Unbalanced and/or weak ten week old hen **SHE RECOVERED!**

[LaLady]

Hi all,

One of my ten week old hens is having trouble with her balance. She's walking and eating and pooping just fine, but she's wobbly. Kind of like she's tired, or drunk (staggering around). She wobbles on the perch and wobbles when she walks, but she doesn't look to be suffering from Marek's type paralysis (one leg straight out), though I'm definitely no expert. She sits down on her haunches more than usual. Other than the staggering, she actually looks and acts pretty perky.

She's been like this for about three days now. It hasn't really worsened in this time (maybe very slightly). She was vaccinated for Marek's at the hatchery, as were her sisters. Hopefully it's not Marek's. I thought I would give her some vitamins and perhaps a de-wormer, to cover my bases...

Any suggestions for vitamins/wormers for my little hen, or any other recommended course of action? I have an appointment at the vet for this Saturday, but I was hoping I could do something to help her now. This has been my first experience with chicken illness, and I want to do all I can for my little baby hen!

Thanks folks.

-Laura

 

[Renee]

Hi Laura,
I have a hen that is acting the same way. She looks like she is favoring one side a bit, she is sitting by herself at the back of the run, and she is holding her wings down. Otherwise she is fine! I'll keep searching to see if I can find a thread that addresses this...
Renee

 

[SandyNest]

Hey Laura,

I have a 5 month old female that has some of these symptoms as well. I have a thread posted asking for recommendations as well, and last night my daughter pointed out her lack of balance (my daughter is the one who really pays the most attention to all of the chickens). I would like to know what you are worming for and what medication and if you have any luck with any of your treatments. I will let you know if I have any luck as well. Thanks.

 

[LaLady]

Just got back from my local feed store. They were out of chicken wormer but I picked up some vitamin/electrolyte stuff (Durvet) for the water. I'll let you know if it helps any, and I'll keep you posted about what the vet says...

 

[Renee]

My hen, Audrey, is much worse this afternoon. She let me just pick her up and her head hung down and her eyes closed. When I let them all out to free range, she didn't run out with the others, and when I carried her out and set her down she started scratching and lost her balance and fell over.
Does Marek's come on that quickly?
Where would she get it? I have four hens that I have raised from chicks from Ideal.
Should I separate her from the other hens? Maybe I should start a new post...

 

[LaLady]

Renee, I hope your sick chicken is doing better.

My little "Chip" is still wobbly and staggering around. Her lack of coordination hasn't gotten worse, though, so I guess I should count my blessings. She keeps stumbling backwards, just like a drunk person. She's still able to walk around and fly up to the perch, but she sways on the perch somewhat precariously! Still eating and pooping like a champ. I brought her and her sisters some warm oatmeal to cheer them up on this cold and rainy day.

I will be bringing her to the vet tomorrow to see what's up. I was hoping the vet would be able to advise over the phone, but they required that I bring her in. I understand that it's difficult to make an accurate diagnosis over the phone, but I wish they could say "well, try this or that for a few days" and if she didn't improve I would bring her in at that point. But of course doctors never work that way. So hopefully this isn't going to cost big bucks!

 

[LaLady]

Back from the vet. Her temperature and body weight are fine. He gave me some baytril for her (1/2 pill twice a day) and a can of prescription cat food (Hill's A/D), said to add water to it and give it to her along with her regular feed. He couldn't really tell what was wrong with her...

I felt horrible because she had still been walking around and even flying up to the perch this morning, though wobbly, but when I got her to the vet she couldn't even stand up, and kept pushing herself backwards along the floor. But when I got her back home and brought her out with her sisters she started to walk around again (though wobblier than before). I guess it was the stress, or that the floor at the vet is slippery compared to the dirt she's used to walking on??

 

[pips&peeps]

If your birds were not vaccinated for Marek's disease, then that could be what you have there. The drunken staggering thing is a classic symptom, as is split legs.

Mareks can also show up just as a huddled bird in the corner. Marek's is a cancer, it prefers to affect the nerves, but will also show up in the liver and reproductive organs. If you have made sure that it is not cocci and the bird is weak then I would assume Marek's. If your birds have not been vaccinated I would recommend getting the vaccine and vaccinating the other birds as once it starts to spread you could loose alot of your birds.

 

[LaLady]

I thought it might be Marek's too but all my chickens were vaccinated at the hatchery...

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
Could have missed one or she could have some weird mysterious illness or condition.

I especially appreciate it when my good ones show up dead because they choked, flew into the fence or died for no apparent reason.

All, you can do for her is keep her fed and hydrated at this point. I hope she comes around.