HELP!! Chicken is paralyzed

[Chicken1038]

I found my chicken yesterday away from her flock mates with curled up toes and paralyzed legs. I initially thought she was egg bound because she hasn’t laid her egg and i put her in warm water then dried her off. This morning I tried feeling for an egg but I didn’t know how to do it. I started getting more worried about her because I read about Marek's disease and how paralysis of the legs is one of the symptoms. My chicken immediately got paralysis in her legs though. This morning her face looks clear and awake but she is still sitting and uses her wings to walk to her water. She also refuses to eat. Is it Marek's disease, vitamin deficiency, or is she egg bound?

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

@Eggcessive may be able to help

 

[arianna7]

Hey! I’m really sorry to hear about your chicken. That sounds super stressful! So, it could be a few things going on. If her legs are paralyzed, it might be Marek's disease, which can hit pretty fast, but there’s no real cure for that. On the other hand, if she hasn’t laid an egg and looks uncomfortable, she could be egg bound. You can gently feel her belly for a hard lump to check, but just be super careful with that!

Another possibility is that she might have a vitamin deficiency, like missing B1 or E, which can also cause weakness and curled toes. A vet can help figure this out with some tests. In the meantime, keep her comfy and away from the other chickens so she can chill. Make sure she has water and try giving her soft food, like scrambled eggs, to see if she’ll eat.

Honestly, getting a vet who knows about chickens is probably the best idea. They can help you find out what’s really wrong and how to help her. Just keep an eye on her and note any changes. Good luck!

 

[Antho]

Hey! I’m really sorry to hear about your chicken. That sounds super stressful! So, it could be a few things going on. If her legs are paralyzed, it might be Marek's disease, which can hit pretty fast, but there’s no real cure for that. On the other hand, if she hasn’t laid an egg and looks uncomfortable, she could be egg bound. You can gently feel her belly for a hard lump to check, but just be super careful with that!

Another possibility is that she might have a vitamin deficiency, like missing B1 or E, which can also cause weakness and curled toes. A vet can help figure this out with some tests. In the meantime, keep her comfy and away from the other chickens so she can chill. Make sure she has water and try giving her soft food, like scrambled eggs, to see if she’ll eat.

Honestly, getting a vet who knows about chickens is probably the best idea. They can help you find out what’s really wrong and how to help her. Just keep an eye on her and note any changes. Good luck!

good response

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. How old is she? Several things that can cause paralysis and curled under toes are Mareks, botulism, or mold poisoning. Riboflavin (vitamin B 2 deficiency) also can cause that, though I don’t think it happens all at once. A spinal injury might also do this.

Mareks usually happen in the first months of life up 6-25 weeks most commonly.) Botulism happens when they eat something dead that has been decaying under water or buried without oxygen. Symptoms start in the feet, and continue up the spinal nerves until the breathing muscles and eyelids are paralyzed.

I would give some human vitamin B complex 1/2 tablet daily. Crush it in a treat or food, or pop it into her beak to swallow. A chicken sling might be helpful to get her upright and in front of food and water for periods throughout the day. She can be propped on towels to rest in between.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some pictures of home made chicken slings and chairs, and note posts 5, 11-14 especially:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[MysteryChicken]

Welcome to BYC. How old is she? Several things that can cause paralysis and curled under toes are Mareks, botulism, or mold poisoning. Riboflavin (vitamin B 2 deficiency) also can cause that, though I don’t think it happens all at once. A spinal injury might also do this.

Mareks usually happen in the first months of life up 6-25 weeks most commonly.) Botulism happens when they eat something dead that has been decaying under water or buried without oxygen. Symptoms start in the feet, and continue up the spinal nerves until the breathing muscles and eyelids are paralyzed.

I would give some human vitamin B complex 1/2 tablet daily. Crush it in a treat or food, or pop it into her beak to swallow. A chicken sling might be helpful to get her upright and in front of food and water for periods throughout the day. She can be propped on towels to rest in between.

B2 Deficiency can happen suddenly. Had a Silkie Pullet last year suddenly get paralysis in both legs/feet. Took awhile to figure out what she had going on, until I learned about Riboflavin Deficiency, then treated her for that which was successful after a month.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most of the time, I think it can start with curled toes, and then progress to the legs being weak or eventually lame. Here is a good article:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

 

[Chicken1038]

Here is a photo of her, she is sitting kinda dejected. The paralysis was instant yesterday and she couldn’t walk. But this morning she is managing to stumble. She is around 4 years old which makes me wonder if this not mareks disease.

 

[Chicken1038]

Welcome to BYC. How old is she? Several things that can cause paralysis and curled under toes are Mareks, botulism, or mold poisoning. Riboflavin (vitamin B 2 deficiency) also can cause that, though I don’t think it happens all at once. A spinal injury might also do this.

Mareks usually happen in the first months of life up 6-25 weeks most commonly.) Botulism happens when they eat something dead that has been decaying under water or buried without oxygen. Symptoms start in the feet, and continue up the spinal nerves until the breathing muscles and eyelids are paralyzed.

I would give some human vitamin B complex 1/2 tablet daily. Crush it in a treat or food, or pop it into her beak to swallow. A chicken sling might be helpful to get her upright and in front of food and water for periods throughout the day. She can be propped on towels to rest in between.

Do you think it is botulism.