cluckjans
Hatching
- May 24, 2020
- 1
- 0
- 4
Our 15 week old chicken, Clover, hasn’t been able to walk for a week now. We got her and 3 other pullets who are the same age from a backyard breeder (who vaccinates for Marek’s) when they were 6-7 weeks old. It’s the first time we’ve kept chickens.
We’ve been reading up in our chicken book and online, and the more her symptoms progress the more it’s looking like Marek’s- can’t walk, falls over even after I set her upright again, feels lighter, collapsed crop, and now breathing with her beak open.
We moved her inside the house last weekend, and have been making sure she eats (fermented mash, a little nutritional yeast every day, some greens to nibble on, grit, sometimes a little yogurt & raspberries) and drinks (by dropper, one drop at a time if needed), and have also been giving her a B2 supplement for the past 3 days. And giving her some time outside in a part of the yard that’s fenced off from the other chickens.
Until today she’s remained alert, perky even, pooping normally, interested in food, very interested in preening (though she falls over when she tries). Yesterday she stopped drinking on her own - only what we gave her by dropper. And today I can hardly get any water in her. What goes in her beak she shakes off, breathing with her mouth open the whole time.
We’ve been hoping if it’s a vitamin deficiency that we could just keep caring for her until she recovers more. I know if it’s Marek’s she won’t recover, but we haven’t wanted to give up on her as long as it doesn’t seem like she’s suffering.
Now I’m worried she’s suffering though. To those who’ve had chickens with Marek’s and put them down, when did you decide it was time? How long do they last once they start having trouble breathing? Will it get much worse for her than this?
Also if you think it’s worth giving it more time that would be good to know too. I know it could be other things - so hard to know what to do for her.
Other info if helpful: we separated Clover from the other chickens as soon as we noticed her looking shaky on her feet. The others aren’t showing any signs of being sick yet. I spend a fair amount of time with Clover during the day, making sure she drinks, eats, etc. She has a much easier time staying upright on my lap and seems comfortable there, so sometimes I just sit with her so she’s not alone. We have a dog and a cat in the house who are definitely interested in her, but we have kept them out of the room she’s staying in so they don’t scare her.
Other things I’ve noticed that I’m not sure fit Marek’s: making little circles with her head when she’s trying to move positions but can’t figure out how to, and losing some of her chirpy/clucky sounds. Sometimes she opens her mouth to talk but nothing comes out, unless it’s a loud sound.
We’ve been reading up in our chicken book and online, and the more her symptoms progress the more it’s looking like Marek’s- can’t walk, falls over even after I set her upright again, feels lighter, collapsed crop, and now breathing with her beak open.
We moved her inside the house last weekend, and have been making sure she eats (fermented mash, a little nutritional yeast every day, some greens to nibble on, grit, sometimes a little yogurt & raspberries) and drinks (by dropper, one drop at a time if needed), and have also been giving her a B2 supplement for the past 3 days. And giving her some time outside in a part of the yard that’s fenced off from the other chickens.
Until today she’s remained alert, perky even, pooping normally, interested in food, very interested in preening (though she falls over when she tries). Yesterday she stopped drinking on her own - only what we gave her by dropper. And today I can hardly get any water in her. What goes in her beak she shakes off, breathing with her mouth open the whole time.
We’ve been hoping if it’s a vitamin deficiency that we could just keep caring for her until she recovers more. I know if it’s Marek’s she won’t recover, but we haven’t wanted to give up on her as long as it doesn’t seem like she’s suffering.
Now I’m worried she’s suffering though. To those who’ve had chickens with Marek’s and put them down, when did you decide it was time? How long do they last once they start having trouble breathing? Will it get much worse for her than this?
Also if you think it’s worth giving it more time that would be good to know too. I know it could be other things - so hard to know what to do for her.
Other info if helpful: we separated Clover from the other chickens as soon as we noticed her looking shaky on her feet. The others aren’t showing any signs of being sick yet. I spend a fair amount of time with Clover during the day, making sure she drinks, eats, etc. She has a much easier time staying upright on my lap and seems comfortable there, so sometimes I just sit with her so she’s not alone. We have a dog and a cat in the house who are definitely interested in her, but we have kept them out of the room she’s staying in so they don’t scare her.
Other things I’ve noticed that I’m not sure fit Marek’s: making little circles with her head when she’s trying to move positions but can’t figure out how to, and losing some of her chirpy/clucky sounds. Sometimes she opens her mouth to talk but nothing comes out, unless it’s a loud sound.
