Pullet can't stand-feet curled

PertyGertie

Songster
9 Years
Jul 10, 2014
114
15
142
Southwest Michigan
Last night I went out to check on my chickens after being gone most of the day. I found my Marans pullet on the floor on her back struggling and kicking her feet in the air. She had a large pile of poop by her so I assumed she had been there a while. I brought her in the house. I gave her water and food. She tried walking but kept flopping about with feet curled. She voraciously ate and drank. After a while she was walking but was a bit wobbly. She pooped a huge poop that resembled a broody poop but smelled much like a puppy poop. Not the typical chicken poop smell. Then she pooped a second poop. Much smaller and runnier but the same smell. Here's a pic of the the second poop:

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I put her in her cage for the night and when I checked on her this morning she just sat there. I brougt her out and put her on a towel and she was back to square one. Feet curled and can't stand. She keeps her tail high in the air. Not sure if she's using it for balance or what. No poop yet today. She's not eating much today either.

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I have a video of her hobbling around but don't know how to post it. Any ideas of what this could be or other symptoms I should be looking for? She was vaccinated for Mareks.

update: I heard her stomach gurgling. She isn't eating today. Still no poops today. I saw her near some pumpkins I had thrown out for compost the day before yesterday. Could she have botulism?
 
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Botulism comes from eating a toxin produced by dead animal or plant material breaking downing without the presence of air. It causes progressive paralysis of both legs, then wings, and lastly the neck and breathing muscles. Your chicken sounds more like riboflavin deficiency with curled toe paralysis. I would start some vitamins in her water containing riboflavin or vitamin B2, and make sure that her feed is fresh dated. How old is she? Offer her some egg, tuna, or wet food to coax her into eating. Let us know how she is doing tomorrow.
 
Hi Eggcessive! Thank you for responding. My pullet is about 16 weeks old. I wet some of her usual feed and she gobbled a whole plate full last night. I have about 30 pullets and 9 young ducks so I go through a couple of bags of feed a week so her food is always fresh. When I wet her food I used Rooster Booster vitamins and electrolytes in the water.

This morning however she is panting. Her eyes aren't as bright. She did poop a couple of times and it was pretty normal. I'm not getting my hopes up. She doesn't look very good.
 
She is breathing with her mouth open when she inhales. She's stretching her neck every now and then. I wet her food this morning and she won't even eat or drink. She closes her eyes every few breaths.
 
Update: since she hadn't been eating all day I tube fed her. A minute later her stomach gurgled and she squirted the most vile smelling diarrhea I have ever smelled. It looked almost sandy in texture and had some undigested mealworms in it. There was also some urine in it. She is still gasping when she's breathing. She won't even talk when I cluck to her. She is closing her eyes a lot as well.
 
I'm sorry that she is no better. It doesn't sound like botulism, but I'm not a vet. I'm glad that you are tube feeding her. How much are you giving, and what type of food? KayTee baby bird food is good. How much does she weigh? Hopefully this is just a temporary illness from something she ate.
 
Yes I'm feeding Kaytee baby bird food. I mixed it with her vitamin and electrolyte water. I only fed her 10 ml twice today. I figure overloading her system is probably not wise. I need to run to the store. My scales to weigh my birds needs a new battery. While out doing chores I took a broody silkie off the nest. Her broody poop is exactly what my sick pullet's poop smells like. Only the pullets is 10 times worse.
 
Sounds like either viral respiratory or bacterial MG.

I would put her on antibiotic asap. Tetracycline is good for MG/MS. You can generally find Duramycin 10 in the feed store.

Gasping is not usually a Marek's thing, not until end stage if the tumors are lung related.

This came on quickly, so it sounds viral/bacterial. If it spreads quickly to other birds it is viral. If it stays with her, it is bacterial. (General rule of thumb).

Obviously separate and isolate her.

The Duramycin 10 will cover a broad spectrum of bacterial things. If it is viral, it won't help with that but will help with secondary bacterial.

Electrolytes is good. You'll have to continue to feed her the antibiotics and electrolytes.

Hopefully she'll rally.

LofMc

ETA: https://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/mycoplasma/
May have small bubbles in eye, or not. Often gasping. Sometimes swelling in joints and lameness.
 
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Back reading a bit more...If this were vitamin deficiency, she would have rallied with the Electrolytes/vitamins...you would need to double dose the first day or so...but since she is getting worse...I suspect something else.

Try the Duramycin. If it is bacterial you will see some improvement after 24 hours of treatment, definite improvement after several days treatment.

LofMc
 
I don't remember seeing her age, but could she be suffering from coccidiosis? The weakness and dehydration could cause her to not walk. corid (amprollium) in the water for 5 days is the usual treatment for cocci. I would keep giving the vitamins and electrolytes for now, unless you start Corid. After that D/C the vitamins, and the vitamins in her food would be enough. Undiluted Corid can be given 1-2 drops 2-3 times a day to bump up the dosage until she is taking enough. Back to the thoughts about possible Mareks, some chickens either were missed when the Mareks vaccines were given at the hatchery, or they weren't successful, since some chickens still can end up with the disease. Please keep us informed on her condition.
 

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