Wobbling Unbalanced Panting Chicken

[ContessaKris]

I have a silkie pullet who was doing something similar. Just didn't seem to be able to walk without falling over. Eating well, pooping fine, alert.... but couldn't walk. I isolated her and after a few days of multivitamins, her mobility has improved dramatically. She is shaking her head a lot, though. Is yours shaking her head?

No shaking of her head. Just pretty content. I’m wondering if it’s just a hurt leg or something. But she’s enjoying being a house lap pet. Lol. Maybe shaking of head is ear mites?

 

[ContessaKris]

How old is she? Hopefully, it is just something like dehydration, an injury, or vitamin deficiency, and not something like early signs of Mareks disease. Try offering plain water up to her beak, and dip her beak for a second into it. Poultry Cell vitamin tonic from your feed store are good to use orally 2 ml daily or in some food. Make sure that she can reach her food and water. Google images of chicken slings that you can make. They are a good way to get them upright near food, and you can remove her frequently to let her move around and sleep.

She’s over a year old, maybe 1 1/2? I have molasses, apple cider and electrolytes for chickens in her water, and the rest of the chickens out in the coop’s water too just in case. We tried a sling but oh my, that was comical. She just kept tipping out of it. She’s quite comfortable sitting still and if she doesn’t try to move much, she doesn’t tip. I will check her this morning. I have food and liquids in little ramekins by her head. She can teach them and is using them.

 

[Star and eclipsa]

Mareks is a virus common in chickens. It can cause tumors on the nerves, causing paralysis of one or both legs or wings, or a twisted neck. Tumors may develop on eye nerves causing blindness, on the skin, and on internal organs. It also causes a lack of immunity to many diseases. There is a vaccine available for day old chicks, which need to have 2 weeks to develop immunity. The virus is widespread in the world, is spread through direct contact and from dust or dander, some chickens may have natural immunity, and the virus can be found in the environment for several years. You can Google “Mareks disease” for more info.

Thank you!

 

[ContessaKris]

She still seems content, comb red, going the bathroom, but isn’t really eating her food or crumbles. Not panting or any head tilt at all. Just not sure what to do with her. Still not able to move about. Tips over when you move her.

 

[ContessaKris]

Unfortunately our Lovelace died yesterday. I feel bad I couldn’t help her.