2 sick 10 week old Seramas

[Clucken Crazy]

PLEASE, I need help and advice.
I have 2 little pullets that are about 10 weeks old. This is the 4th day of them being sick.
Symptoms: it started out that they were very unstable on their feet, dizzy or maybe a lack of balance. Sitting a lot with 1 foot straight out to the front. Now they have both feet sticking out in the front and won't try and walk at all. They are turning their heads around towards their backs often. They eat and drink when I out it in front of them. It can not be Mareks because once hatched, they have never been with any of the older flock, just other newly hatched chicks. I have been giving them Poly Vi Sol daily since they became sick.
History: they are kept in my garage, in a brooder of sorts. The garage is not heated but I have a headlamp on them and a heater in the garage. One night a breaker tripped and they were without hear for several hours. They escaped their pen so could have injured themselves or got too cold? They appeared to be fine when I put them back but a few days later I noticed them sitting funny. There are 19 chicks in their pen so I may not have noticed them sitting of that way right away. I have tried calling several vets but no one takes sick chicks.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sorry your girls are having trouble.

Does that Poly vi sol have E in it?

Have you looked into possible E/selenium deficit? Star gazing? Are they able to eat or drink? What are you feeding? How big is the pen? Cocci?

Here is a link that will give you all the possibilities when you put in the symptoms. You have to narrow down what makes sense still...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

 

[Clucken Crazy]

Yes, it has Vitamin E in it. It's hard to tell how much of the vitamin that they are actually getting. I've been putting several drops on the side of their beaks. I will google everything that you mentioned to see if any of it fits.
Thanks so much for the help!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Don't know if it's the same thing but I forgot to mention wry neck.

 

[Lolacan]

You state 2 pullets, 10 weeks old, sometimes sitting with one leg out in front. I would try to rule out injury , vitamin deficiency. But I would also keep Marek's virus in your thoughts.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You state 2 pullets, 10 weeks old, sometimes sitting with one leg out in front. I would try to rule out injury , vitamin deficiency. But I would also keep Marek's virus in your thoughts.

Yes, even though it's stated the chicks haven't been outside and I know it can't be passed to the egg... Maybe pets coming and going tracks it in? Plus sometimes things happen, somehow. You are right that it's probably a good idea to be aware of Marek's as a possibility even though the parameters don't make it an obvious choice.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

PLEASE, I need help and advice.
I have 2 little pullets that are about 10 weeks old. This is the 4th day of them being sick.
Symptoms: it started out that they were very unstable on their feet, dizzy or maybe a lack of balance. Sitting a lot with 1 foot straight out to the front. Now they have both feet sticking out in the front and won't try and walk at all. They are turning their heads around towards their backs often. They eat and drink when I out it in front of them. It can not be Mareks because once hatched, they have never been with any of the older flock, just other newly hatched chicks. I have been giving them Poly Vi Sol daily since they became sick.
History: they are kept in my garage, in a brooder of sorts. The garage is not heated but I have a headlamp on them and a heater in the garage. One night a breaker tripped and they were without hear for several hours. They escaped their pen so could have injured themselves or got too cold? They appeared to be fine when I put them back but a few days later I noticed them sitting funny. There are 19 chicks in their pen so I may not have noticed them sitting of that way right away. I have tried calling several vets but no one takes sick chicks.

And 10 weeks is the right age. This article indicates one leg forward as definitely being a symptom of Marek's....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Whether it be 100% accurate, I'm not sure... But it IS pretty spot on and loaded with information from somebody who experienced it.

And quite honestly, where I would put my money with my experience

If you experience a loss I highly recommend refrigerating and getting a necropsy. It's the ONLY way to know for sure what you are dealing with. Free or cheap in most states as a means of protecting our food supply chain. Here are a couple links, one for packing and sending, the other with state vet info...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

 

[Lolacan]

Egg , you have good information. I made sure that I was all set up with the supplies and blank form to send a necropsy beforehand so if the time came, I was ready to go.

The great big Mareks FAQ is the most accurate information out. It was put together by a member and friend and needless to say someone thorough. It's hard to find accurate information on Marek's, and it's hard for people to face the fact there is no cure. So far in 8 years of living with Marek's, I have had some chickens die outside the age parameters, like a few at about a year and a few up to 18 months, most under 8 months. And confirmed by state lab necropsies.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Egg , you have good information. I made sure that I was all set up with the supplies and blank form to send a necropsy beforehand so if the time came, I was ready to go.

The great big Mareks FAQ is the most accurate information out. It was put together by a member and friend and needless to say someone thorough. It's hard to find accurate information on Marek's, and it's hard for people to face the fact there is no cure. So far in 8 years of living with Marek's, I have had some chickens die outside the age parameters, like a few at about a year and a few up to 18 months, most under 8 months. And confirmed by state lab necropsies.

Sometimes it waits until molt or other stresses before rearing its' ugly head. I cull upon presentation of Marek's symptoms and have kept loss down to only 2 chicks (SO FAR). The first 1 of which I was in denial and tried all the vitamin stuff, but did quarantine immediately mostly to to flock/brood brutality on the weak and for it's own good and happened to work out in my favor by not taking everyone. I saved that chicks' life but had to clean it's poo since it couldn't stand up. Eventually (not at first) eye color started to change. Knowing I didn't have the energy, time, or means to rehab that chick even if it survived I had to make the decision to cull after more than 2 weeks with voracious appetite and bright eyes but paralysis. But it was the right choice for me. The second one presented with limping and no sign of injury. I culled the next day. I understand Marek's is still there. But I won't let it thrive among my flock. Survival of the fittest is a bit of a hard pill to swallow... And took a VERY long time for me to reach this point. I breed though, and don't breed for weakness. I understand there are different MDV strains and culling may or may not effect my survival rate and there are many factors at play.

Did you know that even people with NPIP can have Marek's and NOT have to report it? According to my state poultry vet at US Davis it is in "EVERY" poultry environment.

Do you mind disclosing what it cost you and if there were other findings disclosed by the report? Also sorry for your losses and good job getting answers on them.

 

[Lolacan]

Yes I think when to cull is more of a personal opinion.
I don't think all backyard flocks have Marek's. But most places of commercial chicken production-that's another story. They do all get a vaccine for it.

My lab charges $35.00 and I pay overnight shipping which is less than $25 because the lab is about 4 hours away.