One year old can't use legs but won't pass

[Big Red King]

One of our chickens (Ginger - little over 1 year old) got "sick" and has now not been able to use her legs or walk for the past 3 weeks.

We did not follow good biosecurity when starting our flock and at this point I assume we have several diseases hitting us pretty bad. We can't cull because the kids have grown attached to the pet chickens.

I noticed Ginger not being her normal self in the morning and by that evening she could not stand. We isolated her and started antibiotics. She was still eating and drinking on her own. She showed no improvement after a week so we stopped the antibiotics. A few days later she stopped eating. We started force feeding her but she still drinks. We just hit the 3 week mark and I would have thought that she would have passed long ago.

I have told my daughter that we can't keep force feeding her. I said that I can't keep doing it for Ginger and her response is "Can you keep doing it for me!".

So, I am stuck. She won't pass on her own and my daughter won't let me cull her.

Questions:
1) What problem could she have and is there any hope she will regain the use of her legs?
2) How long can she last being force fed?
3) Any advice I can use to help my daughter let her go.

Thanks

 

[Kiki]

Poor thing.
Do you know what Marek's disease is?
Are you aware that each state in the US has a lab that will perform a necropsy on a dead bird and some of these labs will actually put the bird down for you to perform the test?

 

[CoconutCoffee]

I think a discussion about quality of life should be had. One thing I've read when an animal is old or ill is to keep track of good days and bad. When the bad outweigh the good then let them die with some dignity left. Its easier on us to let them pass naturally but can be much harder on them.

Edit: is your daughter concerned with *how* she'd be culled? When I was a kid I'd hate to have a pets head lopped off if thats how. Would it be possible to get a vet to euthanize?

 

[6BeachChicks]

Maybe you could tell your daughter that Gingers old body is broken, and we have to get the same chicken back in a different body. It depends on how old she is, but that should make her feel better. I hope it’s not mareks, and I hope she recovers somehow. It’s hard to have chickens sometimes.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I have a 3 and 4 year old so I understand, but they also know that life is a beautiful thing not to take for granted and know that all good things must come to an end. Sick pets are the perfect time to explain this to a child. I would phrase it as:

"I know that Ginger means a lot to you and she has lived a wonderful life knowing how much you love her, but even though Ginger is holding on for you she is in a lot of pain. Everything has a beginning and an end including our animals that we love very much. That's what makes life beautiful and so valuable because it doesn't last forever. Sometimes the best way we can show our love is letting them know that it's okay to let go and end their suffering. We have done what we can for Ginger and the kindest thing we can do for her right now is to end her pain so she doesn't have to hurt anymore."

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I'm sorry this has happened to you. You say that you "Can't cull cause the kids love them." Its hard life lesson to learn but you do cull when you love you animals. When they are in pain and you can't get them out of it, the loving thing to do it cull. I really hope she gets better!!!