check with your state veterinary school/ veterinary path lab, or your county extension office.
Avian veterinarians are few and far between everywhere!
Mary

 

[LaFleche]

Do your chicks get daily several hours of outside time to catch natural sun light?
If not and you are keeping them inside your house you might try and substitute vitamin D as leg weakness is one of the many symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

https://www.msdvetmanual.com/poultr...ement-poultry/vitamin-deficiencies-in-poultry

 

[bone_daddy]

Do your chicks get daily several hours of outside time to catch natural sun light?
If not and you are keeping them inside your house you might try and substitute vitamin D as leg weakness is one of the many symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

https://www.msdvetmanual.com/poultr...ement-poultry/vitamin-deficiencies-in-poultry

Yes my chickens are outside most of the day and go inside on their own once the sun sets. However since summer is starting in AZ I have had to put sun shades up to mitigate the heat to the ground and heat stress they might get. I’ve been trying to eliminate strong direct sunlight in the summer since it will be getting to around 110 at least. The more I’ve looked into it the more I’ve also realized that heat can affect their ability to absorb vitamins so I may start giving them vitamins during the hotter months either way.

 

[Slothinc]

I am feeding nutrina starter feed. Unfortunately I don’t know where to get her tested since I can’t find any avian vets that take chickens or any farm vets in the area. The feed was purchased in the last month and has been kept in and airtight container still in the bag so it doesn’t contact the container. The mill dates I’m unsure of and will have to check.

There are some genetic labs that will test for mareks if you are concerned that is what it is. The Silkie Lab is one of those. I think it’s $25 or so to test for that. You just send in a sample to find out if she is positive for it. You can contact the owner and ask her how long her turnaround time is right now. Mail has been slow lately so with my last gender tests that I sent to her, she processed them super fast once received, but usps took almost a week to deliver them to her.

 

[bone_daddy]

There are some genetic labs that will test for mareks if you are concerned that is what it is. The Silkie Lab is one of those. I think it’s $25 or so to test for that. You just send in a sample to find out if she is positive for it. You can contact the owner and ask her how long her turnaround time is right now. Mail has been slow lately so with my last gender tests that I sent to her, she processed them super fast once received, but usps took almost a week to deliver them to her.

Thank you I’ll definitely look into this. I’ll still start giving them a multivitamin just in case that is it but I’ve been struggling to find anyone to look at my chickens. So far everyone I’ve called says they no longer see chickens and then directs me to someone else who upon calling also no longer sees chickens.