Whats wrong with my hen!!???

[fluffnstuff]

Just a few months ago I got a beautiful blue show quality hen from California. She was doing great and adjusting to my flock well. Then in just the past couple of weeks she went down hill fast. She started to distance herself from the rest of the flock and seemed to be depressed. So I moved her into my home into a special area so she could get food and water and a little privacy. She started to perk up a lot and was responding well. She even was moving around and was always happy to see me, I even was thinking that she was well enough to go back out to the rest of the bunch. Well, then one morning I went to tend to her and she was laying down and wouldn't stand up. She was acting as though her balance was off like she had a stroke and she couldn't see straight. When I picked her up she extended her legs out and I couldn't get her to sit properly. She would litterally fall forwards or sideways. She was eating and drinking by herself, but now I have to give her baby food and water with a dropper so she wont die. Help I don't know what to do! I've wormed her, shes been supposedly vacinated by the person I bought her from. None of my other silkies are showing this at all. They are healthy as ever.

 

[seminolewind]

I would keep her separate and not cross contaminate them. It sounds kindof like Marek's. Hopefully it's something else. Does she look paralyzed to you?

 

[fluffnstuff]

She can move her legs but i have to prop her up against something for her to sit up straight

 

[WalkingWolf]

It could be several diseases, botulism can cause paralysis, a poison plant or mushrooms will cause what you describe. Mold and fungus inhaled will cause legions on the brain causing it, as well as Merek's. Could the bird have gotten access to a Philodendron plant, common household plant that is deadly to foul.

I had a hen died from eating a Philodendron that my wife set by a pen, I knew as soon as I saw the bird eating the plant. Two days later she was dead. I almost lost a favorite rooster after catching him eating angel of death mushrooms. This has been six months ago and he is still recovering, he was paralyzed over a week and then had to relearn how to do what is normal for chickens over months.

Start the bird on polyvisol, and Vit E. Use a mixture of apple cider vinegar and electrolytes and water for drinking water. Try feeding boiled egg yolks and yogurt to the bird.

 

[seminolewind]

I know silkies and Polish are very prone to brain injury as well. All it takes is a good peck on the head. If that's it, it could get better over time.

 

[fluffnstuff]

She didn't have any access to household plants so that can't be it. I do know that my one rooster would single her out and bully her into submission sometimes so her could mount her. I do use straw as bedding, but it was kept out of the weather in a dry barn and there was no mold I could see or extra plant material. I just feel so helpless. I hate to lose her