my chicken cant walk :(

[Ssm2011]

Hello
My chickens lost his balance completely and can't walk, his legs aren't swollen and don't have any scars or scans on them he's eating fine but everytime he tries to walk he falls back and has to use his wings to help him stay up. This is a problem that happened all of a sudden so I don't know what's wrong he looks in a bad state please help
Thank you

 

[cfarkas]

My chicken is doing the same thing! I just posted about it to get ideas from others. She seems totally normal and alert except she cant walk. I do not etect any other symptoms. I have to pull feed and water next to her and I do give her some water from a syringe to make sure she is drinking. I have suspected Marek's disease due to the paralysis but her legs do work ...she just cant use them to walk. It really sucks! Let me know what you find out.

 

[cfarkas]

could he have an ear infection? My hen has no outward sign of ear problems. How old is your chicken. I believe Mareks disesase affects chicknes under a year but its most common around 4 or 5 months. The neural form has these symptoms (from http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf):

​

Neural form: [FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Characterized by one, all, or none of the following symptoms -
• Progressive paralysis, usually of the leg or wing, a typical leg-paralysis victim will have one leg extended forward and one leg extended back. A swelling of the sciatic nerve is the cause.
• Weight loss
• Labored breathing
• Diarrhea
• Starvation and death due to an inability to reach feed and water and to trampling by penmates.[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[Keric]

I had the same problem last week. We ended up putting her down because she fell over and wadn't doing good. She had just started laying, I don't know if it was just stress... or Marek's? I don't know how common Marek's is but from what I've read it causes disorientation and that's all she was showing as a symptom. She was about 6 months old.
Now I'm scared all of them have it, but none are showing signs. The vaccine comes in bulk only but I'm not sure if Marek's is even what she had.

 

[cfarkas]

I have HEARD that the vaccine only comes in bulk too but its worth it to buy it bc itis not very expensive and you can follow the directions to dispose of the extra properly. Again thats only what I have heard. Ive also read that Mareks is very common. But Im just starting out and feel like my knowledge isnt much to go on It stinks not knowing!

 

[Keric]

It's $16.99 for 1000 doses. I'd like to know how long it lasts (the vaccine in the jar, not in the bird)! This price is from the Randall Burkey catalogue. No it isn't expensive at all. My vet said that she does see Marek's so it could be that. My hen had just started laying, and it says that can bring it on if she had already had it in her system. Stress brings it out.

 

[cfarkas]

hmmm I didnt know that...Im not sure if my hen has even layed yet. I know she is not laying right now! I know her breed lays a little later than others. So that might make sense. It seems like it couldbe so many things...worms, external parasites etc. The wierd thing is she is hardly going to the bathroom! Maybe once per day. I just read on a different thread about using apple cider vinegar in your chickens water has many benefits including being a natural de-wormer. Sounds like one of those things that everybody knows about but me.

 

[Ssm2011]

thank you for getting back to me,
i dont think that he has mareks disease becasue i looked at a video on youtube of a chicken with mareks desease but they looked completely different to each other.
also hes still eating fine and is normal its just a problem with his legs.
ive looked at some other diseases and i think that it might be rickets becuase the symptoms sounded the same so, im going to try rickets diet to see if it works
thanks again for the help

 

[BorderCollie22]

Hello

My chickens lost his balance completely and can't walk, his legs aren't swollen and don't have any scars or scans on them he's eating fine but everytime he tries to walk he falls back and has to use his wings to help him stay up. This is a problem that happened all of a sudden so I don't know what's wrong he looks in a bad state please help

Thank you

SOUNDS exactly like what happend to one of my babies this morning. less than 4 months old!i have 11 of them and noticed one still laying in the box. idk what to do and not ready to give up on her. please help

 

[nutey]

Need some advice. Just got bk for a weeks hols and my chicken which is 4 can not walk. She had a messy bum which I have given her a warm bath and found that she looks very swollen underneath the vent. Is she egg bound