Pullet not walking, laying limp in coop,help please

[Mandalina]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.- BA, 17weeks, average sized not sure of weight

2) What is the behavior, exactly.- Found her laying limp in a corner of coop tonight at closing time. Got her up but she is acting like her leg is asleep or something, foot is curled up.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?-Just came on this evening, she was fine this afternoon

4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.- No.I checked for break and found none.Her leg seems fine.Toes curled in but when manually extend leg they go normal, but as soon as let go of leg foot goes back to curled position.SPine and rest of her seems ok, she seems to be in no pain.

5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.- No idear, she is one of my trouble makers though who likes to jump around at the older hens though.

6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.- I just gave her water with some electrolytes and she drank just fine.Crop is still full form feeding this evening.

7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.- Couldnt get her to leave me a sample but vent looked ok.

8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? -I just checked her over and placed her in my seperated area of the coop so she doesnt get picked on.I gave her water and food and she was sleeping on a towel when I came inside.

9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? -I would like to do it myself if possible, but if she needs to go vet then I will find a way to get her there.

10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.- I couldnt get a clear one tonight but can try again in the am.

11) Describe the housing/bedding in use- It is an average coop.We use deep liter and it is due to be cleaned next week.Isnt too terribly bad out there, but it has been uber hot even with fans running.

 

[Mandalina]

bump

 

[MotherJean]

Is this similar to what you saw in your bird?

This is leg paresis (partial paralysis) caused by Marek's Disease. Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual

 

[Mandalina]

My bird is sitting upright now and keeping one bum leg under her, other leg appears ok still.
I am pretty sure it isnt Marek's, she was vaccinated.Also no other birds showing any illness and there are 23 out there.



She was up and hobbling this am and being nervous/flighty acting, but overall appears ok despite one leg not working. I am stumped.

 

[MotherJean]

It's a mystery alright. Looks like you're in for a bit of a guessing game. On the plus side, she doesn't seem to be worse this morning. When in doubt, I give antibiotics in addition to the special nutritional support of vitamins, yogurt, and ACV. Sometimes, there's really nothing else to do but isolate, wait and watch - or consult a Vet.

 

[Mandalina]

I called the vet in town and got told by the receptionist it didnt sound like a reason to be seen....Are ya kidding me?A young bird cant walk right but that isnt important? Freakin A.

i am going to go down to the supply place and pick up antibiotics tonight.Thanks for the help!

 

[1/2DozenWings]

Interesting, very similar to what I was going thru......mine was an 8week old white cochin female, Millie, who was suddenly unable to walk, no obvious injuries. I kept her separate from the other chicks for one week, but moved her to within sight of them after 1 week so she wouldn't be depressed. After 2 weeks, I would regularly find her flopped on her back, unable to move anything but her head. She couldn't vocalize. Her breastbone was red and raw: a bedsore. She ate well, if she could get to her food/water.
It couldn't be Marek's because she and her hatchery mates were all vaccinated, they say?
We euthanized her.......after 3 weeks of her progressive inability to move & a pathetic existence.

How did we euthanize? A chicken farmer at the local feedstore recommended starter fluid in a sealed container. Starter fluid has ether in it. We used a cat litter bin. She went to sleep peacefully. Then we cremated her.

I wanted to talk about that because nowhere on this forum does anyone talk about how to euthanize. I refuse to do it the way that my grandparents would have done it. It being 2010 and all.

So, I'll never know: a Cochin-specific disease? a sub-lethal developmental disease? Marek's disease?

The other 15 chicks are now 12 weeks old, all running around free-ranging. They've forgotten about her. I have a few of her remains in a little urn-shaped sugar bowl.

Her cage is soaking in 10% bleach.

Good luck to you.

 

[pwand]

I have been reading lots of the stuff on Marek's Disease, and up to 5% of Vaccinated chicks can still get the disease. Here is one of the articles I read. http://www.helium.com/items/1377323-mareks-disease I

 

[1/2DozenWings]

That's a good link, pwand.



My little pullet probably died of Marek's: onset at 8 weeks....maybe, that period of time is what it takes for tumors to grow and interfere w/ the neuromuscular system.

Those Herpesviruses are sinister! I thought they only infected mammals, but obviously not. No vaccine protects 100%, so I don't blame the hatchery.