6 weeks ago I noticed one of my 9 week old Polish chicks sitting on her hocks. She was in a large cage upstairs in my house with a group of 3 siblings and another 8 silkies all that were hatched here. They had never been outside yet nor has anything from outside brought into their cage. I don't handle them just change their food and water. They have never been exposed to any other chickens. I pull out the Polish chick (Elvie) and put her in a cage by herself so I could monitor her. She appeared to be high stepping the first day, by day 2 she was not able to stand. She did not have the typical Mareks stance...both feet were just under her, she could not stand nor walk. Her feet were curled in. Still was eating and drinking well. I felt it was most likely a vitamin deficiency so I moved her sister in with her for company. I started Polyvisol 3 drop x 3 times, Vit E and selenium. After a week no improvement. I brought her to an avian vet (no local vets that specialize in chickens here). The vet initially thought Mareks but given her age and the fact she had no outside exposure it was decided that was unlikely to be what this was. It would have had to come in on my clothing (I've never had Mareks here btw) and somehow managed to infect that chicken which I never touched. Not 100% impossible very very unlikely. The vet felt it was likely a deficiency in something but could not figure out what. I continued the vitamin treatments but also started B complex tablets crushed. Then just B1 crushed. After 3 weeks I removed her sister and put her back in with her hatch mates since it did not look like Elvie was improving at all. No resp symptoms but she was gaping. She could only get around by flinging herself from one side of the cage to the other. I put her in a sling and do leg exercises in hopes of her getting back the use of her legs. She was seen by a second vet 2 weeks after the first. This vet again agreed it was highly unlikely to be Mareks but felt it was also a deficiency. She did blood tests which showed nothing really unusual other than a slightly higher WBC count. That can mean an infection or can be elevated by stress. She was started on two antibiotics for 7 days with no improvement. A fecal sample came back negative for parasites (Not surprising since she's never been outside) and negative for cocci. She still has not improved but does eat well. Neither her sister nor any of her hatch mates have ever shown any symptoms. Her sister was in a small cage with her for 3 weeks and now back with her hatch mates for just over 3 weeks, they are all healthy still. So this brings me to the chicks.
I hatched out a group of 11 Polish chicks 4 weeks ago today. They have been growing out nicely and are all normal size and weight. They are kept in a cage in my dining room. They have never been outside or had any thing brought into their cage from outside (like soil for dust bathing). They were on medicated chick starter until 2 days ago when I first saw symptoms and switched them to non-medicated chick starter. The only treat they have ever had was a slice of watermelon. 2 days ago I noticed two of them sitting frequently and when they stood up they seemed unsteady. I removed them and put them in a separate cage to monitor. By that night neither could stand and they started gaping. I started them on vitamins as well. By this morning I had a third chick from that group with the same symptoms. She is still able to walk but also gaping. My avian vet was here again and again has no idea what this is. She still feels it's most unlikely to be Mareks again because they were only 3 weeks old and none have the Mareks stance. She checked their lungs and they are clear. They have no coughing, sneezing or discharge. Essentially no resp symptoms other than they gap with each breath. She is going to contact the university tomorrow to speak with someone in pathology.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what this can be? We are at a loss
I hatched out a group of 11 Polish chicks 4 weeks ago today. They have been growing out nicely and are all normal size and weight. They are kept in a cage in my dining room. They have never been outside or had any thing brought into their cage from outside (like soil for dust bathing). They were on medicated chick starter until 2 days ago when I first saw symptoms and switched them to non-medicated chick starter. The only treat they have ever had was a slice of watermelon. 2 days ago I noticed two of them sitting frequently and when they stood up they seemed unsteady. I removed them and put them in a separate cage to monitor. By that night neither could stand and they started gaping. I started them on vitamins as well. By this morning I had a third chick from that group with the same symptoms. She is still able to walk but also gaping. My avian vet was here again and again has no idea what this is. She still feels it's most unlikely to be Mareks again because they were only 3 weeks old and none have the Mareks stance. She checked their lungs and they are clear. They have no coughing, sneezing or discharge. Essentially no resp symptoms other than they gap with each breath. She is going to contact the university tomorrow to speak with someone in pathology.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what this can be? We are at a loss
