One eye closed, lethargic

[Northernchickens]

Hi,
I have a 15week old legbar who is unwell. First chicken owning experience so bear with me.. symptoms just started today but I have worked long hours this week so I only see them when I check on them at night and they are all cuddled together. Anyways today I noticed the chickens mostly stayed in the coop it was the first day of snow we got 15cm last night and they didn’t want to come out until this afternoon, they all came out except her she tried but was unstable and falling over I also noticed her left eye was closed. She seems quite thin I can feel her keel bone is prominent and she was open mouthed breathing. I have brought her inside syringed some water in her with electrolytes and I set her up in the old brooding box. I offered her water and she drinks willingly, I offered her food (grower feed) mixed with yogurt and she is eating ok she seems weak when she pecks it and she seems to eat strangely with her head tilted.

 

[Pennys Mama]

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have a video of how her neck is tilted when she eats? That might be a sign of wry neck, where the neck becomes twisted up, down or to the side. Could be she have been kept from food and water by the others? What does her poop look like? Coccidiosis could be a problem. It causes them to be lethargic, weak, not eat, sit around puffed up or hunched, and have runny poops with mucis and sometimes blood. Amprollium (Amprol, Corid, or coxoid) which you have to get from a vet in Canada is the treatment. Some vets use sulfa antibiotics to treat it. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? That is another possibility, but it would be way too soon to think about that yet. Get her drinking as much as possible, give vitamins and electrolytes if you have them, and check into get some Amprol tomorrow.

 

[Northernchickens]

Do you have a video of how her neck is tilted when she eats? That might be a sign of wry neck, where the neck becomes twisted up, down or to the side. Could be she have been kept from food and water by the others? What does her poop look like? Coccidiosis could be a problem. It causes them to be lethargic, weak, not eat, sit around puffed up or hunched, and have runny poops with mucis and sometimes blood. Amprollium (Amprol, Corid, or coxoid) which you have to get from a vet in Canada is the treatment. Some vets use sulfa antibiotics to treat it. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? That is another possibility, but it would be way too soon to think about that yet. Get her drinking as much as possible, give vitamins and electrolytes if you have them, and check into get some Amprol tomorrow.

I will try to get a video, since she’s been moved inside she is looking a little better seems more perky and stable on her feet she has had 2 bowel movements since being inside this photo is the first and the second was mostly clear water. I don’t know if they were vaccinated.

 

[Eggcessive]

That looks like a fairly normal cecal poop.

 

[Northernchickens]

That looks like a fairly normal cecal poop.

I have 3 legbars I’m considering moving them inside to be with her, is this a good idea?

 

[Northernchickens]

Most recent BM is dry, dark green tinged and crumbly. I could get a video of her eating but I’ll try again tomorrow. I moved the other two legbars in with her.
Morning update no change since last night i am home today so I am going to syringe feed her every hour. She is not interested in eating on her own but she takes the syringe well. I will try to weight the three of them today also she does feel much lighter. I have been unsuccessful in getting a video but when she was eating initially she was weak and the left side of her head was at a 45degree angle over the food if this helps..

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she has wry neck (torticolis, crook neck,) which can be a sign of vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, a head or neck injury, and in chickens her age, sometimes a symptom of Mareks disease. A 400 IU capsule of vitamin E given orally may be needed since many vitamins may not have enough E. Some foods in small amounts that you can try offering at various times are chick feed made wet with waterand a touch of plain yogurt, scrambled egg, tuna or salmon, and canned cat food.

 

[Northernchickens]

It sounds like she has wry neck (torticolis, crook neck,) which can be a sign of vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, a head or neck injury, and in chickens her age, sometimes a symptom of Mareks disease. A 400 IU capsule of vitamin E given orally may be needed since many vitamins may not have enough E. Some foods in small amounts that you can try offering at various times are chick feed made wet with waterand a touch of plain yogurt, scrambled egg, tuna or salmon, and canned cat food.

Thank you for the advice! Do you know if there are any diagnostics tests to confirm mareks disease?

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually, it needs to be done with a necropsy after death when they can do histology on feather shafts and test any tumor tissue. There are labs around the world that may test a feather shaft for a fee. Those may have some false negative results. If you lose her, I would get a necropsy by a poultry vet in your area, usually best if done at a vet school or by a poultry specialist. I would contact the two places below ahead of time to ask about Mareks testing, find out costs, and how to send a body for necropsy:
http://www.poultryhealth.ca/contact/

https://www.uoguelph.ca/ahl/contact-us/email-or-phone-us