need some help my chickens are acting drunk,

[scooby418]

i have a total of 7 chickens most of them are americanas, and i purchased them at an auction in the springtime around april,, i lost one out of the 5 that i bought.. Since then i had one that was having some white foamy/frothy bubbly stuff coming out of her eye so I went to TSC and got an antibiotic tetacycline hyrdochloride powder and started putting it in there drinking water ,, now about a week and a half later my chickens are acting drunk they cant stand, or walk, at first i thought it was there legs, but they all look fine.. so i have quit giving the antibiotic and some seem to be more mobile but i still have 2 that are down... there eating and drinking but they cant get up and walk,, Did overdose my chickens on an anitibiotic or what is going on with them? any info would help plz i am new to raising chickens

 

[Chickengal505]

Sound like an over dose keep them on fresh clean water with no meds. in it they'll come around...Knock on wood

 

[bturbo87]

i agree with the slight overdose, some electrolytes/vitamins may help as well. Maybe make a wet mash with the starte crumbles and some plain organic yogurt to make it easier to digest and give some good probios.

 

[RedRoosterFarm]

I had some chicks last Oct. that died fast and a nasty death. I lost over 100 in 2 weeks. I got them from back east and when I received them I kept them penned away from others for 30 days. Gave medicated feed and all that good stuff. As soon as they were 5 weeks old I put them in with others in my coop and within 2 weeks they were droping like flies. All were younger under 3 months. I brought the dead to the university to see what was happening. I did this 6 times in 1 month. They were running into walls and I told the vet drunk. Here is some of what the vet sent me and she told me they act drunk and have brain damage and to put the ones down that are drunk. FINDINGS- Vets ouote" Moderate lymphoma affecting nerves, brain, and viscera (1/4). Compatible with Marek’s disease" I put them down and no trouble since. Maye yours have this? dont put them down till you know.
RedRoosterFarm

 

[MotherJean]

I concur with RedRoosterFarm. Suspect Marek's. Two things I know for sure will cause chickens to act drunk - Marek's and botulism. You didn't say how old these birds are. I will tell you, however, that there are some disreputable people out there who, when confronted by disease and mortality in their flock, will attempt to recoup some of their investment by taking birds to auction. Not saying you shouldn't ever purchase birds at auction, just saying "buyer beware." Also, sorry to say, if Marek's is the cause, you have to assume that all 7 birds were infected. Not all will show the same symptoms. The ones with lesions on their brain will act drunk or paralyzed. The ones with tumors on vital organs may just stop eating, drinking, and die. Others may only suffer from blindness in one or both eyes. It's a dreadful disease. I would have a necropsy done one of the birds to confirm or eliminate Marek's because without vaccination and precautions, it can infect whatever new birds you bring into your flock.