PLEASE HELP OUR CHICKEN. URGENT!!! Skinny and can't walk properly

[ChookBook]

Hi. !

So yesterday (Thursday) my sisters and I noticed one of our gorgeous (approx) 12-16 week old pekin x silkie was a little bit extra weak (she's always been a smaller hen). She was able to walk and run around; but whilst we were showing off her gorgeous feathers to our aunty she was quite unstable on our hands- which is very unusual as usually she is very firm and steady.

Today when we let them out she was walking "slower", but not slowly. She was stumbling a bit and when she would stand it looked as if she was perched on her heels, so her bum was closer to the ground. One of our older hens started doing this last year (she was about 2-3), also a pekin x silkie but never got better nor sick. Eventually this hen couldn't walk all together despite appearing well, and was put down. :'(

ANYWAYS; She is still energetic and is eating and drinking normally. By the way, we also put some garlic in their water in case it made a difference.
We took her and her biffle Lottie out for a play this morning and she was pecking away as usual, although when she would fly around she wouldn't land properly. Upon landing she would just 'plop" down (not tumble) as if she was sitting.
I think I should mention the little rooster we have with her and Lottie (same breed). He is tiny but thick and has recently starting doing the "jumping thing" as we call it. Could he have injured Vivs' legs as she is only very little?

Other notes::
-Her poo looks normal, but smaller than the others.
-She's eating and drinking fine.
-Her face is a bit pale, and her eyes are looking a bit squinty (it may just be me because no one else has noticed this)
-I don't think it's Mareks.... but then again I'm no chicken doctor.


-Since we rescued her from a kids animal farm, she's always been very skinny, could it be related to weakness? Could it be worms? One of my bigger hens (a barred rock) recently contracted these nasty's.
Could her legs/knees be injured by the jumpy roo + something else?

My sisters and self have got no clue and we're urgent to get her better before she gets any worse. All help is really appreciated and please PLEASE respond! It breaks my heart when chickens get sick.

xxoxxx

 

[Eggcessive]

If she is walking on her hocks (elbows) or sitting on them, she may have a vitamin deficiency. Riboflavin or B2 should be given in poultry vitamins daily, which is easily put in water. Does she have curled toes at all? There are some other conditions such as Mycoplasma synoviae, and viral arthritis that can cause walking on the hocks. Mareks could be considered.

 

[ChookBook]

Are there any more " diseases " she could possibly have? Just checked on her and her toes aren't curled. We've also separated her and her friend from the roo; just to help stabilize the problem for now. Thanks for your response and we'll take a look at the other conditions now. xx

EDIT: If she is vitamin deficient (Riboflavin or B2) where can I find supplements to fix her?

An update.
My older sister and I checked on her before we put "Kora" (or Koz, the rooster) back in the coop. She is more active and alert than what we previously thought, however she is wobbling a bit more.
Does anyone have any experiences with vitamin B2 / Riboflavin deficient chickens? Please share if you do!

 

[ChookBook]

Guys I'm so sorry for the update but we really REALLY need help with our girl. She isn't getting any better; maybe even worse. Even then; we don't know what expect if she is getting better anyway. My sisters and I have given her vitamin /protein supplements (yesterday) and have wormed their water.

Please respond or at least vote in the poll!

((ALso, her poops are very little if that means anything; they still look reletively normal though.))

 

[Eggcessive]

Poultry vitamins from most feed stores include riboflavin (except Poultry Nutri-Drench,) and also B-Complex tablets dissolved in the water would be good to use. You may not see a quick cure, and if she has Mareks there is not much you can do. You should give her supportive care, help her get to food and water, and watch to see if her symptoms get better or worse. Here are 3 good links to read about Mareks and one about riboflavin deficiency:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[ChookBook]

Thanks again for your response!

(<that's Viv dancing.)
I'm hope it's a vitamin deficiency, as she is still very perky. Last time we had a Mareks infected chicken (when we first got hennies) it was the most devastating thing I'd seen, and juggling between school and the poor chook was very tricky.

Anyway, how long does it take for a vitamin deficient hen to start showing signs of getting better? We've put our little boy with our two big chooks (barred rock and barnevelder) as we caught him "jumping" (attempting to mate) Vivienne. He was legit dragging her along the ground; so now he has to put up with the other two 'ladies' outside.

Also also also! (I'm wondering heaps.

) Would the cold effect her at all? I've noticed as it's been very cold lately; whenever the sun peeps through for a bit she jumps right up and starts moving around more. She's still cleaning herself, scratching around and even stretching/ flapping her wings despite wobbling.

 

[Eggcessive]

How long ago did you have a chicken with Mareks? Mareks is contagious to any unvaccinated chicken in the environment for at least 7 years or more. It is in the dust and dander from infected chickens, so it is pretty much everywhere. For chicks to become immune, they need to be vaccinated and kept from the virus for at least 2 weeks.

 

[ChookBook]

About two years ago. I'm pretty sure she is vaccinated though, and none of our other hens since (vaccinated and unvaccinated) have caught it yet. We also purchased that chicken with the disease unaware, as she didn't show any symptoms until later. Does that make any difference to the possibility?
Last year as well we had two sick chicken buddies (the girls in my picture/ icon thingo) but we still don't know what they had; one of them was showing similar signs to Viv and was eventually put down after two weeks of no difference; but that was without any extra vitamins etc.
Before I forget to mention too, I checked whether her legs were still working and tick that box. She was still curling her toes around my fingers (loosely though) and kicking when I held her over her wings. Does this mean she isn't paralysed?

 

[ChookBook]

This morning when I went to let her out of her dog carrier (she sleeps in it with her friend because they aren't quite friendly with the bigger chickens atm) she was really energetic and ran to the feeder and drinker for a big feed, and also ate some bread. A few minutes ago I went to let them out for a run around and she wasn't that well. She was hardly walking, and when she was it was almost entirely on her elbows. Because the sun was out she spent alot of the time sunbathing with Lottie, and when she did stand up she was so wobbly, and would fall a bit. Good thing is when she fell she was able to get herself back up pronto, still wobbly though. When she was up and about I noticed she kept trying to run or move around faster. She struggles to turn around as well.
I haven't seen her poop yet today which worries me a little bit; she's definitely eating though.

HELP PLEASE!! (by the way thanks heaps Eggcessive for helping out so much!)

 

[theawesomechick]

How's it been going for Vivienne? My Penny was having the same problem. Please tell me if you were able to treat her, and if so, how you did it. Penny is getting perilously skinny right now...