Chick with paralysis URGENT! *Update-Baby Dead :( * need advice! :(

[carolina chicky]

I was wondering the same thing. My babies are under a tree and it is pretty cool ( as cool as it can be in SC. in June, lol) None of the others seem affected.
My older hen last month was fine when I checked her at 2:30, eating scratching, running around as usual. Then at 7 that evening she was laying down on the ground, panting, and couldn't stand or walk. I brought her inside and tried to wash her in cool water to cool her off and within 30 minutes, she convulsed and died.
The one month old chick did the same identical thing ths morning. Fine early this morning, walking around, eating...then bam...she was laying there, couldn't stand or walk and 30 minutes later, convulsed and died in my arms

 

[chiknwhisper'r]

I posted on another site about my hen. She was fine until about a week ago and she started acting funny. When I would go to feed her she didn'tseem to have an appetite. I thought it was because she was laying regularly and was just something hens do, then I found her laying beside her hen box on her side. I picked her up brought her into the garage and have had to put food and water in her mouth and she seems to be paralyzed on her left side. She can't stand or walk and only twice has she spread her right wing. The odd thing is the first time that I fed her she had this huge bowel movement like a hen that is settin would have but bigger and after that came alot of diarreah, that was about 3 days ago and not that I know of has she had any more bowel movements until tonight. It was like the same thing big then runny, except this time it looked like there was blood in it. She also has been in a coop with a rooster, his appetite is in question but he seems fine. What has happened to her? I even thought that it could be a spider bite or something like that. I live in Souteast Kentucky the weather has been dreary and humid but she has plenty of shade. I am completely baffled as towhat has happened to her and now what do I do? She does not look sick except that she lays on her side all the time, and she dosen't eat by herself, she seems alert and drags herself around a little but not much. What should I do? How would I even know if I should put her down, I love this little girl with all my heart. I hold my breath when I go out to check on her.
Does anybody know what is happening to her? What about the paralysis?

If nybody has any suggestions please help me!

Her name is Gracie and she is one beautiful Baney, we love her very much!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Don't rule out Mereks Disease. The paralysis is one sign. Please read up on it & make your own call. Good Luck.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
My thought too.

 

[carolina chicky]

I thought of Mareks disease, but the older hen who dies a month or so ago was vaccinated for it. What are the symptoms of Mareks? Does it kill suddenly like that?
Whatever it was that killed them both killed them within an hour of showing symptoms. About 11 am this morning my baby chick was acting completely normal. Then a few hours later she seemed paralyzed, then suddenly dies.
Could it be a heart problem or something?

 

[carolina chicky]

Also, the only sign I saw on the baby hen was a few small spots of blood on her feet. Seemed dried up and I couldn't find any open wounds or anything.

 

[MeettheFlockers]

Have you considered Coccidiosis? It's VERY VERY common in chicks--- less so with older birds. They die quickly and often look lethargic and very sleepy beforehand.

Treatment is Corid in the water and/or a sulfa based drug. Do a search for more information.

 

[Kim65]

It sounds like it could be poison, as much as disease (to me). A disease would affect more than one, but poison could account for losing two birds with similar symptoms a month of so apart.

I also thought of botulism. That is a disease causing paralysis and quick death, but usually it infects more than one bird at a time. It's caused by eating decomposing flesh or having it contaminate a pond (a dead critter in a pond) or feed.

It'd be great if you could get a necropsy.

 

[MotherJean]

Were your chicks vaccinated for Mareks, too? Where did you get the 1 yr. old hen that died and was it the same place that you got the 1 month old chicks?

ETA: One more question...were the chicks on medicated chick starter?

 

[Telamon]

i'm very sorry, why don't you try to take her to a vet? if it's to far away, call the vet and find out what happened... sorry for your chickens... i'm sad too...