Please help me save Seabiscuit- our 10 week old bantam seabright.

[CanGarrett]

Found this little girl laying on the ground being stepped on by larger hens last Saturday. She could not stand on her own and was mouth breathing some, making little sound; normally she is quite noisy. Noticed her having some difficulty getting into the coop 2 days prior but did not think much of it. It is possible she spent that night outside. Temp was in the low 50's and dew fell so at first I thought she might have gotten cold and wet and all she needed was to be nursed indoors. Upon further inspection I noticed a small lesion with a "dot" in the center, just beneath her wing and toward the middle of her body. It was dry and somewhat firm but has since softened and not grown in any way. Pupils appear normal and black.

Her legs seem to be getting a bit stronger but if she does not have care every few hours, (syringe feeding water with vitamins and offering feed) she becomes very weak and regresses. I am keeping her in a box of hay with water and feed available and also attempting to keep her warm with baby blankets when necessary. Currently she is in a closet in my corporate office and I am tending to her every few hours. She is chirping now, showing signs of improvement and eating/drinking well but she still cannot hold herself up on her legs. Given the chance to stand on solid ground she falls to one side or the other, sometimes face first and flops about.

Could this be Marek's? None of my other hens are showing any symptoms but I isolated her as soon as I noticed her problems. If anyone has any advice or answers they will be received with great thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

She certainly is in the age range for Mareks to show up, of 6-12 weeks. Many chicks with Mareks show similar symptoms of lethargy, being trampled, and poor appetite, then just die of starvation without knowing the cause. Does you little sebright have any neck paralysis or are her legs ever in the position of one leg forward, one leg backward? Sometimes chicks can show symptoms, then recover, then later die of lymphomas or tumors from Mareks. It's a terrible disease, and I hope your chick doesn't have it. The dot-wound under her wing is interesting--maybe just an injury from being stepped on. i would try also to rule out cocci since she is in the age for that also.

 

[CanGarrett]

Thank you for your input

Her neck seems to be strong and usually her legs are both in front of her as opposed to being one front, the other behind. After being at work all day yesterday I immediately picked her up and her neck fell backwards and I thought she was gone. She quickly perked up with fluids and I have not noticed neck problems again unless she becomes unsteady and is face down until I get her propped up again. I guess that could be neck paralysis though...hmm...