Year Old Silkie Rooster Not Using Leg

[georgieboy11]

Yesterday we noticed Rusty is dragging his right foot/ leg behind him. He is a little less than a year old silkie rooster. We have brought him into the garage with a heat lamp since where I live we are getting a lot of snow. His foot looks completely normal, no sign of injury or bumble foot. His leg from what I can tell is also okay it doesn’t feel broken or dislocated. If I tickle the bottom of his foot he curls his toes and he can wrap them around my finger as well. If I pick him up and set him down he stands completely normal and puts weight on the leg until he tries to walk he starts to drag it behind him. Behavior-wise he is completely alert and eating and drinking well. He is also moving around a lot he has been hopping all around the garage. All the other chickens in the flock are completely normal. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong?

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Yesterday we noticed Rusty is dragging his right foot/ leg behind him. He is a little less than a year old silkie rooster. We have brought him into the garage with a heat lamp since where I live we are getting a lot of snow. His foot looks completely normal, no sign of injury or bumble foot. His leg from what I can tell is also okay it doesn’t feel broken or dislocated. If I tickle the bottom of his foot he curls his toes and he can wrap them around my finger as well. If I pick him up and set him down he stands completely normal and puts weight on the leg until he tries to walk he starts to drag it behind him. Behavior-wise he is completely alert and eating and drinking well. He is also moving around a lot he has been hopping all around the garage. All the other chickens in the flock are completely normal. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong?

*Might* be Merek’s. @MysteryChicken @azygous

 

[MysteryChicken]

It could be either Marek's Disease, or a pinched nerve in leg, or spine.

 

[azygous]

It's later in the first year that both lymphoid leucosis and Marek's cause symptoms to manifest. Both viruses commonly inflame the sciatic nerve, causing paralysis in one leg first. The complete lack of any signs of injury is what alerts the chicken keeper that this might be an avian virus.

Sadly, nothing can be done to treat it. Once symptomatic, it's very rare for it to reverse, although brief remissions are possible, but it never lasts for long, then it progresses to nearly complete paralysis. At that point, you can transport the chicken to a state lab and have them euthanize and do a necropsy to confirm what the disease is.

 

[georgieboy11]

It's later in the first year that both lymphoid leucosis and Marek's cause symptoms to manifest. Both viruses commonly inflame the sciatic nerve, causing paralysis in one leg first. The complete lack of any signs of injury is what alerts the chicken keeper that this might be an avian virus.

Sadly, nothing can be done to treat it. Once symptomatic, it's very rare for it to reverse, although brief remissions are possible, but it never lasts for long, then it progresses to nearly complete paralysis. At that point, you can transport the chicken to a state lab and have them euthanize and do a necropsy to confirm what the disease is.

I feared thats what it could be. The majority of my flock is vaccinated for mareks, it’s just my youngest batch of silkie chicks that I haven’t vaccinated. Hopefully it’s not too late

 

[MysteryChicken]

I feared thats what it could be. The majority of my flock is vaccinated for mareks, it’s just my youngest batch of silkie chicks that I haven’t vaccinated. Hopefully it’s not too late

The vaccine doesn't prevent infection. It reduces the rate of tumor growth, & lessens symptoms of the disease.