Not an Emergency...Marek's in the Flock

[kattitude45]

Sorry you are having this problem. I'm glad you sent a hen off to a lab. It's better than all the guessing.
At the bottom of my posts, please read "The big Marek's FAQ". That's got tons of information in it, and was written by Nambroth.
I think the mash and yogurt were fine.
Wasting, unfortunately is a symptom of many illnesses. And lameness/paralysis can be a symptom of other illnesses too. I think the first thing to do is see about your flock history. Like who got added a month or two before you had a sick chicken?
How many chickens, how old, have they been wormed regularly and dusted for bugs?
Are they on medicated feed?

If you hatch your own eggs, hatch in a room that has been seldom used. You would need to buy the vaccine, and give each chick an injection of vaccine. Then quarantine them for at least 3 weeks and the longer the better. I spent 3 weeks gowning and gloving to take care of the chicks because my flock has Marek's and it's probably all over my house as well.

You can try a multi vitamin for now. Like multi B vitamins.

I have 21 chickens. I have 4 D'uccles, the roo is a D'uccle that has the leg issue. They live with 2 silkies and the one deceased frizzle, all in one coop. All of these are from this year's chicks. The frizzle and 2 of the D'uccles were bought back in June.They were around 8 weeks old then. The silkies , I hatched (along with a few of the laying hens). I bought the oldest D'uccle at TSC as a day old chick. The D'uccle roo was bought about 2 months ago, I isolated him for a few weeks and then put him in the bantam flock.

I have 13 egg layers and 1 roo that free range all day and go in another coop at night. One of these was the "wasting away BA." 6 of the laying hens are from this years chicks. One, the BA, died. One went through a week or so of not eating, but recovered. The other 4 are fine. I have 7 older hens and the roo, also from this year's chicks. All are fine. I also have 1 cockerel in a bachelor pad (last one from the year's hatching), he's also fine.

I have not wormed them since last fall. I have the supplies to do so now. I intend to worm every fall. I do not like doing it because I have to buy eggs for an entire month!! So I have put it off... I use DE in and around the coops. I dust as needed but as little as possible. I have had lice on them from time to time. It's been the biggest issue I've had, one much easier to deal with than whatever this is!

The egg layers free range over several acres around my house and in the woods/pasture. We have 9 acres here. They eat countryside organic layer. The bantams eat a mix of the organic layer and southern states game bird feed, the higher protein one.... The feeds are non medicated

 

[mightymax]

Hi Y'all !!! I've missed you !!! It's been a rough couple of weeks for me here lately. First of all, a close personal friend of mine (and just an all around perfect example of what a wonderful human being should be), passed away in her home on the night of November 12th, 2014, of natural causes. She was just 47 years young !!! Four days later, my Grandma passed. We
knew it was imminent for she had not eaten or drank a thing in more than 8 days and her system had been slowly shutting down for some time before that. Not to say that made it any easier or less painful for us when she died, but at least she had the opportunity to really live! She had just turned 90. And then, on top of all of that...we have our motley crew of Marek's misfortunates...lol !!! It's good to be back, so let's get this show on the road !!!


@kattitude45 ...
...I would say...
...WORM THOSE PUPPIES...(or as the case may be...chickens!) No, in all seriousness, I would worm them with a good worming agent if they were
my chickens. Depending on what you use (ex. safegaurd) and where you live, you should probably dose them now, again in two weeks and then once again every six months after that. For life (either theirs or yours, it doesn't matter

j/k) I found out the long and hard way that less is not always more when it comes to those annoying little Annelids. It's sad enough when the die of Marek's, no need to feel worse about it by finding out they died with a gut load of worms in their belly as well !!! Trust me on that one !!! Anyway, let us know when you get the lab report in and what it says and I'll keep hoping it turns out not to be Marek's for you!

Take Care.

-kim-

 

[jgoldy2]

Hi Y'all !!!  I've missed you !!!  It's been a rough couple of weeks for me here lately.  First of all, a close personal friend of mine (and just an all around perfect example of what a wonderful human being should be), passed away in her home on the night of November 12th, 2014, of natural causes.  She was just 47 years young !!!  Four days later, my Grandma passed.  We 
knew it was imminent for she had not eaten or drank a thing in more than 8 days and her system had been slowly shutting down for some time before that.  Not to say that made it any easier or less painful for us when she died, but at least she had the opportunity to really live!  She had just turned 90.  And then, on top of all of that...we have our motley crew of Marek's misfortunates...lol !!!  It's good to be back, so let's get this show on the road !!!


@kattitude45
...
                      ...I would say...
                                            ...WORM THOSE PUPPIES...(or as the case may be...chickens!)  No, in all seriousness, I would worm them with a good worming agent if they were
my chickens.  Depending on what you use (ex. safegaurd) and where you live, you should probably dose them now, again in two weeks and then once again every six months after that.  For life (either theirs or yours, it doesn't matter j/k)   I found out the long and hard way that less is not always more when it comes to those annoying little Annelids.  It's sad enough when the die of Marek's, no need to feel worse about it by finding out they died with a gut load of worms in their belly as well !!!  Trust me on that one !!!  Anyway, let us know when you get the lab report in and what it says and I'll keep hoping it turns out not to be Marek's for you!

