I've only had chickens for about 6 months, when we inherited a flock that was here at the house we bought. We had 4 older girls (4-5yrs?) and 4 younger ones (2?) I built a nice yard for them and a larger, more weather proof coop than what they had, and moved them all in. Everybody was happy until my brother's dog came over.. long story short, now we have 6 chickens. The attack was back at Easter, so I assumed everyone had gotten over the stress of it, but then last week one of the older girls went lame overnight.
She was fine one day, and the next she couldn't walk and the tips of her comb were purple. I isolated her in a large kennel, found some mites/lice, treated the whole flock for that with permethrin, and gave the sick one electrolytes and meal worms. She wouldn't eat or drink (except dropper fed) for abt. 3 days. Then she started to eat and drink and began to perk back up. Her comb reddened a lot (still slightly purple on tips) and her spirits are up. Now she wants to scratch and behaves mostly normally, but still can't take more than 4 or 5 steps before flopping back down. She's super weak and has had bright green poop this whole time.
I know it sounds like Marek's, but is it possible it's worms? I don't see any in her poop or the other girls'. I can't take anything to the vet (which I know makes diagnosis hard). I'm just looking for experienced opinions on this.. if it's time to put her down we can do that, but I need to tell my kiddos that I tried everything I could before we go that route. The rest of the flock seems perfectly normal, and these chickens were raised here on this property, if that helps. Any advice welcome!
She was fine one day, and the next she couldn't walk and the tips of her comb were purple. I isolated her in a large kennel, found some mites/lice, treated the whole flock for that with permethrin, and gave the sick one electrolytes and meal worms. She wouldn't eat or drink (except dropper fed) for abt. 3 days. Then she started to eat and drink and began to perk back up. Her comb reddened a lot (still slightly purple on tips) and her spirits are up. Now she wants to scratch and behaves mostly normally, but still can't take more than 4 or 5 steps before flopping back down. She's super weak and has had bright green poop this whole time.
I know it sounds like Marek's, but is it possible it's worms? I don't see any in her poop or the other girls'. I can't take anything to the vet (which I know makes diagnosis hard). I'm just looking for experienced opinions on this.. if it's time to put her down we can do that, but I need to tell my kiddos that I tried everything I could before we go that route. The rest of the flock seems perfectly normal, and these chickens were raised here on this property, if that helps. Any advice welcome!
Sorry. This is beyond my experience. you may have to put her to sleep if she can't get better.
