URGENT! Sick pullet, need help fast.. Chicken Newbie!!!

[Jameberlin]

I have a flock of ten (nine pullets, one roo) birds, all have been healthy up until day before yesterday when i noticed my only RIR looking lethargic and pale. I thought it might be the heat getting to her, so i brought her inside for a cool down and noticed her color returned and she was eating and drinking normally. Yesterday she seemed much better, though still a little sleepy.

This evening i went out to check on my flock and noticed her laying on her side in the mud with a pale face, both wings drooping and most disturbing she doesn't seem able to keep her balance or walk or stand properly at all. She's still alert, but her tail is droopy any she just can't move properly at all.

WHAT IS THIS?! None of my other birds are sick or acting off at all, i've checked all of them for lice, mites, etc. She hasn't sustained any injuries recently and this came on fairly sudden.

Right now she's in a dog kennel in the house again... poor thing.
Any insight as to what this might be is really appreciated.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

How old is she?

 

[Jameberlin]

Quote:
She's 5 months. Just started laying about two weeks ago. She's also got the runs, a lot of watery urates and very little fecal matter, if that helps

 

[muell112]

I am not a vet - but it sounds maybe like a neurological disorder? Or In Storey's guide to raising chickens, 2 such disorders mentioned are botulism and Marek's disease. How old are your birds?

 

[muell112]

it says one way to tell if it's marek's is by looking at the dilation of the eyes - compared to your other birds? I really am not sure though as I am new to chickens this year

 

[Jameberlin]

Quote:
Her pupils are really dilated, but she hasn't got the rough skin around the follicles, nor is she really paralyzed in the legs. Maybe it's botulism? There are a lot of mocking bird chicks that fall prey to the chickens, could be i missed a carcass?

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Did you figure out what was wrong? Is she better?

 

[Jameberlin]

I haven't quite got it figured out yet, though i'm highly suspicious it's Marek's. I've got her quarantined in a dog crate in the spare room and today she is doing much better. I heard some people were treating Marek's with hypericum, so i thought i might as well try (i'm forbidden to take her to the vet, so this is really my only option

).

Last night she was partially paralyzed in both legs and couldn't stand, this afternoon she can spread her toes and hobble back and forth in the crate. Her poop is much more solid (YAY!), but is stinky still (not sure what that's all about). She's feeding herself and she's not pale anymore, her wings seem to still be paralyzed but aren't quite so floppy... so i'm hopeful that with some nice quiet time, some TLC and some prayers to St. Francis she'll recover.

These past few days have been pretty stressful, this morning i went out at 5am to find one of my Gold Stars had vanished without a trace, so along with the sick pullet that's 4 birds we're down... out of 12, if i hadn't been able to maintain a good emotional distance from the whole situation i would have thrown the towel in on this whole chicken thing already.