Sick chicken help

[ChickenLuv<3]

A few weeks ago my Easter egger was having trouble walking and she had a head tilt. At the time I wasn’t sure if she had mareks, wry neck, an ear infection, or something else. We brought her inside and gave her vitamins as well as our antibiotics in her ears. She seemed to be getting better so we let her back outside. The head tilt continued to improve and is almost gone, but now she drops one of her wings. As of this morning she is having trouble walking and standing. Any idea what else I could do to help? I thought that if it was mareks she would have died or gotten even worse by now...

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It really does sound like Mareks disease. Mareks can cause a variety of symptoms, such as paralysis of one or both legs or wings, twisted neck, tumors anywhere in the body, and sometimes eye changes. Sometimes one will improve only to get worse. I would consider culling her and sending in her body to the state vet or poultry lab for a necropsy and Mareks testing. Or place her close to food and water and keep her comfortable until she dies or is uncomfortable. Sorry about your chicken.

 

[ChickenLuv<3]

What made me think it could be an ear infection was that she acted like she didn’t want her ear touched. She’d be upset if I turned her head the other way to put meds in her ears. Is it still possible that it could be an ear infection?

 

[ChickenLuv<3]

Another update, the wing she was dropping she cannot move, and neither can I. It’s stuck in place... I’ve never heard of this before, is it also a sign of mareks?

 

[micstrachan]

Oh dear. I’m so sorry. I am not qualified to help here, but you and your hen will be in my thoughts. I do suspect Marek’s, unfortunately. Is she distressed? I would love on her and keep her as comfortable as possible.

 

[ChickenLuv<3]

But does mareks make it so the wing joint is stuck in place? Her right wing I can extend no problem, but her left wing barely opens. If I had to compare it to anything it’s like trying to pry open the wing of a dead chicken, but obviously she’s not dead...

 

[ChickenLuv<3]

She doesn’t seem distressed at all and she’s eating, drinking and doing normal chicken things. She just walks funny.

 

[micstrachan]

That I do not have an answer to. I’m sorry. Many people here have experience with Marek’s, so someone may chime in. You might want to add Marek’s to the thread title to draw attention to those more experienced with it.

 

[cacowit]

was she vaccinated for Mereks? I was researching something similar and was told it could be a calcium deficiency..She should be quarantined until you can figure it out.

 

[TreeTree411]

I had a chicken who had a droopy wing, watched her for a night, bounced right back. I found out she had tried to fly to the roost perch, instead of using the ramp and smacked head first into the perch. I only know she did this, because she did again when I was in their coop cleaning. Walked around like she was dizzy, droopy wing, but again she bounce right back the next day. I now pick her up at night and put her on the roost, she is a bit special.