Sick? Mareks?

XAshleyX

Songster
Jul 6, 2022
264
793
181
Connecticut
Hi everyone.
I have a hen (two years old) who suddenly is struggling to walk. I’ve checked for bumble foot and her feet pads are clean and normal. I’ve checked for mites (none)
She will walk but she seems to kind of lean and if any of the other hens pick on her she’ll fall over to her side. Most of the time she’ll just lay on her side. Her crop is soft and squishy and she’s interested in food and water. She was vaccinated for Mareks when I bought her. I’ve been keeping her separate from the flock since she’s clearly not well and bottom of the pecking order.
Any thoughts? Could this be Mareks anyways?

I have posted her before due to being unsure if she were male or female. She was crowing and mounting my other hens when she was much younger but as I integrated her into my flock (two years ago) she stopped crowing/mounting. I’m 99% positive she’s never laid an egg.

I’d like to add they primarily stay in the run during the day but I do let them out in the yard at least once a day to forage. They eat layer crumble. I gave her an Epsom salt bath, electrolytes, and grubs. I also had an older hen who seemed to just want to lay down and rest a few weeks ago and then randomly perked up and is now back to her normal self as if nothing.
But Rice is mainly stationary and not moving much. Her wings are also droopy.
Thanks for any insight!
 
Last edited:
Pictures of her might help. If she was a hen who had a reproductive disorder, she could have salpingitis or other reproductive disorder that has affected her balance and ability to walk. Sometimes we don’t always know what all is going on until after we can do a necropsy after death. I would try to get her eating and drinking with food near her, and make her comfortable. A chicken sling might help.
 
Pictures of her might help. If she was a hen who had a reproductive disorder, she could have salpingitis or other reproductive disorder that has affected her balance and ability to walk. Sometimes we don’t always know what all is going on until after we can do a necropsy after death. I would try to get her eating and drinking with food near her, and make her comfortable. A chicken sling might help.
Thank you for the response. That’s what I’ve been doing in regards to trying to keep her as comfortable as possible and keeping food /water near her. I’ll look into a sling!
 

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