Sick Chickens

[HJ2138]

Hi could someone please help me. I have rescued 8 chickens approx 2 months ago. Isa Browns 12 months old. First time I have ever had chickens and I love them. 3 weeks 1 of my chickens started getting wobbly on her feet and curling her toes and shaking her head. She can’t walk much at all now . She hasn’t laid for 2 weeks. She is eating and drinking well. I’ve tried warm baths , giving her calcium and vitamin b and electrolytes. I have sprayed mite and lice treatment on her but not on her vent.
She has been quarantined from the other chickens.
But 2 days ago I noticed 1 of my other chickens shaking her head and walking slow and very tired eyes. She isn’t eating much . I am not really sure what is happening to my girls.

 

[Woytgirl]

I’m tagging some people who know a lot more about chickens and their diseases than me.
@aart @Blooie @casportpony

 

[DobieLover]

A few more to add to the ER cavalry
@Eggcessive , @Wyorp Rock , @dawg53 ,@rebrascora

 

[Melky]

Were they vaccinated against Mareks Disease?

 

[Thechickentrainer1999]

I'm making a comment hoping to bring more attention to this post. GOD bless! Praying for you. JESUS CHRIST loves you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi could someone please help me. I have rescued 8 chickens approx 2 months ago. Isa Browns 12 months old. First time I have ever had chickens and I love them. 3 weeks 1 of my chickens started getting wobbly on her feet and curling her toes and shaking her head. She can’t walk much at all now . She hasn’t laid for 2 weeks. She is eating and drinking well. I’ve tried warm baths , giving her calcium and vitamin b and electrolytes. I have sprayed mite and lice treatment on her but not on her vent.
She has been quarantined from the other chickens.
But 2 days ago I noticed 1 of my other chickens shaking her head and walking slow and very tired eyes. She isn’t eating much . I am not really sure what is happening to my girls.

I'm sorry to hear about your hens. Welcome To BYC!

What type of food/treats do you feed?
What did you use to treat for lice/mites?
Photos of your hens and their poop would be helpful. A video of actions if you have one=upload to youtube then provide us a link.
Knowing your location (state/country) is also helpful, that way we can recommend products, if any, targeted to what may be available to you.

You mention these are "rescues" - were they battery hens, rescued from someone's backyard, etc.?

Being wobbly with curled toes sounds like a neurological condition, but it's hard to know. If they came from less than desirable living conditions it could be related to nutrition or parasites. Marek's disease is always a possibility as well.

Re-check them for lice/mites looking in the ears, on the neck, under the wings and around the vent.
Feel their crop before they go to bed, then first thing in the morning before eating/drinking. The crop should be empty in the morning.

Feel the abdomen for bloat/swelling or fluid. In hybrid/production birds, it's not uncommon for them to have reproductive problems like Internal Laying, Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer, tumors or Salpingitis.

Do what you can to keep them hydrated and eating. If you have poultry vitamins that contain Vitamin E, B1 and B2 that would be good to give as well.

Hopefully with more information we give you other suggestions.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you vitamin B have riboflavin (B2) as an ingredient? Many people use B12 which does not help curled toe paralysis. I agree with Wyorp Rock that Mareks may be possible. She also pointed out that reproductive disorders can also cause problems walking. I agree that pictures of the chickens may be helpful.

 

[Blooie]

I saw the tag but have to confess that I’m not at all good at diagnosing. I leave that to folks far more knowledgeable in that area than I am, since I’d be twice the fool if I even tried to pretend any expertise.

Photos of your birds and setup would help them help you better. Also are you using a heat lamp for them? Some bulbs are coated with Teflon and that is toxic to them. I believe the lady who reported it on here had chickens exhibiting similar symptoms. That’s all I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[sourland]

Do an on site search on Marek's to see if perhaps this is what you are dealing with.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some information on Mareks disease and riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency/