Help!

Sheepy-74

Hatching
Sep 8, 2024
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Hello, I need urgent advice! I have a 4 year old home hatched hen. She’s suddenly off her legs. Yesterday I found her in a nest box with her legs splayed out behind her and wings out. I thought she was dead but I took her out and she was alive and unable to stand. I took her down to the house and she ate crumbs of bread and meal worms an a little seed. Drank water and seemed a little perkier so I left her to see how she went. Today she is just the same as we was but her eyes are mostly shut. I have given her a warm soak and dried her and she has had emeraid syringed down with vit b12. She ate a mouthful of scrambled eggs but is entirely lifeless apart from occasionally looking around then closing her eyes again. I fear I’m not going to manage to bring her back round but if anybody can suggest a magic cure I’d try anything
 
Hello, I need urgent advice! I have a 4 year old home hatched hen. She’s suddenly off her legs. Yesterday I found her in a nest box with her legs splayed out behind her and wings out. I thought she was dead but I took her out and she was alive and unable to stand. I took her down to the house and she ate crumbs of bread and meal worms an a little seed. Drank water and seemed a little perkier so I left her to see how she went. Today she is just the same as we was but her eyes are mostly shut. I have given her a warm soak and dried her and she has had emeraid syringed down with vit b12. She ate a mouthful of scrambled eggs but is entirely lifeless apart from occasionally looking around then closing her eyes again. I fear I’m not going to manage to bring her back round but if anybody can suggest a magic cure I’d try anything
What you're describing sounds like mareks disease to me.
This link can tell you a bit about it as well as share a few ways to treat it.
https://poultrydvm.com/condition/mareks-disease
Best of luck!
Tagging a few people who might be more educated on it than I am...
@Wyorp Rock
@speckledhen
 
Honestly, there are several things that could be and I don't really think Marek's at her age; that usually afflicts the younger ones. Lymphoid Leukosis has similar symptoms and is found in older birds, but no idea what this is with your hen. I've seen some bizarre things in the 20 years we've had our own flocks. I have seen hens fly into walls and lose the use of their legs. One had cancerous tumors along the oviduct and some were pressing on her nerves so she would squat walk, could not stand up fully. My own Brahma rooster had a strange bout with something that presented like lead poisoning when he was 3 years old, but with supportive care, he recovered and is now 8 years old.
I can't even venture a guess, but it does not sound promising. You're doing supportive care for her with the protein and vitamins and that may be all you can do other than wait and see. Could te something no one would ever suspect. Best of luck to you and your hen.
 
Honestly, there are several things that could be and I don't really think Marek's at her age; that usually afflicts the younger ones. Lymphoid Leukosis has similar symptoms and is found in older birds, but no idea what this is with your hen. I've seen some bizarre things in the 20 years we've had our own flocks. I have seen hens fly into walls and lose the use of their legs. One had cancerous tumors along the oviduct and some were pressing on her nerves so she would squat walk, could not stand up fully. My own Brahma rooster had a strange bout with something that presented like lead poisoning when he was 3 years old, but with supportive care, he recovered and is now 8 years old.
I can't even venture a guess, but it does not sound promising. You're doing supportive care for her with the protein and vitamins and that may be all you can do other than wait and see. Could te something no one would ever suspect. Best of luck to you and your hen.
 

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