Silkie paralyzed, better again. *Sad update Pg.10*

[Gerbil]

Yesterday my little Silkie girl was limping, eating fine, drinking. This morning she can't move her legs, her wings are down, and she won't eat or drink.
I tried to give her molasses water but her crop kind of gurgled so I stopped, she didn't appear to have any breathing problems.

Botchulism? They are in a new house, none of the others appear sick. It has been raining, we had a warm front but for the past few days it's been cold/freezing.

Mareks? We have had chickens for many years and have had no signs and their not hatchery chicks, but still?

Other?


She's getting worse by the hour, should I just put her down?

Please help, Gerbil.

 

[BirdNut]

Is there a specific area that the paralysis is confined to? If it is in the lower body, it possibly could be, but not very likely, be a serious head injury. It may seem odd, but think about a hose. If you kink it, water can't travel through and the hose doesn't work. It's the same with a head injury, the connection to the lower body is severed therefore causing paralysis. Many birds, unfortunately, do not survive such sever head injuries.

It is most likely Marek's. Neurological Marek's affects them by causing paralysis in the lower body, too.

So sorry about this.

 

[artsyrobin]

first try putting some polyvisol baby vitamins without iron on her beak, she'll instinctively drink them- do you have her isolated? i would bring her in- silkies are prone to vitamin deficiencies- what is her poop like?

 

[Gerbil]

Her legs still move some but she can't move, it is most likely neurological, her head is still up, but her eyes are closed.

Her poo is normal and she is isolated, I will try to get some down her.

 

[M@M@2four]

This sounds like Mareks! Sorry!!!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Silkies can be prone to head injuries because of the crest on their head, she could have gotten peck right on the top of her head and had brain damage.

 

[artsyrobin]

there are other situations than mereks to be considered- if it is neruological, you can also put some vitamine e oil, squirt it onto her beak twice a day, that may help- vit e can help those nerves

 

[M@M@2four]

Yes, silkies, can get pecked on the head, which causes neurological issued(ie-head between legs, walks backwards, and sometimes flips over), but when I hear legs aren't moving, it sounds like classic Mareks. Either way, I would isolate her, make a wet mash for her(wet chicken feed--change every 12 hours as it can spoil), fresh water with vitamin drops(poly-visol without iron--at walmart). Good luck!!!

 

[Gerbil]

I'll try to get her to eat some mash, I can't even get her eyes to stay open long.
Is there anything else I could try or anyway to know for sure whether it's marek's?

 

[jerseygirl1]

I had one that had a head injury just like that - took a few days, but it was OK