Staggering hen

[Chatychick]

I have a banty Silver Seacrest that has lost the use of her right leg and seems to be gasping for air, even as she sleeps. When she trys to walk the right leg acts like she has had a stroke or something as it doesnt want to work right and she staggers to keep herself upright. She has been like this for about 3 days and I have brought her in and in a cage and gave her poultry nutri-drench and a little Biomycin. She has a appetite and drinks her water...this is puzzling to me as she is the only 1 like this and she is almost 6 mths old. Any ideas would help...Thanks

 

[dlhunicorn]

might have been something she ate ... there are several toxic substances that will cause lameness and gasping...
course it might be something else alltogether...
It is a good sign that she is still eating and drinking and by giving her a supplement (be sure not to exceed the recommended amount) you are supporting her own immune system to help her thru this.

 

[eggchel]

This link is a good source for help diagnosing. As you will see in the first section, there are several causes for paralysis. Mareks is a very common one.

http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/diagext.htm


Chel