Not sure what problemsI have here?!

[heatherfeilner]

Hi all, my girls seem to be falling apart and I'm overwhelmed and need help!
First off, I have a pretty diverse flock and have no zero issues for the 8 months I've had them. (I thought that was a little too "lucky)
Tuesday all the birds spent the day free ranging and everyone made it in for the night with no problems. The next morning my sizzle pullet was very lethargic and would fall over when she tried to walk. I picked her up and noticed she has lost tons on weight (you can't tell by looking at her since she's so fluffy) I have her quarantined, and she doesn't seem to be eating or drinking anything

Possible problem #2
My two partridge silkies have been acting broody on and off. I've never had a broody hen but I keep getting excited when they act broody. Yesterday they both sat on eggs and didn't move the entire day and one would peck and make a chatter I've never heard before so I thought "this is it!" And gave them private food and water to do their thing.
This morning one left the nest and is off free ranging and the other moved off her eggs into another box :/. I felt her and her crop is SO impacted .. Is that sometimes something that comes with broodiness? Or more likely she has a much bigger problem?
Please help

 

[Eggcessive]

I wouldn't let your silkies hatch this time of year since it is getting so cold over the next few months. They will probably go broody in the spring when it would be a better time for hatching. Check the crop tomorrow morning to feel if it has gone down. To "break" a broody hen, you can place them in a cage without bedding for 4-5 days, and having a roost to sit on helps. If you have a cage outdoors, then can go in there to be on the ground, and then put them on the roost after dark. Make sure that your sizzle pullet is drinking some vitamins and electrolytes in her water, and taking plenty. Dehydration or being kept from food can cause weakness, and if she is having diarrhea, coccidiosis might be a possible problem. Corid (amprollium) is the medicine for that. Mareks disease could be a slight possibility, but hopefully it is something else.

 

[heatherfeilner]

Now all three girls are starting to share the same symptoms. From what i have been reading it sounds like mareks disease, but it also sounds like they could be egg bound. I thought it would be odd for all three to be at the same time, but I have been supplementing light since all my hens just began to lay as the days started getting shorter..I don't think the sizzle has been laying yet, but I haven't had an egg from the other two and they usually lay about one a day each

 

[heatherfeilner]

I have also read that there is no treatment for mareks, is it a "wait and see if they pull through" disease?

 

[Eggcessive]

Mareks can cause a whole list of symptoms, but typically is starts with weakness in one or both legs or wings, and loss of balance. I would try to get them all drinking some electrolytes, since they may just be weak or dehydrated from sitting on eggs. I would consider other possibilities first, since all 3 shouldn't show symptoms at the same time. Here is a good link to read about Mareks and other diseases that can look like Mareks. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[heatherfeilner]

Thank you, I did find this article, it just stinks that these symptoms could mean so many different things.. When a hen goes broody, would they maybe seem sickly? All three will are puffed out almost perfectly round and will lift their tails when I come near, one will tuck eggs underneath then walk away.. With the two silkies it is almost like they want to be broody but don't know how. I know that they will eat and drink less while broody but is it normal to lose a lot of weight?
I was thinking mareks because the silkie with the crop problem feels more like a tumor, much to big to be a bound egg.
I feel so lost right now :/