Silkie gradually has lost leg control

[Eggcessive]

Poor little sweetie. Does she seem to miss her flock? She might enjoy some visits with them inside a dog crate when the temps are better, or by bringing in a friendly mate to visit her inside. Please let us know how she gets along. If a vet and xray is possible, it might rule out a leg or hip injury. But those can be pricey. Here is a link about homemade chicken sling chairs that you can make for disabled chickens to get them up and in front of food and water (design is in post 11
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[penny131]

Poor little sweetie. Does she seem to miss her flock? She might enjoy some visits with them inside a dog crate when the temps are better, or by bringing in a friendly mate to visit her inside. Please let us know how she gets along. If a vet and xray is possible, it might rule out a leg or hip injury. But those can be pricey. Here is a link about homemade chicken sling chairs that you can make for disabled chickens to get them up and in front of food and water (design is in post 11
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

She’s stayed outside in her coop until last night. Temps were so low and I needed to make sure she ate and drank well I brought her inside. I will try the sling! I’ve been holding her upright so she can eat. I may take her out in her crate today and let her sit inside with them. They all seem to be close. Most of them don’t enjoy the snow so they go outside for a minute and go back into their coop. There is no wind and she’s seemed comfortable mostly out there.

 

[penny131]

She’s stayed outside in her coop until last night. Temps were so low and I needed to make sure she ate and drank well I brought her inside. I will try the sling! I’ve been holding her upright so she can eat. I may take her out in her crate today and let her sit inside with them. They all seem to be close. Most of them don’t enjoy the snow so they go outside for a minute and go back into their coop. There is no wind and she’s seemed comfortable mostly out there.

Can

I am not a professional, and most of us are just amateur chicken owners with a little experience. You need vitamin. B 2 riboflavin for chicken leg issues. B3 is more for ducks. In human vitamin super B complex, you get all B vitamins, and give 1/4 tablet daily crushed into a bit of food or a spoonful of water every day.

I would suspect Mareks, since she is the right age, and silkies are more prone to Mareks. But leg injuries and vitamin deficiencies must be ruled out. Hopefully, she will get better. Pictures of how she sits or lies may be helpful.

Can mareks come on super gradually? For some reason I thought it was sudden and they died fairly quick? We’ve had a few weird things this last year where I’ve suspected it a few times but I had one chicken who wasn’t walking at all come back after a vitamin dose for a few weeks. And the others died but they refused food and seemed a lot sicker. I don’t know what to do moving forward because things seem so conflicting about vaccinating chicks against it

 

[Eggcessive]

I always have chicks vaccinated at a hatchery before getting them. I have bought a few from feed stores or a breeder, and hatched some of my own, and those chickens were not vaccinated or affected by Mareks.

Mareks can act very different in every case. Some may get sick and die quickly. Some are gradually sick, and a few may get better for awhile, but later die of tumors.

You could contact this lab who sends you testing material for collecting a blood sample from a cut toenail to do a PCR test for Mareks:
https://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf
If you lose her, your state vet can look for evidence of Mareks with a necropsy, and here is a list of state vets to contact:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[penny131]

I always have chicks vaccinated at a hatchery before getting them. I have bought a few from feed stores or a breeder, and hatched some of my own, and those chickens were not vaccinated or affected by Mareks.

Mareks can act very different in every case. Some may get sick and die quickly. Some are gradually sick, and a few may get better for awhile, but later die of tumors.

You could contact this lab who sends you testing material for collecting a blood sample from a cut toenail to do a PCR test for Mareks:
https://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf
If you lose her, your state vet can look for evidence of Mareks with a necropsy, and here is a list of state vets to contact:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

I’m feeling I may vaccinate further chicks from here on out. This is our first batch we’ve ever had and it’s been a lot of issues this year with a few and super easy with others. Hoping it’s vitamin related. I’ll give her some time. She’s very hungry so that’s good at least.

 

[penny131]

Update this morning!!! I’m trying to not get too excited but this morning she has started to very very weakly grip my finger with her foot that has been the issue. It is small movement but it’s movement. She hasn’t been able to do anything with that foot at all since she stopped walking. She’s done three days of a vitamin b complex so I’m really hoping that she keeps improving.

 

[Weeg]

Update this morning!!! I’m trying to not get too excited but this morning she has started to very very weakly grip my finger with her foot that has been the issue. It is small movement but it’s movement. She hasn’t been able to do anything with that foot at all since she stopped walking. She’s done three days of a vitamin b complex so I’m really hoping that she keeps improving.

This is great news! Hopefully she will continue to improve on the Vitamin B complex. Keep us updated, hopefully your sweetie powers through. The advice you have gotten so far is great, crossing my fingers for you and your girl.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Update this morning!!! I’m trying to not get too excited but this morning she has started to very very weakly grip my finger with her foot that has been the issue. It is small movement but it’s movement. She hasn’t been able to do anything with that foot at all since she stopped walking. She’s done three days of a vitamin b complex so I’m really hoping that she keeps improving.

Yay that's awesome...pray ok ng for both of you

 

[CalifornianFarmer]

She’s stayed outside in her coop until last night. Temps were so low and I needed to make sure she ate and drank well I brought her inside. I will try the sling! I’ve been holding her upright so she can eat. I may take her out in her crate today and let her sit inside with them. They all seem to be close. Most of them don’t enjoy the snow so they go outside for a minute and go back into their coop. There is no wind and she’s seemed comfortable mostly out there.

How did things go after last post?