Sick chicken- wing Paralysis and can’t stand on her own :( help!!!

[emaleetipton]

I’m a first-time backyard chicken lady, and one of my black sex links has fallen ill. I noticed a few days ago she looked like a drunk chicken kind of falling over and unsure of her steps. Two days ago I picked her up at night and tried to put her on her perch and she kept falling off unable to stable herself. She’s about three months old not laying yet. I have separated her from the other birds into a smaller container with water that she keeps knocking over and have been giving her goat yogurt and bread soaked in water to try to help her get protein and water. I have read so much about different chicken diseases and have checked her for mites and lice and bumble foot and everything and the only thing that it’s resembling is mereks. I’m not sure if they’ve been vaccinated and I live in an area with a lot of wild birds though my chickens are fenced off completely from other birds. I love this forum and thought I would reach out for help. I did call my local vet and he said there’s not much that I can do as he doesn’t specialize in chickens. I have purchased dry ice, but I’m too sad cull her quite yet... and last bits of advice? I’ve also tried oregano, and vetrx but she just looks like she’s getting worse and her sweet little face is turning more red by the day.... sniffle sniffle... I’m sad

 

[staceyj]

Oh @emaleetipton, I’m sorry you are sad.
And I’m sorry for your sweet chicken too.
I don’t know why these things happen.

I wish I did, but I don’t have any great advice. Just sympathy and a link to an extremely helpful guide that may help make sense of things.
I’m sending you hugs.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[emaleetipton]

Thank you so much! This community makes my heart a little lighter while I’m sad! I read that great article and am a little overwhelmed with all the possibilities of sickness... Oi! I Wish I could make it better, but time will tell. I have a few new things to check now and see if there is anything else I can do, but I know I’ve loved her and am keeping her comfortable.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry that your pullet is so ill. It does sound like possible Mareks, but there could be another underlying problem, that might be putting pressure on nerves. When she dies, I would refrigerate, not freeze her body in a plastic bag, and contact your state vet or poultry lab to do a necropsy and test her for Mareks disease. This link below has instructions and contact info for state vets and labs:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[staceyj]

@emaleetipton ,
I’m checking on you.