Chicken Unable to Balance/Walk Around Normally

[NoRoomForGhosts]

Hey,
I'm a new chicken owner and this is my first flock (All at 19 weeks now). One of my Hens laid an egg and then pretty soon, within 3 days I'd say, after that stopped being able to walk around normally. She just sat in the underside of their coop and ate and drank water, but stopped being able to walk around and forage like the other chickens. She can't even climb the ladder to get to where they sleep. I thought it might be lack of nutrients since she laid an egg so I started her on layer feed, but that didn't help. I took her to the vet and he gave her a "vitamin cocktail" (Don't know what was in it just said basic vitamins to help her) and that sort of helped, she can kinda squat and move from one spot now, but only a few feet. She moves around by putting her head on the ground as a brace and then just kinda flailing her wings for a short distance and hopping? This has been going on for maybe 3 weeks now? She doesn't seem to be paralyzed cause she has leg movement and her legs have no scabs or anything on them. Has anyone seen something like this before? None of my other chickens are affected, so I don't think she's sick. If y'all need pictures I'd be happy to post them if you just tell me what you're looking for.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Pictures may help. Mareks comes to mind.

 

[Biddybot]

Mareks came to my mind too, but it is usually progressive...

If you put your chicken in a small pet carrier, one just big enough to hold her comfortably height and lengthwise, would she be able to brace herself against one side or the other and stand up? The reason I ask is because a long time ago, maybe 30 years now, I had a young buttercup rooster, maybe five, six months old, that developed somewhat similar symptoms. Did not seem ill, would eat and drink, not paralyzed, just couldn't stand or walk, almost as though he had an inner ear balance problem. I had a vet appointment for a routine checkup for one of my dogs at the time and, on a bit of an impulse, brought the rooster along in his pet carrier. The vet was a friend, an old country guy, and had a look at the rooster for free. I remember that he took him out and held him in both hands and looked him in the eyes, gave him a good shake, and looked at his eyes again. He gave me a bag of either tetracycline or terramycin powder (sorry I can't remember which), told me a dose (it was very strong, one teaspoon per pint of water, something like that) and to use nothing but medicated water as his drinking water from them on, and to keep him in the carrier where he could at least stand up to eat and drink normally and to give him a month. And...he DID recover! After about three weeks on the antibiotics, his symptoms started to reverse quite rapidly and a week later he was out running around like nothing had ever happened to him and he went on to live for some years after that. Whatever the treatment was, it was not a recommended usage for that drug and the vet warned me never to eat the rooster--ever. So, for what it's worth, that's how one chicken I owned who couldn't walk was cured. If you get to the point where you're out of ideas and are contemplating putting your own bird down, maybe you could run my experience past your own vet and see what he or she thinks...I mean, given the alternative, can't hurt, right?

 

[rebrascora]

Mareks came to my mind too, but it is usually progressive...

This is not the case in my experience with Marek's. Some birds miraculously recover from an attack after a few days, some take weeks or months of supportive care to make a limited or occasionally full recovery. Some deteriorate and die within a week and some battle it for weeks or months but don't make it. Some even die overnight without showing any obvious symptoms.

Paralysis is a misunderstood term when it comes to Marek's because it is more or an inability to control certain muscles due to inflammation of the nerves. It can be as minor as being unable to keep one eyelid fully open or as dramatic as the bird lying on it's side with legs stuck out in the classic "Marek's splits" posture unable to get up and everything in between. Wry neck or wry tail can be quite common or a dropped wing or the bird curling it's toes on one foot and walking on it's knuckles or walking on it's hock.

The two things that come to mind with your bird are Marek's or a laying issue like egg binding or a shell less egg putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. The fact that she is still eating and drinking makes me think it is more likely Marek's. It is usually triggered by stress and at her age the surge or hormones and confusion of commencement of laying is a common initiator for an attack. Do you have a rooster? The amorous attentions of a rooster can also add to the stress and likelihood of an outbreak.

 

[NoRoomForGhosts]

Mareks came to my mind too, but it is usually progressive...

If you put your chicken in a small pet carrier, one just big enough to hold her comfortably height and lengthwise, would she be able to brace herself against one side or the other and stand up? The reason I ask is because a long time ago, maybe 30 years now, I had a young buttercup rooster, maybe five, six months old, that developed somewhat similar symptoms. Did not seem ill, would eat and drink, not paralyzed, just couldn't stand or walk, almost as though he had an inner ear balance problem. I had a vet appointment for a routine checkup for one of my dogs at the time and, on a bit of an impulse, brought the rooster along in his pet carrier. The vet was a friend, an old country guy, and had a look at the rooster for free. I remember that he took him out and held him in both hands and looked him in the eyes, gave him a good shake, and looked at his eyes again. He gave me a bag of either tetracycline or terramycin powder (sorry I can't remember which), told me a dose (it was very strong, one teaspoon per pint of water, something like that) and to use nothing but medicated water as his drinking water from them on, and to keep him in the carrier where he could at least stand up to eat and drink normally and to give him a month. And...he DID recover! After about three weeks on the antibiotics, his symptoms started to reverse quite rapidly and a week later he was out running around like nothing had ever happened to him and he went on to live for some years after that. Whatever the treatment was, it was not a recommended usage for that drug and the vet warned me never to eat the rooster--ever. So, for what it's worth, that's how one chicken I owned who couldn't walk was cured. If you get to the point where you're out of ideas and are contemplating putting your own bird down, maybe you could run my experience past your own vet and see what he or she thinks...I mean, given the alternative, can't hurt, right?

