poor sick chicken!

Nstamilla

In the Brooder
Oct 28, 2020
25
7
29
Hi everyone,
I am new to chickens and we have a few different breeds in our small flock. Two months ago my leghorn became lame and couldn't walk properly. We brought her inside and nursed her for a week, also giving her some charcoal in case she had eaten something bad, and after a week she was well again and is back in the flock. However just three days ago our other chicken Ginger, who is part leghorn part some other things, became lame and is now totally unable to walk. She seems to be leaning forward a lot, as if her two legs need to be straight. She still eats a drinks a bit (not a lot) but is very lethargic. She seems to be gasping a little and feels hot although I don't have any way of taking her temperature. We have been giving her charcoal but it doesn't seem to be helping. She doesn't have any runny nose/eyes. She seems to be pooping fairly normally but not a lot as she is not eating heaps. I have been trying to figure out if it is Marek's but can't see any other symptoms.
I thought it was that she may have eaten some deadly nightshade as there was heaps growing on the property? We have had some hot humid and wet weather but their food is not wet/mouldy, and is kept of the ground.
Also none of my chickens are laying yet, the leghorn is 22 weeks old and all the rest are about a month or so younger.
Any ideas as to what it could be and if there is any hope?
 
Chickens ate fairly good at not ingesting toxic plants. I have nightshade that pops up on my property all over the place and I've only ever witnessed a nibble here or there before they decided it wasn't tasty or whatever they classify it as in their little chicken brains. What are you feeding them? Any treats? There are a few things that can cause a chicken to go lame, and mareks is one of them unfortunately but there's other things as well, such as vitamin deficiencies for example. Is your hen able to grasp your finger with its toes or is she fairly weak?
 
Her feet no longer grab on to my finger, when I pick her up it’s as if her two legs shoot straight back behind her. She still tries to stand but it’s as if her legs just won’t work.
 
I’ve had her inside for almost a week and she doesn’t seem to be improving...she has a good appetite and drinks well but her legs seem to be splayed when she tries to walk and she uses her wing like a crutch. Do I have to put her down? I’m just wondering if anyone has had success with other similar cases?
 

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