MY BARRED ROCK

[Hendrychicks]

Hey I need some help, My barred rock hen is about 16 weeks old and is sitting on her butt with her feet out in front of her. She does try and get up and uses her wings to try and balance her but keep falling either to the side or forward. I did deworm her and I am giving her antibiotics that I got from Tractor Supply store locally. She is not eating well but will eat cat food, watermelon. I am giving her water through a syringe. Any ideas or suggestions? She is separated from the rest of the chickens.... I am trying to help my little Jeanie:/

 

[IChickenGirl]

This could be Marek's Disease. Now, Marek's Disease doesn't just fly in, and attack the bird, it slowly takes over and paralyzes the bird. I had a bird that had this, and it was very hard to see her slowly get paralyzed starting with her legs. We had to put her down. But, I could be totally wrong! Take her to a Avian vet. If she dies find a way to get her a necropsy, which is basically a Biopsy in humans. I hope this helps.

 

[Hendrychicks]

I did post this on the emergenciies/diseases like you told me, how could this be that? I just hate seeing her this way cause she is really trying... Can you bring a bird back from that disease?

 

[IChickenGirl]

Are her legs totally mangled? Can she simply not move them? Is she healthy in every other way? These are ways of seeing this disease. Im sorry for all the questions. There is sadly no cure for Merek's disease. Other symptoms include "Partial or total paralysis of the legs, sometimes wings, and even neck; visceral lymphoma (cancerous tumors in the body), blindness, tumors or growths on the skin, general listlessness, wasting away, or poor health, to name a few. Some chickens get only one symptom, and some get more than one. Some chickens get symptoms, while some don't show any signs." (quoet from this thread that could help you identify the issue ----> https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq )
But you cant be sure. I would still take her to a vet.

 

[Shabana]

I would feed her a vit b complex without iron as often problems like yours can stem from a deficiency. It can affect their ability to walk and balance. Sometimes their toes curl.

It could also be an injury maybe her pelvis ? Or neurological from a small stroke ?
It's so difficult to say.
I would start with the vitamins and then examine her thoroughly under her feathers, checking her legs for swelling and heat. See if the joints move smoothly and match each other for size.

Fishy cat food is good for vitamins but ideally she would be better on her own food. I tend to assist feed in the morning and at night then make sure they can get to the food and water without moving during the day.

She might be in pain and often it's difficult to tell. She might do a little mouth breathing ? If so you can use baby aspirin, and a nice plush cat bed to help keep her comfy.

Keep her bum clean I used to swop old tea towels out as she pooped.

If it's mareks there's a really great thread on here and lots if support. I think there's more than one type, and there are things you can do that help a little.

I would give her some time and see how it goes. If she's hurt herself for example, it can take a few weeks or in in the event of a fractured pelvis a few months to heal.

Best of luck to you both xx

 

[Julie S]

Hi there, I'm glad to see that you started a new thread in this forum and have a few more replies! Hope your Jeanie gets back to normal soon! I'll keep an eye out for updates

 

[Hendrychicks]

no her legs are not totally paralyzed, she just can't stand on them, I wrap her in a towel when I am dispensing the water/antibiotics through a syringe just in case she poops on me. She starts wiggling her legs around to get them situated them like last night she drank 6- 1/2 syringes full of antibiotics and electrolytes. She is fully alert and she will eat but you have to pet her and really baby her. She has moved her legs sometimes to the back of her...

 

[Shabana]

What type of antibiotics is she on and for how long and why ?
The electrolytes are good.
Perhaps try her with some scrambled egg.

Is everything else ok : crop emptying, good colour, nice flat scales on her legs and feet, tail up, feathers nice and shiny etc ? Are her feet ok ? No bumble foot ?
Is she starting to squat perhaps getting ready to lay ? Might be a bit early for that yet.

Do you think it's possible she's eaten something that's off ? I don't know what the weathers like there but it's hot here and stuff can go off very quickly.

Just keep up the good work. It can be intense but can also create a wonderful bond between you.
I hope she improves quickly for you.

Keep us posted x

 

[Hendrychicks]

She in on Oxytetracycline
We give her a epson salt bath like every other day
She has no good balance - haven't opened her ears to check them she wants to fight when you mess with her ears
Tail is down when she is lying down
Sometimes she can get her feet under her other times she will lay on her side with her feet behind her. She can move her legs and toes fine.
She doesn't have a good appetite towards chicken feed but LOVES MEALWORMS and cat food
No red skin
What is bumble foot? She does curl her feet up...

 

[Hendrychicks]

my Jeanie is not doing well today, her waddles are dark red, she opens her mouth like she is having a real hard time breathing and closes her eyes like she is asleep, she is light as a feather now. Do I need to put her down? She is moving her legs and talks some...