PLEASE PLEASE tell me what this could be!!!!

[mags2009]

Last Spring we bought 6 day old chicks. One died the next day, which we know happens in young chicks. One was killed by a predator. Then we noticed that one always seemed to be sitting. It was a Black Copper Marans Rooster. We went on vacation in July, and had a pet sitter stay at our house, but the Roo died. Not sure what happened, it was dead in the run. Then its two remaining "sisters," one black copper and one easter egger all of a sudden seemed "paralyzed." One would just sit back on its hocks, and the other had one "good" leg, and then the foot of the other leg seemed paralyzed. We gave them b vitamins, thinking that was it. We put electolytes in their water, everything we could think of. At first I thought Mareks, but I didn't see any other signs, and their legs weren't like what happens with Mareks. They weren't like one leg back and one forward. We tried to treat them for 3 weeks. They ate and drank normally, just couldn't walk. We had to cull them. Now today, more than 2 months later, one of our 3 year-old silkies is in the run sitting with her head almost flush to the dirt. I pick her up and notice that she is sitting on her hocks. She was like a weeble wobble, and could not stand up. She would just fall forward onto the ground. My husband put her down, but we have her in the freezer to have her tested to see what this could be. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THIS COULD BE? I'm devastated and worried I'm going to lose my flock. Any information you have would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,
Kerry

 

[Pyxis]

I think it might be Marek's disease - one of its trademark symptoms is paralysis.

 

[mags2009]

Does this mean my whole flock will get it? There is no way to get rid of it is there? We just hatched 4 chicks also from a broody. What do we do?

 

[Pyxis]

If it is Marek's, then yes, I believe your current flock will always carry it. The only way to avoid future birds having it would be to vaccinate them the day they hatch and keep them inside with you until they're a little older, and even then, they could still get it and carry it, it just wouldn't make them ill. I'd advise you do get your silkie tested, so can know for sure.