My chicken has been sitting in the same spot all day long and is panting

[Annie44]

You can try giving her vitamins, like a poultry drench. You can buy it at a feed store like tractor supply. But i would put her down. I know its hard but if shes not eating or drinking, then she is slowly dieing...
Where did you buy your chicks from?

Also, just because your chicks where vaccinated for meraks, dosnt mean the bird will be meraks free. If the bird carries meraks and was vaccinated for it, the bird can still die from meraks... I dont know if that sounds right..but i urge you to look up meraks on BYC's. There are pages upon pages about this diesease!.

Thank you for the advice. We took her to the vet earlier today, and he gave Butterfly some medicine and us some valuable information about Merak's--he said she might not have it, but instead a bacterial infection, which is possibly treatable with antibiotics. We will know tomorrow from a blood test.

Now I think she's already getting better from those meds because she eats and drinks on her own now, so long as there is food and water within reach.

We got our chicks from a local-ish breeder and chicken owner.

I will do some more research on Merak's... I do think Butterfly might just pull through... Thanks for all the help.

 

[Annie44]

looks like classic Marek's to me.sad truth is over 5 %of vaccinated birds still get mareks disease. many on this forum have delt or is dealing with this disease. I suggest you create a new post about mareks and I'm sure many people will help you move forward from here now that your flock is exposed. they are very educated on Marek's and can be of a great help! as I understand it Marek's disease is a very prolific highly contagious airborne disease. however because your flock was exposed does not mean they will all fall ill. it does mean they are ALL carriers though. so if you bring a new bird in it MUST be vaccinated and had ample time for immunity to set it. which I'm not sure of exact time. I believe 2 to 3 weeks after vaccine. the ones who deal with this can answer all your questions. so I urge you to make a new thread. so they can help. and post this picture. they will know how to deal with Marek's being on your land and help with your bird.I've even seen people make a splint to help hold the bird up while its going though this. people on this forum have a wealth of information on Marek's this is why I urge you to start a new thread so they can help. I wish you the best and I wish I could be of more help! so sorry about your bird. I wish you the best. your best weapon right now is education. so learn as much as you can on Marek's. it will really help. God bless

Okay, thank you for your time and information about new flock members. I will do more research on Merak's---I agree, my best weapon is education.

 

[casportpony]

Are you sure?? She got her Mareks vaccination when she was little! Are they not 100% guaranteed for working? Thank you for responding.

That look like Marek's to me as well.

 

[Annie44]

That look like Marek's to me as well.

From a blood test, the vet told us that it wasn't Marek's but most likely a bacterial infection with similar symptoms--possibly treatable with antibiotics. We will hope for the best...

 

[Haunted55]

Having Marek's in my own flock, I can be very sure that I am seeing Marek's in the picture you posted of your bird. I am sorry, but having seen this so many times there can be no doubt. It is possible that your Vet did find a bacterial infection as well, but this is the classic, as I call it, roadrunner posture. From my own experiences with the virus, there is no coming back once they get to this point. Again, I am so very sorry for both you and your poor bird.

Having your birds vaccinated for Marek's is a good thing, but sadly if the vaccine didn't contain all 3 types of immunization meds, your bird could have been exposed to one not covered or even a mutation of the virus. Out of the 165 birds I bought last year, 120, to date, have been lost to this disease. the highest mortality, believe it or not, was with the birds given the 3 type vaccine. Some breeds were completely wiped out. I have one GL Wyandotte just like yours left out of 6 that I ordered. That breed, for some reason was hit pretty hard.

Since your other birds have alredy been exposed to her, it is now a waiting game to see if they will be affected like her. I don't know if you add anything like vitamins or probiotics to their feed or water, but I think I would start. Immunities start in the gut, if it's healthy it can negate or lessen attacks on the body. Especially as they were vaccinated for the Marek's, it can do nothing but help.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/776680/mareks-what-to-do/20 post # 29

Caco3 may be onto something that may help exposed birds fight this virus. I don't believe it will cure it, I don't think there will ever be a cure, but it may be an answer to protect what's left. I haven't finished researching everything as of yet, but I'd use this and in fact have bought some of the pills.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/lysine-000312.htm

After reading through the link above I would give my chickens 4 mgs of the Lysine to start. Lysine is part of their feed and also some vitamins so the levels would need to be checked for total consumption. I still think that adding in 4 mgs isn't too much and since it wouldn't be for long term, I don't think it would be a problem. I am still trying to find a good dietary guideline for poultry I can trust to figure how much would be theraputic as opposed to regular daily intake or overdosing. Your B vitamins are also going to be a good friend to your birds. I use 1/2 a Super B Complex vitamin tablet, crushed and disolved in their water, as well as a light dosage of poultry vitamins and full dose of the electrolites and probiotics.

