Silkie hen dark stinky poo and wobbly

[Awheller]

I have a silkie hen I've been treating for vitamin deficiency for a few weeks. Shes not walking but she's in great spirit she even laid me an egg a few days ago. Anyway, one of her sisters came out of brood and I noticed her bum was really nasty and extremely stinky. I cleaned her up and sent her off. Later I noticed she was walking like she had a full diaper and even would stick a wing out here and there to keep balance so I brought her inside and stuck her with her sister. Their symptoms both started out similar expect the poo on this second hen. Her poo is very very dark and soft sometimes diarrhea and horrible smelling. She still walking, well wobbling around and eating and drinking just fine. Her sister who has been down and out for a few weeks I feel could be on her way to recovery. Her legs work she kicks them when I I give vitamins and I can prop her up and she will hold herself but not for long. I've been treating the second hen with vitamins but I'm very suspicious something else is going on considering her awful poo. I will do what I can so if anyone has experienced anything like this please let me know. Thank you for your time

 

[Eggcessive]

With problems with walking and balance issues, and especially with silkies, Mareks disease could be a possibility. It is good to use B complex vitamins and even vitamin E just to see if it makes a difference. Make sure that they can reach food and water, and take them aside a couple of times a day to help them eat. Chickens slings may be helpful to get them up for periods throughout the day to help them eat and drink, and then let them have periods out of the slings to rest and sleep. What are you feeding? Have you tried some probiotics or plain yogurt in small amounts? Here are some examples of slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Awheller]

Hi thank you for tour reply. You gave me advice on my frist hen i brought inside.
I had a disabled silkie in the past and had many trial and error with sings with her. And I currently have a juvenile turkey in a sling dealing with trauma from a hawk attack attempt. I'm busy over here haha. So I can definitely make a sling for my girl who is down. They are both eating just fine they are on a all flock crumble because I have roosters. I'm giving black solider fly larva on the side for a treat and extra protein because my 1st hen is regrowing some feathers. Besides that the occasional scrambled egg. I will try the probiotic or yogurt. My understanding with mareks was leg paralysis? My hen who is down her legs work just fine she's just not standing. I have a silkie roo who has gone thru a vitamin deficiency twice now and has had trouble walking with vitamins he has had pretty quick turn around both times. I know every bird is different and it can be a lengthy process but my heart is telling me vitamin deficiency with my first hen and the second hen because of her poo has just thrown me. I have the one hen propped up wkth food and water in front of her she eats well on her own. I adjust her and check her crop throughout the day. The second hen is wobbling around and is eating and drinking on her own. I am providing vitamins e and b and rooster booster in their water

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What vitamins types, brands and amounts have you been treating her with? All vitamins are not created equal.

 

[Awheller]

With problems with walking and balance issues, and especially with silkies, Mareks disease could be a possibility. It is good to use B complex vitamins and even vitamin E just to see if it makes a difference. Make sure that they can reach food and water, and take them aside a couple of times a day to help them eat. Chickens slings may be helpful to get them up for periods throughout the day to help them eat and drink, and then let them have periods out of the slings to rest and sleep. What are you feeding? Have you tried some probiotics or plain yogurt in small amounts? Here are some examples of slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

I was really hoping it was not mareks and these two hens with issues were unrelated but I just found another one who didn't come out of the coop this morning. She was just standing in the corner so I picked her up and placed her on the ground. She kind of fumbled to keep balance so I brought her inside. All these hens and my 4 other silkie hens were recently broody or still broody now. Everyone is molting so feather dander is around. Most of my flock except my silkies are vax against mareks. If this is mareks I really hope it doesn't take out all my silkies. I have a few project pens with silkies who never mingled in my main run, I hope they will be safe as well. I will be vaxxing any new silkie chicks I decide to keep. Frist I am going to test for it. My question is for the ones I brought inside and have been treating with vitamins, am I just prolonging their life? I'm not sure what to do. I love all my birds and will continue to care for them regardless. The 3 are eating a drinking just fine. The one hen still isn't walking and 2 are wobbly. I'm feeling a little defeated and worried about the rest of them