Sick banny hen- please help if you can

[BCray12]

About a month ago we lost a young rooster, and were not sure why. About a week ago I went into the coop and our little banny hen was laying on her back, I thought she was dead. Went to take a closer look and she started moving. I brought her inside with food and water thinking that maybe she got too hot. She drank and ate that day so I was hopeful, and she would move around some just not near as much as normal. Yesterday we noticed she has stopped using one of her legs, and it was fine before. She lays with it back behind her and will not walk or stand up now. I am unsure what to do, I want to help her but i also dont want her to be suffering. Please help if you have any ideas on what might be going on.

Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

About a month ago we lost a young rooster, and were not sure why. About a week ago I went into the coop and our little banny hen was laying on her back, I thought she was dead. Went to take a closer look and she started moving. I brought her inside with food and water thinking that maybe she got too hot. She drank and ate that day so I was hopeful, and she would move around some just not near as much as normal. Yesterday we noticed she has stopped using one of her legs, and it was fine before. She lays with it back behind her and will not walk or stand up now. I am unsure what to do, I want to help her but i also dont want her to be suffering. Please help if you have any ideas on what might be going on.

Thank you

Can you post some photos or a video of how she is laying down and acting?

How old is she?
Was she vaccinated for Marek's?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
Has she ever had any symptoms of respiratory illness - coughing, sneezing, wheezing,watery eyes, mucous from nostrils?
Any signs of lesions /discoloration or bruising on the hocks or joints of her legs?
Do the legs seem paralyzed?
Has she laid any eggs - if so when was the last time and how does her abdomen feel - any swelling, does it feel fluid filled?

It could be a vitamin deficiency or a disease like Marek's.
Give her some Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) to see if there is any improvement. You can give human B-complex vitamins(no iron) if you can't find a poultry vitamin with B2.

Try to encourage her to drink and offer wet feed, scrambled/hard boiled egg, mackerel or meat for protein.



MAREKS
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease/
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/mareksdisease.html

MAREK'S VIDEO

Vitamin Deficiencies:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency/
http://www.tillysnest.com/2014/03/vitamin-deficiencies-in-backyard-chicks-html/

Mycoplasma S.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis/

 

[BCray12]

Thank you so much for your reply!! We were really getting desperate here for answers and what we should do, I hate to see animals suffering.

Here is a picture of her this morning, you can kind of see her right back foot behind her. Yesterday would have been a much better picture today she is really trying to use her wings for balance so they are fluffed out. I read those links you sent and she has had a spot at her breast where her feathers have been puffed out. When I first saw that I felt it expecting something to be poking up, but it was just her feathers. I have been getting her to eat and drink everyday with my assistance except for yesterday and today. She is no longer holding her neck up as well either.











Now to answer your questions:

I am not sure how old she is, she started laying July 5th. She did however stop laying just a few weeks ago, I just figured it was due to the heat or because she became broody.
I don't think that any of my chickens were vaccinated. This is my first time having a flock, I had no idea to vaccinate them.
I feed them layer pellets, fancy feed as occasional treat, and then I have a list of "approved treats for chickens" so I give them occasional scraps. I mainly give them fresh vegetables.
No symptoms of sneezing, coughing, water eyes, nostrils, or anything.
I have not noticed any bruising or discoloration.

from reading those links, it does sound like she has Marek's but please correct me if I am wrong.

Here is a video from this morning, when I went in there she began to spaz a little and lost her balance. This is the end of her trying to catch her balance I guess.

Please keep in contact, let me know what you think after seeing the photo and video. I am still unsure on what to do next.

 

[BCray12]

Thank you so much for all your help!!!

Is there any chance that I can protect a chicken from getting this? I know the links said that they need to be vaccinated early, but would it help at all if I vaccinated one now? We have a real special rooster (the one in my picture) that I really don't need anything to happen to.. suggestions?

Thank you again!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much for your reply!! We were really getting desperate here for answers and what we should do, I hate to see animals suffering.

Here is a picture of her this morning, you can kind of see her right back foot behind her. Yesterday would have been a much better picture today she is really trying to use her wings for balance so they are fluffed out. I read those links you sent and she has had a spot at her breast where her feathers have been puffed out. When I first saw that I felt it expecting something to be poking up, but it was just her feathers. I have been getting her to eat and drink everyday with my assistance except for yesterday and today. She is no longer holding her neck up as well either.











Now to answer your questions:

I am not sure how old she is, she started laying July 5th. She did however stop laying just a few weeks ago, I just figured it was due to the heat or because she became broody.
I don't think that any of my chickens were vaccinated. This is my first time having a flock, I had no idea to vaccinate them.
I feed them layer pellets, fancy feed as occasional treat, and then I have a list of "approved treats for chickens" so I give them occasional scraps. I mainly give them fresh vegetables.
No symptoms of sneezing, coughing, water eyes, nostrils, or anything.
I have not noticed any bruising or discoloration.

from reading those links, it does sound like she has Marek's but please correct me if I am wrong.

Here is a video from this morning, when I went in there she began to spaz a little and lost her balance. This is the end of her trying to catch her balance I guess.

Please keep in contact, let me know what you think after seeing the photo and video. I am still unsure on what to do next.


Quote:
You mentioned you had a young rooster die about a month ago - did he have similar symptoms?

How does her abdomen feel - hard, soft, squishy, fluid filled, normal?
When she did lay eggs, were they normal - did she have any problems?
What does her poop look like?

Try to keep her hydrated and give some vitamins. Since she has shown no respiratory symptoms and has no hock swelling you can possibly rule out Mycoplasma S.

Marek's is a possibility, but there are several other illnesses/conditions that can mimic Marek's - so without necropsy / testing there is no way to tell unless she responds to vitamin/nutrition treatment.

As far as vaccination, they would need to be vaccinated within I believe the first 36hours of life, so you can't vaccinate at their age.Vaccination prevents tumor formation, it does not prevent infection by the virus.

There currently is no treatment for Marek's, just try to keep her comfortable. Birds can recover, but will remain carriers for life. If it is Marek's any birds that she was housed were exposed as well.

I'm sorry, but if she declines and passes away, the best option would be to send her for necropsy so you can get confirmation of the cause of illness/death.


http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044