Sleepy, lethargic bird

[azygous]

Here's an article I wrote with the basics on crop issues. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Being unsteady on her feet could mean she has an underlying health issue such as cancer. Or it could just mean she is weak and unsteady because she isn't getting enough to eat due to the impaction.

It's easy enough to give her some sugar water to see if that improves her. It should act fast if this is her problem.

You can also give her some molasses water and it will kill two birds with one stone by elevating her glucose while stimulating her intestines to move which can help the crop empty better.

 

[Joekun]

Oh, that’s the article I was trying to follow, thank you for writing it! She willingly ate the coconut oil the first time, but I couldn’t get her to take any more.

I’ll get some molasses. Just water it down and feed it to her?

 

[azygous]

Mix one teaspoon molasses in one-fourth cup warm water and let her drink it all. She should like it since it's sweet, but you may need to syringe it all into her. She needs to drink it all to have any effect.

 

[azygous]

Or, as an alternative, you can mix one teaspoon Epsom salts in one ounce of warm water and syringe it all into her.

 

[Joekun]

Thanks, I tried the molasses. I think she’s getting weaker. She was unable to fly up to the roost tonight. This is starting to feel very similar to the chicken that I lost a few weeks ago after the attack. I found a vet that can see her tomorrow morning. I’ll let you know what they say. Really appreciate the help!

 

[azygous]

Good luck. I sure hope the vet has some insight as to what could be causing this.

 

[Joekun]

The vet thinks it’s a neurological condition. He wanted to do a lot of tests that I’m unable to do. I spoke with some other people and it sounds a lot like Marek’s.

Unfortunately another bird is starting to show symptoms. I’ve isolated them.

 

[azygous]

This may sound screwy, but do you or any family members have shingles or cold sores and take a prescription called Acyclovir or Valtrex or Valacyclovir? It's an antiviral.

Marek's is a herpes virus and there's a chance the above med will ease the symptoms of Marek's. I've been experimenting with it this week actually. Vitamin E may also help.

 

[Joekun]

This may sound screwy, but do you or any family members have shingles or cold sores and take a prescription called Acyclovir or Valtrex or Valacyclovir? It's an antiviral.

I’m not sure if I should say fortunately, or unfortunately no. Not screwy at all though. I have oregano essential oil, which is supposed to be antiviral as well. I started adding it to their water recently. I may increase the dose a bit for my suspect birds.
I just noticed my Plymouth Rock has green droppings this afternoon. I’ve got a bad feeling about my whole flock.

 

[azygous]

@Eggcessive just gave me this link http://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf to a place in Texas that will do a blood serum test for Marek's. I'm thinking of maybe doing it on my pullet with lameness issues. You would trim a toenail just barely to the quick to get a drop of blood to send them.