I have an 8 week old Australorp Cochin cross pullet with quite the issue. One day, she was up and running like a normal chick and the next day, she was laying around and limping and the left leg would just "give out" under her sometimes and it would kick off to the side or behind her. No obvious injuries or swelling. She could move the leg, just couldn't put weight on it for long. Off to BYC to search "chick can't walk". Results brought up sprains, strains, injuries, etc. which made sense. We figured she got stepped on or something. Chicks don't exactly have great manners. So I separated her in a dog crate and brought her inside with food, water and a stuffed critter to cuddle. She was lonely and crying. So I grabbed a week old pullet from the latest hatch and gave her a recovery buddy. She was small enough that if she did step on her, she wouldn't hurt her too much. They bonded instantly and she was happy. She was getting around alright and eating/drinking/pooping normally and her chicken personality was the same. Sometimes the leg would give out or would kick out behind her still but she could right herself fairly easily in the smaller environment. We thought maybe a splint would help her so we made a little splint. It did help once she got used to it. Then her toes started to curl under her foot when she couldn't get the leg to do what she wanted. So we made a little boot. It also helped. She was getting around pretty well and the leg wasn't giving out as much. I would take her and her companion out daily to stretch their legs here in the house. She got better every day. End of last week, I took them outside to run around with the other young ones in the yard and she was getting around so much better! I wondered if she could still get around as well without the splint and boot so I removed them and watched her. First order of business was a dust bath and sunbathing. Then she got up and started ambling around, foraging. She was doing really well. She still had a little limp but could pretty much keep up with the others. This looked promising. So I took their crate and put it back out near the other brooders so they could see and "talk" to each other and get ready to be integrated into the rest of the flock. Monday evening was the switch to the introduction coop inside the big coop and she did great. Roaming around, checking everything out. Yesterday, she was laying around again, keeping her legs under her. When I called to her or she wanted to go somewhere, she got up and limped where she needed to go. I didn't think it was a big deal. It was ridiculously hot yesterday and nobody was super active so I didn't think much of it. Today, she has taken two or three steps back. Both legs are now kicked out behind her and she is scooting to where she needs to go. Still eating and drinking and acting like herself, just not walking. When I pick her up, she kicks like crazy and CAN move them but again, can't put weight on them. So, back to BYC I go and search "pullet can't walk". This time, it brings up Mareks and vitamin B deficiency. Now I'm really freaked out and worried about her. I can't shake the worst case scenario thought of having to cull her.
So I keep reading and keep reading and then I think well maybe I just didn't let her heal properly so I grabbed up her and her friend and back in the dog crate they go. I can't put her in there alone. They're super attached. I've got water with probiotic (which I read would help with Mareks and vitamin deficiency) and starter in there with them. I put splints back on her and boots on both feet. The toes don't stay curled, they only curl under when she can't get her feet under her properly. She is sitting comfortably with her feet under her now. I'm not kidding in the least when I say our chickens eat healthier than we do. Greens, veggies and fruits daily, scrambled eggs or some other special dinner at least once a week plus the starter for the kids and free ranging all day and layer feed for the adults. I'm really not thinking it's a vitamin deficiency but I could be wrong. Been wrong before. The Mareks is what has me concerned. Paralysis is the big symptom but she can move those legs. Another big symptom is apparently weight loss. That she has. Couldn't that just be because it's such an ordeal to get to the feeder and she's using more energy to get around than she's taking in? Everything else about her is normal. She's super alert, her eyes are clear and she appears to be growing normally, just not putting on any weight if that makes sense. No one else is showing any symptoms of anything other than being done with this heat already and thinking they don't get nearly enough grapes for their liking.
If it is Mareks, the best thing to do is treat the symptoms, correct? What kind of chances for recovery does she have? What kind of quality of life could a paralyzed hen have? Or am I just being paranoid and over thinking? Open to suggestions/advice!
So I keep reading and keep reading and then I think well maybe I just didn't let her heal properly so I grabbed up her and her friend and back in the dog crate they go. I can't put her in there alone. They're super attached. I've got water with probiotic (which I read would help with Mareks and vitamin deficiency) and starter in there with them. I put splints back on her and boots on both feet. The toes don't stay curled, they only curl under when she can't get her feet under her properly. She is sitting comfortably with her feet under her now. I'm not kidding in the least when I say our chickens eat healthier than we do. Greens, veggies and fruits daily, scrambled eggs or some other special dinner at least once a week plus the starter for the kids and free ranging all day and layer feed for the adults. I'm really not thinking it's a vitamin deficiency but I could be wrong. Been wrong before. The Mareks is what has me concerned. Paralysis is the big symptom but she can move those legs. Another big symptom is apparently weight loss. That she has. Couldn't that just be because it's such an ordeal to get to the feeder and she's using more energy to get around than she's taking in? Everything else about her is normal. She's super alert, her eyes are clear and she appears to be growing normally, just not putting on any weight if that makes sense. No one else is showing any symptoms of anything other than being done with this heat already and thinking they don't get nearly enough grapes for their liking.
If it is Mareks, the best thing to do is treat the symptoms, correct? What kind of chances for recovery does she have? What kind of quality of life could a paralyzed hen have? Or am I just being paranoid and over thinking? Open to suggestions/advice!
