Paralized

[chickenbaguette]

They seem a bit too young for Marek's disease, but here's some info on it:

Marek's disease (Range Paralysis). It's caused by a virus belonging to the Herpes group, and it affects mostly young chickens. The visceral type of the disease causes internal tumors on the liver, kidney, spleen, gonads and occasionally heart. Your chicks are more likely to have the neural type, which causes the progressive paralysis of the wings, legs and neck, usually from lesions on nerve trunks.

While Marek's disease can progress incredibly quickly and cause sudden death, the lesions can also be eliminated and lead to complete recovery. Isolate the ill chickens as it is transmitted by inhalation.

There is no treatment for Marek's disease. If you think it will go away by itself, then you have to keep the chicks isolated and let the disease run its course. If it seems there is no hope, it would be best to have your birds put down.



The paralysis could also be caused by some mould or poisonous substance they've eaten. Are your chicks and chicken in a coop or free ranging? Have you checked for mould in their food, or any where in the coop?

Good luck!

 

[ranchhand]

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How long was she actually sitting on the nest- sometimes, if a hen stays broody for a really long time, longer than the usual 21 days, their legs get damaged and won't work. IF that's the case, I would keep working with her legs as a physical therapy kind of thing. Maybe even rig a low sling of sorts to support her. I force my broody hens off the nest at least twice daily and I break the broodiness if they go too long.
Can she keep the chicks warm? If not, you may end up having to brood them yourself.

Moldy food is another option, causes leg paralysis as well. There is conflicting information as to whether or not that can be cured. In my rooster's case, it couldn't.

We all too often leap to the conclusion of Marek's Disease at the first mention of paralysis. Some thought needs to be given to that- Marek's is highly contagious. If you have only one bird affected, it is very unlikely that it is Marek's.