Urgent Help Please!!

[julesapple]

Just popped outside and found Daisy Marsh-Daisy laying on her side, feet behind her, like she was sunbathing or dust-bathing, but panting for breath and unable to stand.

DD and I have tried getting her to regurgitate her crop as it felt like it might be cropbound, but she wouldn't bring anything up. We tried a little warm olive oil applied through a BOP crop tube to oil the works, but nothing happened despite turning her upside down and massaging the crop from bottom to top.

There are no other symptoms other than the stretched out legs and one foot curled round in a ball and this panting for breath. She does have a cut comb but we think this might from when she collapsed. We know she hadn't been collapsed long because the BH had seen her half an hour before.

We've phoned the vet but were just told to keep an eye on her as he hadn't any experience with poultry (it's one of the schemes where all vets in the district do a rota for out of hours and I don't know this guy) and to make an appt with our vet tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Daisy is propped in a box, as comfortable as we can make her. The box is in the nestbox of the henhouse as she seemed calmer with the other girls around her.

Any ideas?


Jules

[vicky]

Not an expert by any means but could it be a heart attack or stroke? I think you're doing the right thing by making her comfortable then wait and see in the morning. Good luck.

[julesapple]

Not an expert by any means but could it be a heart attack or stroke? I think you're doing the right thing by making her comfortable then wait and see in the morning. Good luck.

My only stroke experience is with people, but I did think about that because of Daisy's leg. I thought, at first, that she might have lost use of her wings but she has flapped them a couple of times, so the droopiness is just weakness and feeling ill.

I've looked up every book, and the internet, and I can't find anything helpful.

I'm off to check her again in a minute.

Jules

[jessmorris]

Oh dear. It sounds very dramatic. Good luck with her.

[julesapple]

Well, she's still sat in her box with her legs behind her, still panting. But she is looking round, a bit more alert I think. She's not squeezing her eyes shut as she was earlier.

I would bring her indoors, but she just get stressed. I hope she's warm enough. She's got shredded newspaper in her box, and she's in the nestbox bit. The henhouse is two foot from the diningroom window and under the gazebo.

Jules

[Scarlet]

Have you looked at Mareks? This causes paralysis - one leg out front an the other towards the back(hurdle style). Any recent weight loss?
I think I would take her out of your flock until you know what it is - she could have something contagious.

[julesapple]

Have you looked at Mareks? This causes paralysis - one leg out front an the other towards the back(hurdle style). Any recent weight loss?
I think I would take her out of your flock until you know what it is - she could have something contagious.

I did think about Mareks, but the legs are behind. Also, she's been vaccinated. There aren't any of the other symptoms of Mareks - eyes normal etc (so far any way. It's probably far too late if it is anything contagious, and they can carry Mareks. I'm still of the belief that it is a stroke of some sort just now.

DD has spoken to the vet from the animal sanctuary where she volunteers and the vet doesn't know what to think. And this is a poultry experienced vet.

Checked Daisy a few mins back and she's bright and alert as before, but no change with the leg. Breathing a bit easier I think.

Jules

[Suechooks]

The vaccination for Mareks doesn't prevent the paralysis, it only prevents the tumours. Paralysis can be transient or progressive. My Legbar was eating and drinking and alert but unable eventually to keep herself upright.
Hope your bird improves anyway.

[petal]

hate to say it but it does sound like mareks, good luck with her.

[Nicos]

Oh dear

fingers crossed for her x

[julesapple]

Really not sure what's happening here.

DD went out at 5ish this morning and Daisy had produced a slightly soft-shelled egg (first egg since she hatched her babies 15 weeks ago) that was bigger than her usual eggs. Daisy was out of her hospital box but sat on the floor with the other big girls - they seem to be keeping her company, like they know she's not well.

Her legs are getting back to normal, and she has full use of them, she's even been running. However, she seems exhausted. She's had a scratch round and emptied her...er...bowels, but she's not keen on eating or drinking. Although she wants to be with the flock she's keeping to one side like she knows she can't keep up with them. She's also resting a lot, although she's pretty alert.

I'm trying to think of something tasty to tempt her to eat, but she's already turned her beak up at the favourite couscous and bread.

The vet says she doesn't think it's Mareks but she's as puzzled as we are. We've got some vitamin drops, but the vet says there's no point giving her antibiotics etc as they will lower her natural immunity.

Just a case of wait & see....

Jules

[lindyloo]

my first thought is maraks too. it could be the onset of phuemonia, or a heavy worm burden. hope she gets better

[julesapple]

my first thought is maraks too. it could be the onset of phuemonia, or a heavy worm burden. hope she gets better

They've been Flubenvetted just this last month, so I don't think it's worms.

We're watching her carefully, she seems alert but really tired. They're just feeding their faces before bedtime, but Daisy isn't eating still. DD says she might try getting something into her crop via a feeding tube tomorrow, maybe a thin pureed pellet mash. Pro-biotic yoghurt has been suggested, just in case it was a crop problem.

We'll see what tomorrow brings......

Jules

[motherhen]

How old is she, what do you normally feed, couscous and bread will give her no goodness at all. Did you have redmite when she was broody? we sometimes put a little sugar in water just to get their system going again, keep her warm, quite and isolated. If she will peck we have sprinkled sugar on their normal food to try and tempt them, do not man handle too much i.e force feeding this can cause too much stress. Do you feed scraps on the ground?
Is she driven off the food?

[Scarlet]

Fingers crossed for you...