Hi
Firstly, don't panic. Most of what you read about Marek's is pretty terrifying but the reality is not nearly so bad in my experience..... I'm over 3 years down the line with it, so I can speak from experience and like you I was very alarmed when it first broke out and I started doing research. Many people don't understand the disease..... it is very confusing and so many different symptoms and a variety of severity. There is a school of thought that more people have Marek's in their flock than don't but don't realise it and often only the most aggressive cases get investigated and diagnosed and written about. If you have young birds displaying lameness and/or floundering about but still interested in food, it is more likely that they have Marek's than anything else. Strains and sprains are less likely, botulism is very unlikely, especially if they are still interested in food. My gut feeling is that a high percentage of young birds that respond to vitamin supplementation in cases like this, also have Marek's. I have certainly found that giving a good quality vitamin supplement to Marek's birds can be beneficial because it supports their immune and neurological systems. I also like to give them at least some of their daily ration as fermented feed (or you can use probiotics) to support their digestive system. Keeping them as happy and stress free as possible is key. I would agree with @Cyprus that the stress of being weaned has probably triggered this outbreak, together with the recent move to a new home... two major stressors. The good thing is that 2 of them are sick together which has helped enormously when I have had Marek's sick birds... one on their own often just gets depressed. I would isolate them from the flock..... as much for their own safety as to reduce the spread of the disease.... they are actively shedding the virus when they are symptomatic. The flock will often attack Marek's sick birds and if they no longer have the protection of their broody mother they will need a safe place. Give them their own little pen together ideally on some short grass down wind of the main coop but within sight of the flock. Treat them to some scrambled eggs mixed with chick crumb and maybe a bit of natural yoghurt and some Nutri Drench or similar poultry supplement and keep them clean.... you don't want them getting caked with poop and fly strike setting in and they will get soiled butts if they are unable to stand or roost.
I have had youngsters recover from such disability as quickly as they became incapacitated in a matter of a few days and others take months of supportive care but make a significant improvement and others get worse and sadly die and some fight it for months but eventually lose the battle
. There are no hard and fast rules with this disease but keeping stress levels low and keeping them eating are the two important things. Feeding them sloppy feeds (oatmeal consistency) reduces the need for them to drink water and they usually enjoy it.... less gets spilled and it is easier for them to eat.
A chicken sling can be helpful but if they have not been handled much it may just panic them.
For information, even if they recover from this outbreak, they will be at risk of further outbreaks in the future but quality of life can be completely normal in the mean time. You are likely to see other older birds suffer outbreaks from time to time over the years at times of stress (moult is a common time or mid winter if the weather is bad and they are confined for long periods), and any other youngsters you raise will be vulnerable to it, but I have broody raised plenty of chicks in the past few years that have survived it....
All of the above is only relevant to you if this is in fact Marek's disease and without a necropsy or blood/feather shaft PCR testing you cannot be sure, but from the videos you have posted, Marek's is by far the most likely cause.
Please feel free to ask any questions that I haven't covered above. I should also have mentioned that it is probably best practise to cull birds that are symptomatic with Marek's because they are adding to the reservoir of infected material in the flock's environment, but I can't brink myself to do that, so I give supportive care and only euthanize if/when they lose interest in food. Because I have had birds recover from outbreaks and live a good quality of life afterwards I can't justify culling them unless there is no hope. With oher more aggressive strains, when birds never recover, it is kinder to end their suffering earlier rather than later, but you won't know that until you have experienced the disease in your flock for a while. I hope your experience with it is similar to mine and these two cuties can recover from this outbreak.
Be aware that it is scary and confusing for them to be unable to coordinate their bodies. Think how you would feel if you woke up one morning unable to stand and walk. The panting is probably stress related due to that panic, but do be aware that Marek's also suppresses the immune system and leaves them vulnerable to secondary infection like respiratory disease and also tumours on the lungs are quite common in the later stages, so monitor respiratory distress closely and assess if it is as a result of them struggling to move or panic due to being handled or perhaps some more deep seated cause.
If you have any questions about what I have written or something I didn't cover please feel free to ask.
