Young Pullets go completly lame and listless then strangely recover in 24hrs ????

[denisejoyce68]

Hi!
I am new to BYC and to chickens. I have asked a few friends who raise chickens what this could be but no one knows. I now have had three different young pullets 2-3 months old on different days have the same issue. The ones that have had issues seem fine one moment and then when I go back out to check on them they are almost completley lame and unable to lift thier neck. They do not have unusual poop and they do not appear to have Mearks as the symptoms are different. (no grey eyes or legs sprawled)The strange thing is all I have done to help them is seperate the chick, give it a baby dropper of honey/electrolytes & baby POLY-SOL and water and within 24 hrs they are up and acting normal????????? How can they go from looking like they are about to die to up and normal in 24 hrs???
Food- Countryside Organics
Greens & veggies from my organic garden (not tomato or plant)
water- cleaned out daily
they have a nice coop with pine shavings and a large run with sand.
The only thing they probably don't get enough of is extra protein. Although i have started them on mealy worms and i throw in crickets from garden.
Any advise would be MUCH APPRECITAED as I am stumped?????? and do not want to keep going through this. What could it be??????

Thanks!
Denise Joyce
Fl

 

[seminolewind]

It could be something they've eaten. Or a vitamin deficiency. Mareks can have many symtoms, including none. I hope the vitamins work for you, Right now I have one living in my bedroom, I can't put her ourside She had paralysis and recovereddlllllllll

 

[denisejoyce68]

Thanks for your input! I just read the info (links)you had pasted at the bottom of your post. I did read where there is a form of Meraks that can cause temp. paralayis that will last one to two days? Oh no........so it still could be this disease I bought my silkies and one splash cochin from a breeder here locally and have had none of these issues with them. The other ones (buffs,americanus, and cochins) i got from Ideal Poultry. I did call them about this but, of course that said they have had no other complaints or problems. These are the only chickens to ever be on the property or in the new coop/run............ I'm so confused and ready to scream!! At this point I do not know what to do..............???

 

[denisejoyce68]

Any other ideas from all of the many experts on here would be MUCH appreciated!!!

 

[denisejoyce68]

Denise Joyce
FL

 

[denisejoyce68]

Please chime in with any advice!

 

[seminolewind]

Denise, I would doubt that they got Marek's from the hatchery. Those chicks are literally hatched and mailed, not having any contact with older chickens.

I would not jump to Marek's. But I had one last year that showed paralysis for a few days, then back to normal, then wasted away. It was more like he couldn't walk without his wings. Now I have one in my bedroom that had paralysis, and now walks again, but slow. I don't think she'll live a long time, but hubby and I got attached to her, and figure we won't do anything until she's more symptomatic. I've been taking her outside every day to get some exercise.

Marek's is so hard, there's no rules. So no way to be sure. And with chicks or chickens, the carriers are not necessarily the first ones to die.

Do you have them on B vitamins?
If they're surviving, maybe yours are lucky?

 

[denisejoyce68]

Thank you for your advice. Actually the 3 that had the 24 hr lameness are all doing excellent after 24 hrs.This has been a few weeks now. They are all back in coop an dhappy and growing. NOW i have a new issue with a buff orpington same age ( 3 months) that appears to have suddenly gone blind. I noticed her a few days ago looking all puffy in her feathers and eyes closed and just sitting around not eating etc. I watched her for a day or so and then seperated her into a different pen. She is almost completly blind as she is trying to eat and pecking away but missing the food. She sits around all day puffed up and head tucked in wings until i force her to eat. She does not really want to drink at all. Her eyes do not look unusual or off color. What in the WORLD could have caused this! If i had known how delicate chickens were - i swear i would NOT have started this love affair!
Again- thank you for your advice and kindness
Denise