Polish chicken suddenly won’t stand or walk

[Swbertrand1]

Thank you!! We will give this a shot today!! I have considered worms potentially. I actually was wondering if one of the polishes we had due had an overload based on the really frothy yellow poop but we also had some cocci so it could have been that. No we have never dewormed them. What should I use for that? I actually just read an article about issues with walking related to worms so it made me wonder.

Dosage is here; follow posts #2 and #9:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-dosage.1437427/

 

[penny131]

Update! She’s totally fine now. I started b vitamins with her and within just a couple days she was acting like nothing had ever happened. The weird thing is now I have another acting how she was and now isn’t walking. Do I assume it’s mareks?!! I thought mareks wiped them out? Is it possible to have a vitamin deficiency for multiple birds? This is a splash australorp that’s having then problem now. The Others are all acting fine still.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Update! She’s totally fine now. I started b vitamins with her and within just a couple days she was acting like nothing had ever happened. The weird thing is now I have another acting how she was and now isn’t walking. Do I assume it’s mareks?!! I thought mareks wiped them out? Is it possible to have a vitamin deficiency for multiple birds? This is a splash australorp that’s having then problem now. The Others are all acting fine still.

That's great news on the first! Bummer on the second. Try treating the second bird the same way you treated the first - you've already got all the "therapies" on hand, and they won't hurt the bird.

Mareks shows similarly, in some respects, to a vitamin deficiency, but not all, and vice-versa. Easy answer, right? I also have no first-hand experience with Mareks, but I can search it. Follow Eggcessive's information above; it's not unheard of to have two or more chicks in need, especially if they came from the same source (hatchery/breeder).

 

[penny131]

That's great news on the first! Bummer on the second. Try treating the second bird the same way you treated the first - you've already got all the "therapies" on hand, and they won't hurt the bird.

Mareks shows similarly, in some respects, to a vitamin deficiency, but not all, and vice-versa. Easy answer, right? I also have no first-hand experience with Mareks, but I can search it. Follow Eggcessive's information above; it's not unheard of to have two or more chicks in need, especially if they came from the same source (hatchery/breeder).

I’ve started the vitamins but so far no change. She’s not doing as well as the other did I feel eating and drinking so We will see how she does. I’m not sure what else to try. Different breeders, it’s just so strange.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Give it a little time; they don't all respond instantly. In the meantime, how does her stool look (worms, blood, watery, colored)? How does her crop feel, and is it emptying overnight? Have you checked her over carefully for external parasites? Remove her from the flock until you get this sorted out and make sure she's drinking and eating.

Review @Eggcessive 's (tag) posts above and look for Markes' symptoms like curling toes, partial (one-sided) paralysis, etc. Blood tests can rule out diseases and confirm others. Is that a possibility?

 

[Eggcessive]

What are you feeding your chickens? I would try to get plenty of water into the chicken with symptoms. Place a small cup or scoop up to the beak, and try watering a little chicken feed and offering it. We can’t tell you whether or not this is Mareks, but you can try and treat them with vitamins or get testing. Hopefully, it is not, but something like dehydration or vitamin deficiency.

 

[penny131]

Give it a little time; they don't all respond instantly. In the meantime, how does her stool look (worms, blood, watery, colored)? How does her crop feel, and is it emptying overnight? Have you checked her over carefully for external parasites? Remove her from the flock until you get this sorted out and make sure she's drinking and eating.

Review @Eggcessive 's (tag) posts above and look for Markes' symptoms like curling toes, partial (one-sided) paralysis, etc. Blood tests can rule out diseases and confirm others. Is that a possibility?

Yes she has no sign of parasites I can see. I can’t tell if she has paralysis she just refuses to try and stand. Her crop is very empty. Nothing there. She’s hasn’t started laying yet so thinking she’s not egg bound. I’m still tempted to treat for worms…. Her poop is very green and runny. She seems very lethargic today. For sure had gone down in the last two days. Her toes are looking sort of curled but so we’re my other chickens so I have no idea. Blood testing might be something I need to do at this point. I mostly just want to know if it’s mareks just to know how to proceed forward with chicks in the future it’s just so weird how it’s only been these two so far.

 

[penny131]

What are you feeding your chickens? I would try to get plenty of water into the chicken with symptoms. Place a small cup or scoop up to the beak, and try watering a little chicken feed and offering it. We can’t tell you whether or not this is Mareks, but you can try and treat them with vitamins or get testing. Hopefully, it is not, but something like dehydration or vitamin deficiency.

They are finishing a bag of the Purina flock raiser crumbles. We just started to have laying hens so I’ll probably try and switch to a different food soon. They do free range all day. But I have two that were just a little younger then 16 weeks and we had lots left so I had been finishing it out. It has rooster booster added to it. I know no one can unless we test it’s just so weird. I feel like we’ve had a lot of issues since getting them in March but it wasn’t until they went outside. But we’ve lost three already in the last two months just randomly. She’s refusing most food and water and I’m a little nervous with how little she wants to eat. I gave some egg yolk to try and get something in her and she did a little of that.

 

[Swbertrand1]

They are finishing a bag of the Purina flock raiser crumbles. We just started to have laying hens so I’ll probably try and switch to a different food soon. They do free range all day. But I have two that were just a little younger then 16 weeks and we had lots left so I had been finishing it out. It has rooster booster added to it. I know no one can unless we test it’s just so weird. I feel like we’ve had a lot of issues since getting them in March but it wasn’t until they went outside. But we’ve lost three already in the last two months just randomly. She’s refusing most food and water and I’m a little nervous with how little she wants to eat. I gave some egg yolk to try and get something in her and she did a little of that.

I almost swear by Starter Feed, Yogurt (ours LOVE "mixed berry" flavor), and Vitamins to get a bird to eat. Adding Fried Egg Yolk to the mix only sweetens the deal. If a chicken won't eat that, then they're definitely in need of help.

Hydrate her first; nothing else will work if she's not hydrated. Then, mix up some of our secret sauce or what Eggcessive has suggested, both from posts further back in this thread, then hand feed her if you think she's not eating. Being able to monitor a sick hen/rooster/chick via seclusion allows you to monitor both fluid and feed intake. Again, she MUST stay hydrated; get food in her next.

I don't know if this has been added yet, but this is a good primer on how to give a sick chicken fluids or liquid oral medications with a syringe or dropper. Pay special attention to the location of the airway. If you're ever feel like you're not in the right spot doing this, remove the device and reinsert in the bird's mouth. Be sure; you don't want to aspirate the bird.
https://bitchinchickens.com/2020/02/06/how-to-safely-give-oral-medications/

Getting a flock of birds is work; make no mistake about that. They almost always need a little something here, or something there, but it's a task I (we?) take on out of a passion for the unique nature of each bird, their individual personalities, and of course the side benefits of fresh eggs and so much frenzied fun in the yard. It just gives me a lot of joy.

You might have started off a little bumpier than most, but you'll get to a point where chicken keeping is a second-nature kind of thing. Sure, they'll throw you curve-balls from time to time, but you'll be able to deal with 95% of what afflicts your birds with a quick exam, a look at their stool, a crop check, a belly check, and more. It comes with experience. When you don't know what's at issue, come here or go the the vet...

Keep us posted! We're pulling for your girl!

 

[Eggcessive]

Until you get the layer feed started and even afterward, I would always have crushed oyster shell available for the extra calcium for hard eggshells and to help prevent egg binding. I see that you have started a new thread on the second sick chicken.