Best wishes
Barbara
Firstly, don't panic. Most of what you read about Marek's is pretty terrifying but the reality is not nearly so bad in my experience..... I'm over 3 years down the line with it, so I can speak from experience and like you I was very alarmed when it first broke out and I started doing research. Many people don't understand the disease..... it is very confusing and so many different symptoms and a variety of severity. There is a school of thought that more people have Marek's in their flock than don't but don't realise it and often only the most aggressive cases get investigated and diagnosed and written about. If you have young birds displaying lameness and/or floundering about but still interested in food, it is more likely that they have Marek's than anything else. Strains and sprains are less likely, botulism is very unlikely, especially if they are still interested in food. My gut feeling is that a high percentage of young birds that respond to vitamin supplementation in cases like this, also have Marek's. I have certainly found that giving a good quality vitamin supplement to Marek's birds can be beneficial because it supports their immune and neurological systems. I also like to give them at least some of their daily ration as fermented feed (or you can use probiotics) to support their digestive system. Keeping them as happy and stress free as possible is key. I would agree with @Cyprus that the stress of being weaned has probably triggered this outbreak, together with the recent move to a new home... two major stressors. The good thing is that 2 of them are sick together which has helped enormously when I have had Marek's sick birds... one on their own often just gets depressed. I would isolate them from the flock..... as much for their own safety as to reduce the spread of the disease.... they are actively shedding the virus when they are symptomatic. The flock will often attack Marek's sick birds and if they no longer have the protection of their broody mother they will need a safe place. Give them their own little pen together ideally on some short grass down wind of the main coop but within sight of the flock. Treat them to some scrambled eggs mixed with chick crumb and maybe a bit of natural yoghurt and some Nutri Drench or similar poultry supplement and keep them clean.... you don't want them getting caked with poop and fly strike setting in and they will get soiled butts if they are unable to stand or roost.
I have had youngsters recover from such disability as quickly as they became incapacitated in a matter of a few days and others take months of supportive care but make a significant improvement and others get worse and sadly die and some fight it for months but eventually lose the battle
. There are no hard and fast rules with this disease but keeping stress levels low and keeping them eating are the two important things. Feeding them sloppy feeds (oatmeal consistency) reduces the need for them to drink water and they usually enjoy it.... less gets spilled and it is easier for them to eat.A chicken sling can be helpful but if they have not been handled much it may just panic them.
For information, even if they recover from this outbreak, they will be at risk of further outbreaks in the future but quality of life can be completely normal in the mean time. You are likely to see other older birds suffer outbreaks from time to time over the years at times of stress (moult is a common time or mid winter if the weather is bad and they are confined for long periods), and any other youngsters you raise will be vulnerable to it, but I have broody raised plenty of chicks in the past few years that have survived it....
All of the above is only relevant to you if this is in fact Marek's disease and without a necropsy or blood/feather shaft PCR testing you cannot be sure, but from the videos you have posted, Marek's is by far the most likely cause.
Please feel free to ask any questions that I haven't covered above. I should also have mentioned that it is probably best practise to cull birds that are symptomatic with Marek's because they are adding to the reservoir of infected material in the flock's environment, but I can't brink myself to do that, so I give supportive care and only euthanize if/when they lose interest in food. Because I have had birds recover from outbreaks and live a good quality of life afterwards I can't justify culling them unless there is no hope. With oher more aggressive strains, when birds never recover, it is kinder to end their suffering earlier rather than later, but you won't know that until you have experienced the disease in your flock for a while. I hope your experience with it is similar to mine and these two cuties can recover from this outbreak.
Be aware that it is scary and confusing for them to be unable to coordinate their bodies. Think how you would feel if you woke up one morning unable to stand and walk. The panting is probably stress related due to that panic, but do be aware that Marek's also suppresses the immune system and leaves them vulnerable to secondary infection like respiratory disease and also tumours on the lungs are quite common in the later stages, so monitor respiratory distress closely and assess if it is as a result of them struggling to move or panic due to being handled or perhaps some more deep seated cause.
If you have any questions about what I have written or something I didn't cover please feel free to ask.
Best wishes
Barbara
. It was the only high protein feed available (at the only open feed store on the long weekend).... how much of the vitamins will be blocked by the feed?!?
