Wobbly Hen-Injury or Mareks (or ?)

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Very interesting with her going between normal and kinda tipsy.

What feed are they on?

I would try treating her as if it's a vitamin deficiency, so vitamin E and B Complex pills.

Can you check her ears? Maybe an equilibrium thing?

I had one kinda like this, she had more stiff leg movements all the time and a bit wobbly, I never did figure her out. We processed her last summer at 2 yrs old and she had some form of tumors in her, but nothing I'd ever seen before or even pictures of. But I'd start with extra vitamins for your girl!

They are on Nutrena All Flock. They may get a small amount of Purina Layena pellets mixed with scratch (or fresh veg) in the evening or if I need to bribe them to do something. Right now the scratch we have is Kruse’s Super Grain with Grubs. They get BSL larvae occasionally too.

She has always been the pushy one for the snacks so maybe she’s favoring junk food over health food. We really limit how much treats they get in general and when she started like this, I cut back to an even tinier amount just so they see me drop something so I can get their door closed before it gets dark.

I can research how much vitamin E and B to give her. I put nutri-drench in her water when this started because I needed to feel like I was doing something. They did have a corrid tx a few weeks ago but I thought the nutri-drench would have helped with the deficiency. Maybe she just needs more B.

Thanks so much! This is a new world for me. I’ll talk horses to you all day long but chickens…I’m super green here, so appreciate the feedback.

ETA-sorry, I forgot to add that I had checked her ears that first day and didn’t notice anything odd. She does try to scratch that side of her face occasionally but since it’s her offside, she struggles a bit. I can recheck that ear and see if I can note anything now. Thank you!

 

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Nutri-drenched their water again today, will be getting vitamins later after my morning meetings to dose her. I will try to pill her, but not sure how well that will go over. Tips are welcome.

I do have rooster booster b-12 on hand here. Would it benefit adding it to the nutri-drench water in the meantime?

She’s the same today, maybe more wobbly but still getting where she wants to go. Everything on the poop board looked normal but then she did this before climbing down (right after panicking a bit when she almost fell off and fought to stay on the board. Wings work, toes gripped, she had the strength to right herself and pull back up). It just looks loose and a one time thing, but sharing anyway because literally anything may help me figure out what is going on with her.

 

[2ndTink]

The Poultry Cell has the vitamins, NutriDrench doesn't have much in comparison, and I think the Rooster Booster B12, only has B12? I use NutriDrench for struggling chicks, but Poultry Cell for vitamin boosts.

For the pills, hold her under your left arm, head forward, tail back, like a football. Use your left hand to grab her wattles. It takes some practice and some chickens struggle way more than others. Just hold her head by the wattles and pull gently down. This will open her beak, pop the pill into the back of her mouth and let the wattles go. It might take a few tries, but once you do it a few times it won't feel so awkward. Breeds without wattles are really hard trying to hang on to just the break is so hard!

 

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Thank you so much for the instructions. Pilling wasn’t pretty on my own, so instead I got some Duravet vitamin b complex and made her a mash with it mixed in. She ate that. Hopefully this will be just as effective. If not, I will enlist assistance tomorrow to get meds down her.

But she looks a little worse this afternoon than she did yesterday. Still can run and walk, but more falling back on her hocks than she had been. I’m hoping it’s the vitamin deficiency and this may help. I put her back in the crate inside the coop for now. She’s happier with her friends but I’m thinking maybe she needs to rest without exerting herself. If she’s way too stressed, I will let her out and just separate to medicate daily. She tried to cram herself through the dog crate bars and I’d rather she doesn’t hurt herself more than she is.

 

[2ndTink]

You can try using a towel to wrap her up, that will hold her wings and legs and might give you a bit easier time to focus on getting her beak open and pill popped it. If you have the vitamin E oil capsules you could pop one open and put in her mash as well and the B vitamins. If she's eating well this might be a good solution if she's fighting the whole pill too much.

