stroke/limp leg and/or wing - now happening in second chook

[2labs12chooks]

Hi

A few weeks ago, we thought one of our chooks had either broken her leg or had a stroke. She was staying in the chook house and couldn't walk like she used to. She was still eating/drinking but after 3 or 4 days, she could move less, wasn't able to get around and we put her down. We couldn't feel any broken bones or see any cuts or anything different.

This morning, i found another one of our chooks sitting awkwardly in nesting box and didn't move when i put my hand in. I was on my way out, so just let her be. A few hours later, i went to check on her. She was in chook house sitting on floor. She is able to shuffle but not walk, and either her wing or leg (or both) not working.

The chooks are checked regularly and powdered for mites etc. We just checked the sick chook now. She has only a few bugs on her, look like a mite, brown-yellow opaque colour about the size of pin head. We will powder all the chooks tonight.

It is Spring here (Australia). They are locked up overnight in the chook house (3metres x 3.5metres). Sleep on perches. Their nesting boxes are attached to house, (they enter from inside, we collect eggs from outside). They free range over 1/4 acre during the day. No predators have been seen.

We thought the first chook might have had a stroke or fallen and broken her leg. Is it possible it's happened to a second chook? Or could it be an infection or some bug that is infecting them and causing paralysis?

Any suggestions will be considered.

Thanks,

Y

 

[eggchel]

Paralysis can be caused by a number of factors, such as Mareks disease (very common in the United States), Yellow Jasmine poisoning, heat stroke, acute lack of water, Vitamin E deficiency, toxic algae, and botulism.

If you have standing water with decaying vegetation buried in the mud, you could have a source of botulism.

You should consider finding a university or other government supported facility that will do a free necropsy on your most recently effected bird to find out what is going on. Take the bird to them alive, if you can, other wise refrigerate the bird to keep it fresh. Contact what ever agencies are available to you that deal with farms and agriculture or contact the closest veterinary school for help.


Chel

 

[2labs12chooks]

Thanks

There is no standing water. They have a large bucket in the chook house that is changed every 1-2 days and a couple of large plastic shell pools filled with water that are also changed regularly.

The chooks eyes are bright, feathers look good, still eating and drinking when she can shuffle to it.

We have powdered all chooks with 'Pestene" (for control of lice, mites and fleas on dogsm cats, fowls, calves, horses and goats) and will be adding some Multi-Vite (Multiitamin Supplement) to the water.

Should we isolate the sick one? to give her a chance to recupperate and if she is infectious.

I don't know of any universities working with chooks but i will ask around.

 

[2labs12chooks]

Went down to check on her, and she had died.

Another chook is missing.

The rest all look healthy, but i don't know. The two we have lost didn't look sick either.

 

[eggchel]

Im sorry that you lost another one.

Here is a link where you could check out their symptoms.

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

Chel