problems with neighbor's chicken, well mine!

[kyeschicks]

I went outside to finish building the coop for my chicks and my neighbor came out and told me that she had a hen that couldn't walk! I think her legs (the hen legs) got frozen because she won't walk, she only stands up but then fells! She told me that if I wanted it and I told yes now I have it in the coop with the chicks (to keep them warm) I just starred at her all the time and she twists her neck a little bit well she only lies it on a side of her wing, but she can't walk either. So I don't know what to do! the temps here in Amarillo, TX are a bit cold like in the 30's to 40's. Whats wrong with her?????? any advice will be appreciated! =]

 

[birdlover]

I would recommend you get her out of that coop immediately. It sounds like she could possible have a serious illness (Marek's Disease comes to mind) and it can spread to all your other chicks. How old are the chicks? Your neighbor did you a great disservice in my opinion, giving away a bird with symptoms like that! Bring her in the house and keep her warm and in some sort of container with food and water and keep an eye on her. DO NOT handle her and then the chicks. Always start with the chicks and then her. Wash your hands after handling her or working around her and you would do good to use a special pair of shoes to wear out to the coop. Sounds like overkill but, believe me, she could wipe out your whole flock if she has Marek's. Sorry to pour water on your excitement.

 

[CityClucks]

Listen to birdlover - she could infect your whole flock...

 

[Lollipop]

Here are the symptoms of Marek`s. Highly contageous.......


Paralysis of legs, wings and neck.
Loss of weight.
Grey iris or irregular pupil.
Vision impairment.
Skin around feather follicles raised and roughened.

 

[kyeschicks]

lollipop, well she did not have anything of that. She COULD stand up by her self and walk a little bit like just a step. She has her eyes normal, her skin where the feathers are are normal, I really don't know about the weight but she was light. oh and she could move her wings up and down, and she only lie her head down BUT she could move it straight. Ok I already got her out of the coop, but like we couldn't move her into the house we decided to do something with her I know im doing bad with her but I rather prefer her to die than my whole flock to die, she is in a very bad and scary place that she could get by a predator but I can't do anything

I really feel bad for her and I feel bad too because she looked so pretty. I put her in with the chicks at 6:30pm and I took her out like at 9:36pm so she was only with the chicks about 3 hours. I had the chicks in a coop and then in a little "Taxi for dogs" house and the entrance covered with a towel so that the cold wouln't get inside that much, when I went to remove her from the coop she was out of the little dog taxi house. I really don't know when she got out. Can my chicks still get infected????????

 

[kyeschicks]

well some chicks arrived from IDEAL hatchery the 21st of January and mine hatched on January 24th so Ideals chicks are going to be 5 weeks old tomorrow and the other ones on saturday so they are 4 weeks old about to be 5 weeks

 

[birdlover]

Please supply a heat lamp for your chicks. They can't be feathered out at 4 - 5 weeks. And please either put the hen out of her misery yourself or put her where she won't be eaten by predators. Even if you have to put her in a box and in your car!

 

[sammi]

can't you bring the hen in and put her in a utility room in a box with some bedding or something?

the chicks shouldn't be in the cold.
can you bring them in?
what are you feeding them?

the hen..can you check her crop?
feel for any lump or grainy feeling.
please check her droppings and describe..color and consistency..

see if she will eat or drink..
make up this mix..water cooked oatmeal, cooked egg yolk, plain yogurt, and honey if you have it...add enough layer feed to make it crumbly..not soupy.
try and get some Poly-vi-sol liquid baby vitamins, Enfamil brand, no iron..put drops on her beak..(so it runs in her mouth) once a day for a week.
if you don't have all of these things on hand..give her some scrambled egg.
if you have human vitamins..crush one up and sprinkle a tiny pinch into feed..of B vitamins and a dab of E vitamin oil from gel tab.

this poor hen might just have worms real bad..or could have got into something bad..or even injured..or crop problem..weak from malnutrition..loaded with mites..lots of things..
not necessarily Mereks.
best to keep separate from any others.

do you have other chickens?

 

[kyeschicks]

Sammi, my chicks are good, the hen is the one that worries me I got her from my neighbor so my chicks aren't sick well I don't know if they got infected (if that was really disease). I just want to know when will they start falling down and everything that happens to mareks disease ? Because today they look fine they just do chick stuff, they don't look sick or something. And I have 33 chicks and they go into the little taxi house and stay there it looks like they keep themselves warm because I put my hand there in the middle of the chicks and it was very warm. So when do my chicks start to show the symptoms??

 

[texasbartrambaby]

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this! I hope everything turns out ok!

PS I saw your signature ... you are too sweet! I can't wait to meet everyone in our chicken swap meet!