One thing I can tell you is do not despair. There is life after Marek's and your others may never become symptomatic at all. Just watch and question everything you see in your birds. If you see something a little off, give them the Super B in their water for a few days. Even if one does show some symptoms, it doesn't mean they cannot recover to their normal. I have Marek's survivors who are 1 year and older now and in fact have hatched babies from their eggs and then babies from their babies.

 

[Haunted55]

From a blood test, the vet told us that it wasn't Marek's but most likely a bacterial infection with similar symptoms--possibly treatable with antibiotics. We will hope for the best...

Look, there are only a few places that can do the blood work to tell if it is Marek's or not and unless I've missed some new technology that is now available to a Vets office, I dont believe they can test your bird. Number 1, your bird was vaccinated for Marek's correct? This takes special testing to prove or disprove Marek's after they've been vaccinated as the vaccinated birds do no test true. Number 2, your bird can have all kinds of secondary infections with Marek's that can show up on ordinary tests, while the Marek's won't. I know this is hard and I truly hope that I am proven wrong here. Seriously, I do. Please take the time and research Marek's and what you would need to do if we are correct with what we are telling you. the life of your remaining birds depends on it as do anyone elses you may come in contact with.

 

[casportpony]

Annie, what antibiotic did your vet give you?

 

[Annie44]

Annie, what antibiotic did your vet give you?

Look, there are only a few places that can do the blood work to tell if it is Marek's or not and unless I've missed some new technology that is now available to a Vets office, I dont believe they can test your bird. Number 1, your bird was vaccinated for Marek's correct? This takes special testing to prove or disprove Marek's after they've been vaccinated as the vaccinated birds do no test true. Number 2, your bird can have all kinds of secondary infections with Marek's that can show up on ordinary tests, while the Marek's won't. I know this is hard and I truly hope that I am proven wrong here. Seriously, I do. Please take the time and research Marek's and what you would need to do if we are correct with what we are telling you. the life of your remaining birds depends on it as do anyone elses you may come in contact with.

[Sorry I didn't respond for awhile! For some reason BYC didn't email me and she was getting so much better I forgot to check this thread.]

Casportpony, I'm not actually sure, but it sure did work after ten days! She regained full mobility of one of her legs; the other remains immobile but she is completely energetic, eating drinking etc.

Haunted55, I suppose you were proven wrong, yay!

Butterfly is much much better--almost back to normal. I came up with a solution that allows her to walk with only one leg—check it out!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-the-butterfly-net-a-true-story#post_11326283

 

[Haunted55]

Annie44, I replied to your thread, but want you to know just how happy I am about your results! This is truly amazing! Last year when I got hit, I found out from my State's Vet there was a really nasty mutation of Marek's that hit the East Coast. When I saw where you were and the picture.....I've seen the same thing so many heartbreaking times, I felt the best and only thing to do was lead you to researching the most obvious conclusion. Please, find out what the drugs were that your Vet used. This is important as it may help someone else.

Believe me, I will be the first to scream 'it's a vitamin deficiency!'. I think I've driven a few of us nuts by doing that, but I call it like I see it. I am not sure what is up with Butterfly. I have never heard of any of the other diseases, that can cause paralysis, leaving a bird in her position, so's to speak, seriously, that's classic Marek's and a picture of the 'roadrunner' position is used in all Marek's diagnostic articles. Oh...this is so cool! I don't know if I was wrong or not, but man I am a very happy camper right now! Please, please, please find out what your bird was given. Either your Vet is particularly brilliant and has found something that will combat Marek's or there is something new[?] I have no idea about, but would like to. Anything about the diagnosis and treatment, as detailed as you can be is going to help and may save the life of someone else's birds.

I must say, it's nice to be proven wrong! Yes it is! Thanks again so much for sharing.

 

[Coupe]

I still wouldnt put her near other chickens...i still think its mareks. Some birds can live awhile with mareks.