It definitely cant hurt to try,, but she's been in spaces she should've been able to brace before and just...doesn't? It seems like my best option is taking her to the vet again. I really appreciate the response!

 

[NoRoomForGhosts]

This is not the case in my experience with Marek's. Some birds miraculously recover from an attack after a few days, some take weeks or months of supportive care to make a limited or occasionally full recovery. Some deteriorate and die within a week and some battle it for weeks or months but don't make it. Some even die overnight without showing any obvious symptoms.

Paralysis is a misunderstood term when it comes to Marek's because it is more or an inability to control certain muscles due to inflammation of the nerves. It can be as minor as being unable to keep one eyelid fully open or as dramatic as the bird lying on it's side with legs stuck out in the classic "Marek's splits" posture unable to get up and everything in between. Wry neck or wry tail can be quite common or a dropped wing or the bird curling it's toes on one foot and walking on it's knuckles or walking on it's hock.

The two things that come to mind with your bird are Marek's or a laying issue like egg binding or a shell less egg putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. The fact that she is still eating and drinking makes me think it is more likely Marek's. It is usually triggered by stress and at her age the surge or hormones and confusion of commencement of laying is a common initiator for an attack. Do you have a rooster? The amorous attentions of a rooster can also add to the stress and likelihood of an outbreak.

I live in town so nope on having a rooster, would a vet be able to confirm if it was Mareks? Ive seen stuff saying you can't treat it. Also I've checked her for egg binding as soon as this happened but she actually went on to lay 2 more eggs, since her first and she wasn't bound when i checked, however she has completely stopped laying now. I really appreciate the help!

 

[NoRoomForGhosts]

Pictures may help. Mareks comes to mind.

What do you need pictures of, just how she's sitting or legs? Id be willing to get them for you!

 

[rebrascora]

A short video footage might be helpful to see how she moves. When you have had Marek's in your flock for a few years, you get an eye for what it looks like..... Not conclusive by any means but can point you in the right direction. It needs to be uploaded to the likes of You Tube or Vimeo and then a link posted to it here on the thread.

Where is the world are you? Testing can vary from country to country. Here in the UK I have seen one veterinary poultry specialist offering faecal testing for Marek's relatively cheaply. I'm not sure how accurate it is. I believe it can now be done on a blood sample or plucked feather shaft in the USA but until recently it was done by PCR testing of tumour tissue following necropsy. State Agricultural or Veterinary Diagnostics labs are the place to contact to enquire if you are in America.

There is no recognised treatment for Marek's. Some strains are much "hotter" than others. Here in the UK, strains typically seem to be milder and that may be due to the Marek's vaccine not being widely available for back yard flocks..... talking of which.... do you know if they were vaccinated? With milder strains there is a reasonable chance that the bird will make a recovery with supportive care but it will be prone to future outbreaks at times of stress. During dormant phases the bird can live a good if not normal quality of life. The Disease is caused by a Herpes virus and similar to humans with the cold sore virus, it is generally only contagious during the outbreak phase and you often cannot tell a bird is infected during the dormant stages. Because of this you have to assume that all birds in a flock that has been exposed, are infected, so it is important to get a diagnosis, so that you can take precautions not to pass it on by selling or giving away birds to other people with an existing flock.

 

[NoRoomForGhosts]

I googled some more on Mareks and she is exhibiting all the symptoms. I also watched this video

(from about 22 seconds to 53 seconds) is exactly how she acts when I touch her. I send my own video but we're having real bad weather and wanted to respond quickly I am in the US and unfortunately lab testing is much too expensive for me to afford right now. Since all my chickens are infected, should I just put down the one having symptoms so she doesn't have to suffer anymore? Or should I cull the whole flock? Like I said other 3 are currently symptom free. All places you can buy chicks around me don't vaccinate. I bought from tractor supply company.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sorry about the Mareks. We cull as necessary. Those showing symptoms are actively shedding the virus so we remove them. Those that are healthy are fine and probably will remain fine. I don't vaccinate either. Most should develop an immunity to it.

My experiences with the tractor supply was too many roosters and a couple of Mareks birds. I don't buy from tractor supply anymore. Not saying their birds have Mareks, but they seemed more susceptible, perhaps from the extra stress of the store.

I will sometimes get one in a batch each year that becomes symptomatic. There are different strains of Mareks, with some being more deadly than others, so I wouldn't necessarily panic. See how it goes. If the rest remain fine, than I would expect it to possibly show up here and there with new young birds. If they all come down with it than culling and only getting vaccinated birds is the way to go.

Hopefully it's limited to the one bird only.