Need help ASAP

[GoToLeep]

One of our RIR cannot stand up. Not panting no obvious injuries. The other 6 (4 Buff Orps and 2 RIR) appear to be just fine. Any Ideas??????

 

[jjthink]

Need MUCH more info.

Please go to the sticky at the beginning of the emergency section and answer the questions but place the answers here in your thread (copy/paste questions and insert your answers). Also include any and all other info you think could provide any clues WHATSOEVER.

Make sure you include age, diet, last time you saw her eat, drink, lay an egg and go to the bathroom. What is comb color? Any possibility she injured her leg jumping off a roost or in some other way? Feel her legs and feet - warm? cold? same as the other birds? Is she alert? Seem in pain? You get the idea. Every detail that could possibly be of ANY help in getting to the bottom of this.

JJ

 

[GoToLeep]

Sorry...didn't even look for the sticky... Here is more information.


1) RIR, 14 weeks, "normal weight", don't know exact weight.
2) She is laying down with her feet out to one side. When picked up and put back down, she cannot support her own weight. She is not panting and no obvious injuries
3) started sometime late this afternoon.
4) The other birds are acting fine.
5) No other signs of anything.
6) No idea of anything else.
7) Normal scratch with meal worms thrown in. Clean water.
8) Haven't seen any poop yet.
9) We removed her from the others. We have given her meal worms and scratch and she is eating fine and drinking water.
10 ) We will do what we can do for her.
11) No picture yet.
12) See this link for the coop. Bedding is pine shavings. Just cleaned a week ago. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=75482-my-chicken-coopark

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
I do not yet know what the problem is with your young bird but scratch is just a snack food and does not constitute complete nutrition for your birds - not by a long mile. They cannot get what they need to thrive from scratch.

JJ

 

[GoToLeep]

I said scratch and that is my fault. They are eating a diet that we buy from a local feed store. It is a complete diet for them for their age.

 

[OHmamma]

Hi,

Did she seem to limp around for a while?

Do her eyes seem to roll like she can't focus?

I am not trying to scare you but it could be Marek's disease. I lost a Hamburg hen to it two years ago. She did the same thing as yours. In her last days she seemd to have trouble focusing her eyes but would still eat or drink if I put her close to the food and water.

If it is there is no cure for it, just make her comfortable.

 

[GoToLeep]

Quote:
We didn't notice any limping..not to say that she wasn't though. Her eyes seem fine. We saw some poop today and it appears to be the size of a marble and drier than normal. Went to the local feed store and they sold us some tetracycline to administer to her and the others. she is still eating and drinking well. will keep you posted. Any any other ideas???

 

[colebarnhart]

Agree with Big Mamma, sounds like Marek's

 

[GoToLeep]

Update....last poop was about 2 inches long1-1 1/2 inch in diameter and softer (maybe the consistency of play-dough. Still eating and drinking well.

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
Info?

If she did hurt herself falling off a roost or whatever, pain relief may help her. 1 crushed baby aspirin (81 mg) mixed with 1 cup drinking water. If she continues to drink on her own, great. If she doesn't, you can dunk in the aspirin water some small cut up pieces of fruits she loves and hand feed to her. This may start to take th eedge off any pain and thus encourage her to again drink on her own...

All that said, legs out to one side seems suspiciously NOT like an injury but I wouldn't yet rule it out...........


JJ