 

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You can try using a towel to wrap her up, that will hold her wings and legs and might give you a bit easier time to focus on getting her beak open and pill popped it. If you have the vitamin E oil capsules you could pop one open and put in her mash as well and the B vitamins. If she's eating well this might be a good solution if she's fighting the whole pill too much.

Thank you! I think I may try to do the mash as long as it is effective. That way I also know she is getting calories in her. This morning she was on the poop board under the roost (I use 2x4s with the wide side up), so must have slipped off overnight. But she was the first girl down and at the food this morning. Even though she took the long way down.

I shared the videos with a family member and she was worried this was Mareks, since she’s had 2 vaccinated hens present similarly before they died. Confirmed through necropsy. Is anyone else seeing that here? I will
continue to treat for the vitamin deficiency and hope that we start seeing improvement (or at least no further decompensation). I’ve seen Mareks (or other viral/neoplastic disease) thrown out on this forum often for neuro like behavior, so I was surprised when there have been no similar comments here. Happy to hear it but with chickens I don’t know if I can afford to be cautiously optimistic.

Again, appreciate the help!

 

[2ndTink]

I've pondered Mareks, but, hoping for something other than Mareks. I have found a Facebook page doing a lot for supportive care and trying to bring symptomatic birds back to normal. I haven't had one since learning about what they are doing to try things with. Mine are in the cancer stage, which they do have some cancer support protocols.

I'll pm you the link.

 

[amarsano]

I've pondered Mareks, but, hoping for something other than Mareks. I have found a Facebook page doing a lot for supportive care and trying to bring symptomatic birds back to normal. I haven't had one since learning about what they are doing to try things with. Mine are in the cancer stage, which they do have some cancer support protocols.

I'll pm you the link.

I’d love the link if you’re willing to share. I. Dealing with Marek’s lymphoma and don’t know what’s best to do at this point. So far it’s been my bird will present with symptoms when they’re long past being saved.

 

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I've pondered Mareks, but, hoping for something other than Mareks. I have found a Facebook page doing a lot for supportive care and trying to bring symptomatic birds back to normal. I haven't had one since learning about what they are doing to try things with. Mine are in the cancer stage, which they do have some cancer support protocols.

I'll pm you the link.

Thanks so much for all of your help. Truly.

I’ve changed the water from drench to poultry cell. I figure all the chickens might need some extra juice right now, but either way it shouldn’t hurt. They aren’t receiving too much of any one thing that is harmful. At this point I’ll just pull her aside during the day to give her a mash fortified with B and E (if she’s drinking the poultry cell, I may give her a little less E but still under the daily).

We shall see how she does over the next few days. I suppose if she stays stable or hopefully begins to improve, we’re most likely dealing with the deficiency or something mechanical. If she starts to decompensate, we’ll know it was something we most likely may not have been able to help her with in the first place. Her appetite is still good and attitude bright, so fingers crossed. Thanks again!

I’ll update in the event this thread helps someone else in the future.

 

[amarsano]

Thanks so much for all of your help. Truly.

I’ve changed the water from drench to poultry cell. I figure all the chickens might need some extra juice right now, but either way it shouldn’t hurt. They aren’t receiving too much of any one thing that is harmful. At this point I’ll just pull her aside during the day to give her a mash fortified with B and E (if she’s drinking the poultry cell, I may give her a little less E but still under the daily).

We shall see how she does over the next few days. I suppose if she stays stable or hopefully begins to improve, we’re most likely dealing with the deficiency or something mechanical. If she starts to decompensate, we’ll know it was something we most likely may not have been able to help her with in the first place. Her appetite is still good and attitude bright, so fingers crossed. Thanks again!

I’ll update in the event this thread helps someone else in the future.

Good luck! This stinks for you, and I truly hope it’s not MD or AL. If it is Marek’s skullcap is supposed to help with symptoms. I’m going to start trying it, using it in my feed for all my birds. I hope lol goes welll!