St. John's Wort

[Far North Queenslander]

Quote:
DON'T.. Hypericum (St. John's Wort) is toxic to many livestock including poultry as a plant. It causes photosensitivity and dermatitis, and can lead to liver damage.

The tablets are usually made from an initial solution that contains about 0.3% of the active ingredient hypericin. This is then diluted further, thus the 30 means an active concentration of about 0.01%.

There are hypericin based products on the market for poultry - google "sunwin + hypericin". These are designed for poultry contracting avian influenza.

 

[kennedyscochins]

I have had two chickens die in unusual manners and I am wondering if it could be mareks disease. One day they were fine. Then they started all of this suddenly. They first just get very lame and depressed acting. They seem like they sleep all day, will not eat/drink. I force fed them with a syringe and that still didn't work. I treated with antibiotics and tylan injections because some of the other birds in the flock were coughing, sneezing, etc. This did not work either. Now, the last of the two birds to die will not move her legs, barely moves her wings and within the last 3 hours, she has her head lying completely sideways and cannot move her neck. Just wondering what this could be and what to do for it. Please help!

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
It could be Marek's. If it hit them quickly, it could be a very strong strain. The only way to know for sure is to get a necropsy done. Most state universities can facilitate that at a reasonably low cost. Your local extension agent can probably give you more information about where a necropsy can be done.

 

[badgarden]

I've read through the entire thread and I'm still not convinced that my hen has marek's. She is a young black sex link. We got her in March as a chick along with a barred rock & silver laced wyandott (we like variety). She started laying in June. Our chickens run free in our back yard during the day and then get locked up at night. We discovered her nest after 4 or 5 days after she started laying. A few days later we found along side her egg an xtra large egg. We weren't sure if it was hers since those were the only two we found. Later, I discovered a dozen of 2 types of eggs in the dogs house. The barred rock & Silver wyandott prefer to lay in there (another strange story). My black australope (3 y/o matriarch) stopped laying when we introduced the chicks to the hen house. I discovered the overly large egg was hers after she left the nest and it was the only egg in there. The large egg, is double yolked. About 3 weeks ago she started hobbling by using her wing as a crutch and the healthier hens started pecking at her. I've since quarantined her, pulled the feed to stop laying (she layed 4 eggs before I pulled the feed). We don't have the luxury of a chicken vet, so I am relying on my chicken "expert" at the feed store. She thought that maybe she sprained or dislocated her hip pushing out the larger eggs. ???
I am supplementing her water with a vitamin/electrolyte mixture and I need to force her to drink it. She is eating a varied diet of fruit & vegetables, some grains & ground oyster shells. I pull her out from the pen to have her walk. She can take about 5 steps with the aid of flapping her wings. Her left leg will cross over her right leg and she will trip. When that happens she lets out a yelp and will lay gasping. When she is calmed down she will move again. The other odd behavior is she will lose her balance and her head will come down. She uses her beak to steady herself either on an object or on the ground. She will either lay down or try to move.
Her eyes are clear, feathers are shiny, no odd smells. I did discover that her poop is more of a yellow-green but solid not watery or liquid. Could that be from the vitamins?
I've since learned that there is a vet about 20 miles from my house that will take chickens. I wanted to hear from you before I took that leap.
Any ideas?
Thanks.

 

[horsejody]

Perhaps she has a muscle or joint injury. I have a little hen that was injured, and it keeps flaring up. I separate her when she seems sore. Her problem started when somebody opened the pen one day while I was at work. I think they tried to catch her and injured her.

 

[threehorses]

I hate to say it - there is no "cure" for Marek's. There might be a treatment, a survival rate, but not a cure. It's a carrier disease once it's done causing symptoms. You never cure it - you just kind of fix it.

That being said, there are no common ways of telling if a bird truly has Marek's other than a necropsy- and by then it's too late.

This being said, yes - I think that in some cases the neurological signs of Marek's can be survived (provided they don't get the neoplasias) and a bird, though a carrier, can live for years. That's my experience of it. BUt it MUST MUST MUST be differentiated from Leukosis and you can *only* do that through a necropsy AND histopathology. Period. Leukosis is a very devestating disease and one which even I would cull every bird with it. (There are living tests.)
If you lose two birds to Marek's, please have any other ill birds tested. Contact your local ag college extension for less expensive necropsies/histo's. Do it ahead of time so you'll be prepared. Some places require a live, ill bird - others will accept a carcass if it's held/stored a certain way.

 

[kennedyscochins]

Is this also called St. John's Wort? I was googling it and thats what it kept saying. I have chickens dying as I type and i'm pretty positive it's mareks. Classic symptoms. I had some tested by a state vet and they had the mareks antibody, which means they have all been exposed at some time. Please help soon!

 

[mypicklebird]

Quote:
I would interpret this necropsy as a bird that did not have Marek's. Not a cured bird. The diagnosis of Marek's is based on histopath & necropsy. You can't really diagnose it on a live bird unless you 1) have classic occular Marek's 2) have external tumors that can be biopsied 3) exploratory or endoscopy to obtain internal tissue samples. How can you know the bird hard Marek's to start with? I assume it had symptoms consistent with Marek's? Like a limping bird or a partial paralysis? Many things can cause this, and many will get better with supportive care and time. Who is the vet that recommends Hypericum for Marek's? Avian & Exotics specialist? Alternative care practice? I would love to know.

 

[whitebarn]

Hi,
Used Hypericum for my rooster who got hypothermia from the cold weather, also used ST John's Wort oil to rub on his legs. My health food store recommended as it is used on people who have experienced hypothermia. Rooster is doing better today, his legs are warmer more circulation. He does not have Marek's as he was vaccinated as a chick. He can not stand up, sticks left leg out in front, like symptons of Marek's, the remedy seems to be helping. Have you ever used the oil on chicken's exhibiting Marek's?
Kay from the White Barn.

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:
Just a note

...just because chicks are vaccinated for Marek's, that doesn't 100% prevent them from getting it. If your birds are exhibiting classic Marek's symptoms, please don't be too quick to dismiss it as Marek's because your birds were vaccinated.