Rooster balance problems - how big is the chance of Marek's?

[ChickNanny13]

Hope he continues to get better

I've read that along with how more protein needed during molt & the "energy" to lay an egg, so decided to try .... I keep only 4 girls so having one feed instead of "stage" feeding, helps with space, storage and feed going bad. It's been about 3yrs now I've been feeding Flock Raiser, putting out the separate dish of Oyster Shells ... Haven't had any egg/shell issues and they go thru molt "nicely". We all do what works best of us

 

[5GodsDown]

Hi guys

So Phil is eating really well, I even had to refill his bowl today, but unfortunately his water intake is very low, although I think he gets an ok amount of fluid inside him because the feed I make for him is a bit wet for easy digestion. He still shows no signs of being able to walk though.

Does anyone know how long Phil can stay immobile like this? I mean, when could it be apparent that he will not get better? I've read a lot of Mareks stories on this forum, but more often than not the person asking the question doesn't share the final results. IF he has a vitamin deficiency the vitamin treatment should help him, but maybe not enough as his intestines could be damaged from the coccidiosis. I'm going to check with the vet for a possibility to administer B12 directly. Can his intestines heal over the course of time?

I wish I could see results quickly, but I have no idea how long the recovery could take. It's been 3 days since the end of the coccidiosis treatment. His droppings aren't runny, but still green, which could be a sign of Mareks, but can also just mean food isn't being processed properly (if I read it correctly?). I have no scale to see if he gained or lost weight, but he certainly hasn't become weaker except for not being able to walk.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can put a lot of water in his chicken feed to get fluids into him. Add water throughout the day to keep it moist, but change it out each day. I kept a hen alive with water in her feed for 5 weeks until she was able to get up and walk after a long illness, and she did not drink any water. Green droppings are a signal that he is not eating enough.

If Phil has a vitamin deficiency, vitamin B2 riboflavin is the important one to give, and B complex has that, but B 12 is not the one you need. You can buy B complex injectable at most feed stores in the cattle dept. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...mplex-fortified-injection-100-ml?cm_vc=IOPDP1
As long as his crop is emptying normally, he should be absorbing the oral vitamins.

If he has Mareks, he may not get his legs back working. As long as they are eating normally, they can live until tumors or infections become a problem. It is best to get a necropsy by your state vet after you lose one, just to make sure what disease they had. Local vets are not usually able to diagnose Mareks.

 

[5GodsDown]

You can put a lot of water in his chicken feed to get fluids into him. Add water throughout the day to keep it moist, but change it out each day. I kept a hen alive with water in her feed for 5 weeks until she was able to get up and walk after a long illness, and she did not drink any water. Green droppings are a signal that he is not eating enough.

If Phil has a vitamin deficiency, vitamin B2 riboflavin is the important one to give, and B complex has that, but B 12 is not the one you need. You can buy B complex injectable at most feed stores in the cattle dept. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...mplex-fortified-injection-100-ml?cm_vc=IOPDP1
As long as his crop is emptying normally, he should be absorbing the oral vitamins.

If he has Mareks, he may not get his legs back working. As long as they are eating normally, they can live until tumors or infections become a problem. It is best to get a necropsy by your state vet after you lose one, just to make sure what disease they had. Local vets are not usually able to diagnose Mareks.

Five weeks! That is a long time, poor buddy... but I'm not willing to give up on him yet when he seems to be so alert. Didn't not moving around for 5 weeks give muscle issues? As far as I know it's not possible to buy injectables in stores around here, but my boss breeds horses, he might know a vet that can get him some. I will do an extra check on his crop, but it looked nothing out of the ordinary the last couple of days.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Try scrambled eggs, add water to it so it's kind of mushy & soft. Adding water too his feed, consistency of mushy would help with getting water into him. 2x @Eggcessive B2/Riboflavin is the one needed H

 

[Eggcessive]

Five weeks! That is a long time, poor buddy... but I'm not willing to give up on him yet when he seems to be so alert. Didn't not moving around for 5 weeks give muscle issues? As far as I know it's not possible to buy injectables in stores around here, but my boss breeds horses, he might know a vet that can get him some. I will do an extra check on his crop, but it looked nothing out of the ordinary the last couple of days.

My chicken had lost all balance, but she could still move her legs, and would keep standing up, only to fall over. In the beginning, she just fell over backward, then would start running and fall on her side. Never figured out what was wrong. She is fine now, although still slightly wobbly, but walks all over the chicken yard all day long. Someday when she dies, I will get a necropsy, just to find out what was wrong.

 

[5GodsDown]

Try scrambled eggs, add water to it so it's kind of mushy & soft. Adding water too his feed, consistency of mushy would help with getting water into him. 2x @Eggcessive B2/Riboflavin is the one needed H

Already doing that! to make it mushy I add a bit of egg, some yoghurt and then a bit of water with the prescribed vitamins mixed into it. He's eating really well. His droppings are still a bit green, but firm and not soft bright green like last week. My boss has already contacted his vet for the riboflavin, waiting for the answer.

 

[Eggcessive]

Wherever you can buy human vitamins, most sell vitamin B complex tablets which contain most of the B’s. Those tsblets can be crushed and 1/4 tablet daily is more than enough for a deficiency. It is hard to overdose B complex.

 

[5GodsDown]

Wherever you can buy human vitamins, most sell vitamin B complex tablets which contain most of the B’s. Those tsblets can be crushed and 1/4 tablet daily is more than enough for a deficiency. It is hard to overdose B complex.

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I was thinking about something yesterday... I take iron pills daily because I easily become anemic. I believe mine are a little bit stronger, because they're only on prescription, so I can actually just give him 1/4 of my pills? The instructions just say it's dried iron sulfate.

 

[Eggcessive]

No, he shouldn’t have iron tablets. Do you have vitamin B complex?