Worried about Mareks - my only pullet (13 weeks old)

[cartesian]

Dear all, sorry i'm a first time poster (though have been reading for a while)

We have a lovely intelligent 3 month-old Ko Shamo pullet who has had everyone falling in love with her because she is so inquisitive and friendly. She is the only pullet but has the company of two muscovy fledglings and they all get along fine. She has been healthy and grown well, her coop is clean:

Then three days ago she was struggling to stand. She has been on chick crumb rather than grower (now rectified) and we are giving her vitamins. I really hope this is a vitamin deficiency or sprain rather than marek's but some parts of her stance are similar to google images of Marek's (not the classic one leg in front one behind but there are some pictures of one leg more extended than the other, which is what she has here):

She looks a little different here, on her hyperextended knees


I really don't want to lose her, am worried about taking her to a vet and them saying it is Marek's and advising her to be put down. She is such a brainy little dinosaur. Anyone have any advice or experience about this kind of stance and whether it fits into any pattern?

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC.
I'm going to guess vitamin deficiency first.
Try giving vitamins for a week straight and see if that helps.
If she continues to get worse...well then...it may be Marek's.
You may want to read this:

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[ChickNanny13]

Is she eating? Drinking? Pooping? You say you have her on vitamins, what kind?
If it's Riboflavin Deficiency, PolyVisol without the iron (baby vitamins) will help, 3 drops per day on the beak. Foods/treats high in riboflavin; beef liver, hamburger, salmon, tuna, sesame seed, mushrooms, plain yogurt, spinach.

Not sure where I read it but I used boiled egg yolk mixed with it's crumbles, I had a 3wk old chick out of 38, overnight unable to walk, toes curled but feisty flopping around & trying to eat & drink. Some said Splayed which didn't fit, then a BYC member said CTP, Curled Toe Paralysis = Riboflavin Deficiency. Check out the site "Poultry Podiatry", I don't know how to copy the link

I separated the chick & treated with PolyVisol minus iron, boiled egg yolk mixed with it's feed, vitamin & electrolytes in water. Kept it in the house with a feather duster & mirror, taped it's toes straighten out, daily exercised it's legs. Took 2wks but again over night he was upright & walking.

There's a sling (search Sling) that other have made to support the chick where it can barely touch the ground and it's kept upright. Try searching Riboflavin Deficiency & check out Poultry Podiatry. KikisGirls got the link

 

[cartesian]

Thanks for the link and advice, I really hope you're right! I have made a mistake of giving her chick crumb for a bit too long rather than grower. Looking at the ingredients list, B is missing:

Would be very unlucky for my first to have Marek's but that's life.

 

[cartesian]

Is she eating? Drinking? Pooping? You say you have her on vitamins, what kind?
If it's Riboflavin Deficiency, PolyVisol without the iron (baby vitamins) will help, 3 drops per day on the beak. Foods/treats high in riboflavin; beef liver, hamburger, salmon, tuna, sesame seed, mushrooms, plain yogurt, spinach.

Not sure where I read it but I used boiled egg yolk mixed with it's crumbles, I had a 3wk old chick out of 38, overnight unable to walk, toes curled but feisty flopping around & trying to eat & drink. Some said Splayed which didn't fit, then a BYC member said CTP, Curled Toe Paralysis = Riboflavin Deficiency. Check out the site "Poultry Podiatry", I don't know how to copy the link

I separated the chick & treated with PolyVisol minus iron, boiled egg yolk mixed with it's feed, vitamin & electrolytes in water. Kept it in the house with a feather duster & mirror, taped it's toes straighten out, daily exercised it's legs. Took 2wks but again over night he was upright & walking.

There's a sling (search Sling) that other have made to support the chick where it can barely touch the ground and it's kept upright. Try searching Riboflavin Deficiency & check out Poultry Podiatry. KikisGirls got the link

She is eating (though was eating less yesterday so this seems to have improved) and drinking, pooping. But not interested in moving which is very different from what she was like before. I gave her some B complex yesterday I've only just started her on vitamins today which are these ones. Praying that these will do the trick

Also some apple cider vinegar for what it's worth.

I'll have a look at the sling.

The link is very useful, thanks for both of your advice too.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Start the PolyVisol (less iron) or some use Vitamin B Complex, not sure of the dose. It could be the parents also, their health affects the chicks. Not sure where you are and I know not all agree, I start my chicks off with medicated chick starter for at least the first two months. Everyone has their one comfort zone...

 

[cartesian]

I'm from the UK (very late here and can't sleep even though I've got work in a few hours). I can't seem to find Poly-vi-sol locally but will try to look more tomorrow.

Hoping that the nutri-drops/intervits that I've started have the same kind of ingredients though. I gave her B complex yesterday but will keep it going now.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I'm from the UK (very late here and can't sleep even though I've got work in a few hours). I can't seem to find Poly-vi-sol locally but will try to look more tomorrow.

Hoping that the nutri-drops/intervits that I've started have the same kind of ingredients though. I gave her B complex yesterday but will keep it going now.

Vitamin B Compex will be fine to use. Keep us posted as to how she's doing.

 

[cartesian]

Vitamin B Compex will be fine to use. Keep us posted as to how she's doing.

Thank you. No significant improvement yet, photos below.

New Symptoms: She has lost a few feathers from her belly area. She is also scratching herself against the floor. No obvious mites/lice at all. Poo normal.

As Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency can cause dermatitis as well as the leg problems, I'm just hoping that it is this, and will recover with the B Complex doses.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree with @ChickNanny13 getting her on B2(Riboflavin) would be a good idea.
Does the Nextex Poultry Nutri-Drops contain B2 - I'm having a hard time finding an analysis sheet for them.

Also you switch from crumb to grower? What's the analysis of the grower - especially protein wise?