Take Care.

-kim- 

Sorry to hear that Kim, I have two hurt cousins, along with ski season and National Western Stock Show registration. So BYC time is very limited but still enjoyable, I need train a chicken so I will think of BYC and try to come on as much as I can

 

[seminolewind]

Kim, sorry your friend and your grandma passed away. Sometimes things just suck. And then there's Marek's.

 

[lalaland]

I thought I asked this question before but couldn't find my post:

What is the relationship between enteritis and intestinal lining sheddding? I think I am seeing a ton more intestinal lining in the droppings. not bloody. not more in a dropping, but definitely in a higher percentage of droppings - a little unsure if I am just on hyperalert or if, given mareks, I have something going on? All appear healthy -

 

[casportpony]

I thought I asked this question before but couldn't find my post:

What is the relationship between enteritis and intestinal lining sheddding? I think I am seeing a ton more intestinal lining in the droppings. not bloody. not more in a dropping, but definitely in a higher percentage of droppings - a little unsure if I am just on hyperalert or if, given mareks, I have something going on? All appear healthy -

I don't know... Have they been wormed properly with Safeguard or Valbazen? FWIW, I rarely ever see any lining in dropping, but when I do, I worm with Safeguard at 0.23ml per pound for *five* days!

-Kathy

 

[jgoldy2]

I thought I asked this question before but couldn't find my post:

What is the relationship between enteritis and intestinal lining sheddding?  I think I am seeing a ton more intestinal lining in the droppings. not bloody.  not more in a dropping, but definitely in a higher percentage of droppings - a little unsure if I am just on hyperalert or if, given mareks, I have something going on?  All appear healthy -  

Interesting question, I wouldn't know

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Intestinal lining shedding is a natural occurance like molting. Enteritis is a bad illness where a bacteria or cocci make swiss cheese out of the small intestine and cause it to die or hemorrhage . So, I am not an expert. But if one of my older chickens have what looks to be wasting or real skinny, I'm now trying 5 days of sulfadimethoxine and Tylan that will cover the most common nasties that most commonly that can live sub clinically (low symptoms for a long period). And worming a week prior to this.

My thoughts are that Marek's causes immunosuppression and that can allow a chicken to get sick from bacteria or cocci that they usually have immune protection against. Marek's may be a primary cause but some of the symptoms of unthriftiness can be treated.

 

[jgoldy2]

Intestinal lining shedding is a natural occurance like molting. Enteritis is a bad illness where a bacteria or cocci make swiss cheese out of the small intestine and cause it to die or hemorrhage . So, I am not an expert. But if one of my older chickens have what looks to be wasting or real skinny, I'm now trying 5 days of sulfadimethoxine and Tylan that will cover the most common nasties that most commonly that can live sub clinically (low symptoms for a long period). And worming a week prior to this.

My thoughts are that Marek's causes immunosuppression and that can allow a chicken to get sick from bacteria or cocci that they usually have immune protection against. Marek's may be a primary cause but some of the symptoms of unthriftiness can be treated.

Wow interesting, I just lost a chick and that comes just as I am ready to enter National Western so am I okay to eneter or should I wait a week, the deadline for entry forms is December 15

 

[LolaChick]

Hi all, first time poster. Small backyard flock of six. Four are a year and a half old girls, then I have two new pullets age 13 weeks. The new girls, crested cream leg bars, were quarantined eight weeks and introduced to the flock three weeks ago at ten weeks. No signs of disease in anyone of course. No one is vaccinated. Yesterday, one of the new leg bar babies suddenly couldn't walk. Classic presentation. After reading over 200 pages from this amazing forum, I decided to take her to the vet to confirm fears. This morning, the avian vet confirmed that she is as sure as can be without necropsy that it is Marek's. Currently, the leg bar baby is eating and drinking and acting happy but can't get around. As of today both legs seem to be affected. Also, occasionally it looks like her neck gets all squirrelly on her and she loses her head control then regains it. Soooo anyway the vet offered euthanasia or watchful waiting, but explained (as I knew from here) that the chance of full recovery is pretty small. I brought her home and have her safe in a dog crate with food and water. I was leaning towards giving her some time. The other girls have already been exposed anyway of course. That all said, I wanted to ask any of you what you thought. Looking back at what you've been through with chickens that have presented classically with leg paralysis, those of you who went the route of euthanasia or watchful waiting, what would you do differently knowing what you know now? Would you recommend going ahead and euthanizing or trying the one to two weeks of supportive care? I hate to drag out the inevitable but then again don't want to take away a chance from her if she's got a chance. Thanks for your thoughts....