Wobbly Dominique

[sarahclarke138]

Hello. I have a 7 week old Dominique who just started having issues walking and standing last night. She does have spurts of movement in her legs and can walk, but is very wobbly and tends to fall forward. For the most part, when she’s laying down she’s keeping her legs underneath her. She can make a short distance to eat or drink or to move if the other chickens are getting too close to her. She doesn’t appear to have lost any weight and her poop looks normal. I tried to separate her last night but she was not happy about it and kept trying to fly out and I felt like she would injure herself if I kept her separated, so I put her back in the coop. I just started a corid treatment, but is there anything else I can do or should watch out for?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she lethargic, hunching, or acting sick? So far she doesn't sound like she has coccidiosis. I would start her on vitamins instead (unless she is showing the symptoms of cocci)in her water. She doesn't need to be isolated. I think she may be showing early symptoms of Mareks disease unfortunately. This is not a diagnosis, but I would read some links on Mareks, and watch her for any more symptoms. It is not contagious to the others, in that it would already be in their environment since it is spread in dander and dust, so isolating her would just make her lonely. Here are some links to read:
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[sarahclarke138]

Eggcessive, thanks for the response! We had another chick who had similar symptoms a few weeks ago, and everyday I thought I would find her dead, but she pulled through and seems very healthy now. She is still smaller than the others, but is catching up. I am hoping that this will be a similar situation- that our sick chick will pull through just like the last. My fingers are crossed.

Has anyone had any luck with the remedies for Merek's? St. John's Wort or other?

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes I remember you now. St. Johns Wort or hypericum, is something that many try for Mareks, and some see good results while most don't. I respect Nambroth and Seminole Wind and others here who are very experienced with Mareks in the flock, and they have not had good luck with it. It is something to try, though because you may see different results. Testing is available for Mareks at a few centers in Texas and Georgiam maybe others, but when a chicken dies, a necropsy by your state vet is the easiest way to get it done.

I used to come to your town several times a year to look around in all of the little antique shops and malls in New Oxford. Haven't been back in a few years, but that is a great little town.