Please help .. Emergency and no-one answering in the chicken forum

[Rayelene]

I have posted in the chicken forum but no one is answering and I am now desperate.

I have a 6 month old Blue Pekin who has yet to lay (its winter here). She started walking very slowly last week, went off her food and then did'nt want to even leave the coop to free range. I bought her inside and have been doing fluids, Vit D and B and Olive Oil. She initially kept sitting with her head down and bum up in the air. But now she is laying on her side, is shaking and stretching out her wings like she is in pain and is basically wasting away. Up until 2 days ago her poop appeared quite normal but now its hard to tell as she is not eating.

I have dosed her for coccidiosis and she was wormed 2 months ago. She is on a quality chicken food. Her vent appears normal, no swelling or discharge (but I"m a bit of a novice .. this being my first lot of chooks). I did a water flush (with a little olive oil in it) just in case but has made no difference. She is quite smelly!

I have no idea what is wrong with her and what to do and I cannot afford the vet. Each of my chooks belongs to a grandchild and this one belongs to Emily ... so don't want to have to tell her it is gone.

Someone suggested I post here saying there are some very experienced people in here

Any help would be really appreciated

 

[GitaBooks]

I'm sorry about your duck.

Is she getting niacin? Could she have eaten something toxic? Is she showing signs of respiratory distress?
Could you explain some more of the symptoms and what led up to them?


I hope she gets better soon.

 

[Rayelene]

I'm sorry about your duck.

Is she getting niacin? Could she have eaten something toxic? Is she showing signs of respiratory distress?
Could you explain some more of the symptoms and what led up to them?


I hope she gets better soon.

Thanks so much for answering.

No to the respiratory distress, no sneezing and her breathing appears normal.

Her symptoms came on very slowly. I first noticed about 8 days ago that she was not free ranging with the other chooks, preferring to stay in the coop. I notice she was feeling very thin when I picked her up. I weighed her and she has lost heaps of weight.

Her only symptoms now that I can see, are that she has no appetite and is not wanting to move at all. Although her legs to still move, when I pick her up or try to sit her up her legs start trembling and she seems really uncomfortable.
Her head moves normally though, no twisting or anything and her eyes look clear and normal. She is sleeping mostly but when she does wake she appears alert.

I did notice today after I gave her some water (slowly with a syringe .. I'm careful not to drown her) that when I picked her up afterwards and her head was down a bit that the water ran back out. Although she appears to be swallowing normally.

It does seem like she is in pain but I have check her over and can't see anything untoward. She tends to want to tuck her legs up. Comb is a normal colour


Not a lot of symptoms. See why I am so stuck .. I've been through all the diseases and she just doesn't fit anything. No obvious crop obstruction. She does not appear to be bound-up.


Oh and the other chooks are all fine with no signs of sickness anywhere.

 

[GitaBooks]

Sorry. Pekins are also a duck breed. Is she a chicken?

It could be she is suffering from something like a tumor or vitamin deficiency. Could she be weak from something like worms? Water belly and egg yolk peritonitis can be seen in older chickens that can slowly get worse and lead to walking problems.

I'll get back to you after a few minutes of research.

 

[GitaBooks]

If it isn't a deficiency then the most likely cause would be viral. Viruses can lead to symptoms such as weakening, and some lead to small tumors that can lead to slow loss of weight. First I would try worming her. She is weak, so give her lots of supportive care. Keep her away from the other birds and wash your hands before taking care of the other birds. Make sure she is drinking electrolytes and vitamins and is not too cold.

Are there any signs of partial paralysis? Weakness in the legs or wings? It could be she is suffering from marek's.

I hope this helps: http://www.raising-chickens.org/my-chicken-is-weak.html

 

[Rayelene]

If it isn't a deficiency then the most likely cause would be viral. Viruses can lead to symptoms such as weakening, and some lead to small tumors that can lead to slow loss of weight. First I would try worming her. She is weak, so give her lots of supportive care. Keep her away from the other birds and wash your hands before taking care of the other birds. Make sure she is drinking electrolytes and vitamins and is not too cold.

Are there any signs of partial paralysis? Weakness in the legs or wings? It could be she is suffering from marek's.

I hope this helps: http://www.raising-chickens.org/my-chicken-is-weak.html

Thanks Gita. Her legs are def weak and she cannot stand but she can move them and her wings and neck too. I did look through all those diseases. I think I'll try worming her again .. hope its OK to do that when she was done less than 3 months ago. I read its quite hard on them. got nothing to lose .. she is not getting better

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Comb is a normal colour

Wait, is this a chicken or a duck?

 

[enola]

Chicken

When you wormed her what did you use?

 

[Rayelene]

Hiya .. yes she is a chicken .. a little Blue Pekin bantam named Phebe I couldn't get any reply in the chicken forum and someone suggested I post here ... I was desparate.

The worm treatment I gave them was Panacur (Im in NZ). I got it from the vet. Weighed them all, dosed them appropriately and then dosed again 10 days later.

She is still no better. No worse but no better either. She is eating small amounts if I put it right in front of her. Not fussed on the pellets, or grains, preferring porridge or egg yolk. She is still not wanting to move and still trembling if I move her. But her legs definitely move and her wings too (she got in a panic last night). She appears a lot sleepier today though and has her eyes closed a lot more. Not quite so alert. I noticed that if I move her too quickly her head bobs from side to side and I wonder if she is disorientated or dizzy.

Still giving fluids and vitamins, a little sugar in the water as I have no electrolytes. It is monday tomorrow so if she is still alive I might go back to the vets and see if they will give me some antiobiotics without actually seeing her (will be cheaper). then again .. I just read that if I use antiobiotics I will never be able to use her eggs ? Really .. never?

She has now been 5 days like this, deteroiation is slow ... still feeling incredibly helpless and for the first time, regretting that I decided to have chooks. I had no idea that I would get so attached to them

thanks for your help ...

 

[needlessjunk]

I'm sorry I can't be of any help, did you post in the emergency section?https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures