What's wrong with my RIR's legs????

[Chris09]

Quote:
She could be in some pain, it is going to take some time until she is back on her feed, when her toes straighten out she will start getting up of the hocks.

Chris

 

[sgall]

Chris you have been a true blessing in all of this. Thanks so much for all of your tips and tricks!! I really hope this is the case and we can get her back on her feet in no time. I really believe without posting this she could have died. In the meantime we have named her Hanibal as she LOVES to eat those eggs!!! She eats the eggs and leaves the cat food...... How many eggs do you think she should be eating a day? I have been feeding her 2 scrambled a day and a handful of cat food and sprinkling the vitamins in with all of that. She scarfs down the egg and has been leaving some of the other food. She is not a fan of having the vitamins in her water!!!!

 

[BlazeJester]

I don't understand why you're not giving her chicken food. I would be feeding her chicken food, like she is supposed to be getting, or higher-protein game bird feed as suggested earlier. Eggs are not a sufficient diet and you want to make sure that while increasing her B vitamin intake you're not causing other deficiencies that will make her sicker or sick again later. I think the beef liver and spinach idea was excellent, and intended to supplement an ordinary balanced diet.

I had a chick fall sick at 2 weeks and I never determined the cause, but it was a similar condition with her refusing to walk or walking on her hocks (no curled toes though). I found grain weevils in the feed, threw it out immediately and bought a new bag from a different store. Fortunately she recovered and is now happy and healthy. The only treatment she got was isolation, electrolyte water and fresh chicken food every day, and she was better in a week.

Good luck!

Keep up the electrolytes, try out Chris's suggestions and try switching her back to primarily CHICKEN food... it can only help

 

[Minniechickmama]

ACtually, I drip the PolyViSol right in their beak. I don't add it to water. You can just put it on the side of the beak and it runs down in their mouth and they swallow it.
I wouldn't take away her regular food, she needs the variety of sources to have a more balance diet going in. Have some egg sounds good, and some yogurt couldn't hurt, but let her eat some feed too, I think.

As for botulism, they get droopy all over including their head, like this:

along with comb and wattles turning a bit purplish.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
She should be on a poultry feed diet, with a 1 inch chunk of raw liver and some spinach and I would say 2 eggs.
I wouldn't give her the cat food, at this time the poultry feed, raw liver and the spinach is far better for her.

Chris

 

[sgall]

I'm not sure Hanibal is getting any better. Today she seems to not even rest on her hocks but prefers laying down. She is also not interested in the egg and spinach tonight. Her toes have uncurled on one foot and the other is still curled up but the one that is uncurled just lays to the side now. My husband said he didnt believe that this one was ever really curled up but that she just kinda rested it that way. I'm not sure what to think but I'm a little discouraged. If she happens to wobble she falls and just lays her head down for a couple of seconds and then will finally raise it back up. I think she is just sick of not being able to walk. I'm questioning whether we should just pass her on to chicken heaven or not because I'm beginning to feel guilty. Its so stressful when one of your girls is sick. I hate going out in the morning and praying as I walk out there that she isn't gone........ Just don't know what to do...

 

[Minniechickmama]

Even if you have the answer and are doing what you need to, she is not going to get better over night. I still think you need to follow what Chris said and nurse her back. I think helping her stretch her legs and feet a few times a day is also necessary. If you don't, the tendons and muscles get tight and it is harder for her to straighten them on her own if she does start getting better.

I wish you luck.

 

[chicknmania]

It seems that chickens (especially young ones) are susceptible to a lot of neurological conditions (not necessarily Marek's). And that's what it looks like to me. Probably the antibiotics didn't have a whole lot to do with it but you shouldn't put them on antibiotics just b/c one dies, b/c when you do need antibiotics for whatever reason, they are not going to be as effective. If you are giving anyone antibiotics now, I would stop if I were you, unless there is some reason (besides what you described) to have them on the medicine.
I agree they do not need dogfood. A lot of dog and cat foods have salt in them and salt is not good for the chickens. Chicken feed is fine and in your lame chook's case, I would put her on a poultry vitamin like Aviacharge. And feed her as well as you can...not dogfood but a little yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit, eggs and their shells, just to keep her eating and cheerful. Avian vet told me once that the most important thing in treating a sick or injured chicken is to make sure they keep eating (ideally without force feeding). Vitamins are important in treating neuro conditions. WE had a pullet with some neuro issues which were not bad. I got her some Mannapro show chicken supplement to mix with her regular food She loved it and thrived on it. It did seem to help her symptoms a bit. She was doing so well that I was curious to see if she would make a full recovery, but unfortunately she was killed by a hawk bf I could find out.

You can get that Mannapro stuff at TSC and it might be worth trying for your hen.

 

[sgall]

Ok..........Her toes = uncurled!!!!!!!! BUT......now her legs are just off to the side. I went out to check on her and she didn't try to get up or anything but she just laid there. Is it Marek's or is she just getting better and trying to get the feeling back in her legs?????? I am so confused and I don't want her to suffer! She didn't eat her egg and spinach but she did eat her feed I had in there....What do you guys think?

 

[sgall]

Well I couldn't do it anymore. I went out to check her again after posting the pictures and we tried to hold her and she just kind of sat there. When we sat her down she sqwaked strangely and I think that was her way of just telling me to let her go. She is in chicken heaven now and I know she isn't hurting. Thank you all soooooo much for your words of encouragment and advice. I have learned so much from this experience and think you are all such a huge help to people who are just unsure. Thanks so much@@@@