8 week old pullet limping for past 5 days

[Eggcessive]

I have never gotten testing from RAL for Mareks, but several people here have posted about trimming a toenail a little short where a few drops of blood can be collected. I’m not sure of the medium they use, whether it is collected in a tube or on a card or what. I think @azygous was going to do that a few months back. She might be able to tell us. But you can contact the lab by phone and ask how it is collected. Or ask your vet if the toenail trimming won’t work. Here is the link:
https://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf

 

[azygous]

I never sent a sample in because the mail is much too slow to get a sample from where I live to the lab before it degrades. Contact the lab. They will send you the test kit, including tubes and mailer.

 

[Pandang81]

I never sent a sample in because the mail is much too slow to get a sample from where I live to the lab before it degrades. Contact the lab. They will send you the test kit, including tubes and mailer.

I already ordered the kit from them. They are in TX like me. I’m just wondering how I should collect the sample of blood or if a vet has to do it. I don’t have a poultry vet here except one clinic that doesn’t really do poultry much & charges a ton for even the smallest visit.

 

[Cynthia12]

I don't understand how this girl went from limping to almost dead. What am I missing? I thought I read through it all..I didn't see that she had a sore on her leg??? Why is she getting antibiotics?

 

[Cynthia12]

It's starting to sound like she's been over medicated.

 

[Pandang81]

I think most people have their vet draw the blood for them.
@Eggcessive or @casportpony may know how.

Eating and drinking again is hopeful, but I'm sorry to hear she's still struggling with her legs.

She is doing much better now after 3 days of antibiotics. Eating well & bright eyed. Now that she is feeling better & stronger she keeps trying to get up then freaking out flapping all over the place because she can’t & falling over, almost as if she forgets that left leg doesn’t work. Then she rights herself up trying to look dignified. She’s definitely spunkier now. On Sunday she was near death so this is a huge turnaround.
It’s only one leg that won’t work, not both. The left leg just hangs out whether she is sitting or trying to stand or I am holding her. The right leg she usually tucks in under her unless she’s trying to stand up & it’s definitely strong & working.

 

[Cynthia12]

She is doing much better now after 3 days of antibiotics. Eating well & bright eyed. Now that she is feeling better & stronger she keeps trying to get up then freaking out flapping all over the place because she can’t & falling over, almost as if she forgets that left leg doesn’t work. Then she rights herself up trying to look dignified. She’s definitely spunkier now. On Sunday she was near death so this is a huge turnaround.
It’s only one leg that won’t work, not both. The left leg just hangs out whether she is sitting or trying to stand or I am holding her. The right leg she usually tucks in under her unless she’s trying to stand up & it’s definitely strong & working.

I've had quite a few chickens hurt a leg. It's actually good to let them roam around and try to strengthen what ever happened. Sounds like she could have either done something as simple as pulled something, or, even pulled it out. Still, best to let her have room to try and get up on it to ee if she can strengthen it. Good luck. I kny you love her.

 

[Eggcessive]

I already ordered the kit from them. They are in TX like me. I’m just wondering how I should collect the sample of blood or if a vet has to do it. I don’t have a poultry vet here except one clinic that doesn’t really do poultry much & charges a ton for even the smallest visit.

I would call the number on the link I gave and ask how the specimen can be collected. As I said before I think that one person cut a toenail short where it bled, and they collected blood from the bleeding toenail.

 

[Pandang81]

I would call the number on the link I gave and ask how the specimen can be collected. As I said before I think that one person cut a toenail short where it bled, and they collected blood from the bleeding toenail.

Sounds good. I will definitely call. They shipped the tubes yesterday so hopefully they will come soon with good instructions. thank you!!!

 

[Pandang81]

It's starting to sound like she's been over medicated.

Over medicated by what? She wasn’t on any medications when she began limping except for corid mixed with their 5 quart drinking water. After that she was given vitamins and progressively became worse.

Honestly I still won’t rule out Mareks until I have a test, but it COULD be that she had some bacterial infection causing her to be sick And a leg injury as well OR the leg injury is part of the infection?

I really am not sure because the antibiotics tremendously helped (and they shouldn’t help if she has Mareks right?) & yet her left leg is still lame this far.