Unbalanced Pullet

[Rose Connor]

I have a seven month old standard sized pullet that cannot seem to be able to balance. This morning she was fine, but when I went out to collect the eggs, I found her sprawled out of the floor. After doing a thorough examination of her body, I have come to terms that there aren't any external injuries, and if she is put down on her legs she can keep herself standing until she wants to move somewhere, resulting in her falling over. She is currently separated, with food provided. I tried getting her to drink some water, as I don't want to put a container in there because she can't walk over to it and I would be concerned of her spilling it or drowning in it somehow if it was placed right next to her, but she didn't drink anything.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Can you please give a video maybe!

 

[Abriana]

Mareks or vitamin problem. Keep her separated-though chances are that since mareks is highly contagious (if that’s what it is) it’s already spread to them.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Were they vaccinated? I'm sorry, but this sounds like Marek's to me. I'd make a chicken sling (pictured below) and provide water and mix a general-purpose, low-iron vitamin mix with it.

EDT: vitamins are in case it's a vitamin problem.
EDT: Didn't see you up there, Abriana. x2.

 

[Rose Connor]

I'll try to get a video tomorrow, as I just put everyone up, and I spent a while trying to get her to lay down in order to go to sleep, as she really just wanted to stand and move around.

I don't believe she was vaccinated, as we hadn't vaccinated her, but we got her from someone else at the age if one month, along with her mother and hatchmates. None of the other chickens she was with have shown symptoms. We reintroduced her mother to the flock after a period of separation, due to aggression, but the mother hadn't come into contact with anyone, and she seems like her usual bossy self.

When she was younger, two of her brothers died due to similar, yet different, symptoms. They lost the mobility in their legs slowly, starting off a little unsteady and just getting progressively worse.

Tomorrow morning I will try fitting her out in a sling, and will attempt to get some vitamin water in her.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh dear. I’m sorry. Marek’s does sound like a strong possibility. Or possibly some other neurological problem. Could she have come into contact with any sort of toxin?

 

[Bitter_Campari]

I had a gold sexlink that had similar issues. It started slowly, and progressed over two weeks. I isolated her and eventually lost her, but none of my other birds have fallen ill- so that's a plus.
If she hasn't been able to drink, try feeding her water with an eye dropper - i put some electrolytes and vitamins in mine. Look up how to do it on youtube so she doesnt aspirate.
Best of luck!

 

[Rose Connor]

The only thing that I can think of that may have poisoned her, if it is poison, is nightshade. But from what I've read, it shouldn't be of much harm unless they were to consume copious amounts of the berries. If anyone has contradictory information concerning the plant, I will take care to remove it as best as I can, and I would like to know if there's anything to do to help in the case that it was poison?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Try giving her some Nutri Drench, won't hurt. It could be (as others have said) a vitamin deficiency (Riboflavin/B12) therefore the Nutri Drench or even the baby vitamin Poly Visol without the iron (3 drops 3x day) will help along with foods; beef liver, spinach, boiled egg yolk, mushrooms, plain yogurt, sesame seed, tuna, Vitamin B Complex (1/2 tab). It may help and it won't hurt, took my guy 2wks.

sylviethecochin has a picture of the "sling" that would help keep her up right with food & water in front of her.

Vitamin K for 30 days for rat poison, not sure it would work for nightshade.
If it's Mareks it's good that you have her separated & keep a close eye on the rest. Unsure what more you can do but maintenance?

 

[Rose Connor]

Will Vitamin K cause issues if it wasn't poison?