Bantam pullet might have Mareks.She needs your hopes and prayers.

[Attack Chicken]

She's still the same as of tonight. I really don't want to take her to the vet. Someone anyone have an idea of whats wrong with poor Diamond??

 

[chickenzoo]

Trauma can cause in-coordination and weakness. Mareks is another worry. Treat her with vitamins and vitamin E gel caps. Make sure she stays eating and drinking. No worms in poo? Hope she comes through ok. Best Wishes

 

[threehorses]

Because she has neither declined nor improved, I would try just immune-supporting nutritional therapy with her much as chickenzoo has suggested.

For one week do this daily - reevaluate with us at the end of one week:
- 1/2 crushed B-complex tablet in a wet-treat or on watermelon.
- 1 E oil capsule (400 to 700 IU) - slit the end of the capsule and empty into her mouth
- Polyvisol baby vitamins without iron - 3 drops in the beak daily (I find these in the vitamin section, not baby section, of walmart, cvs, or other drug stores)


As for her food, it's a good food. Since her comb is growing, I would offer oyster shell free choice. She can begin to receive laying feed up to one month before laying to build upt he calcium and supportive vitamin D for calcium absorbtion. Laying hens should always receive free choice oyster shells (versus egg shells which aren't as absorbant into the blood as far as calcium goes).

Make sure the feed is very fresh - in date, the bag looks good and no sign of humidity, the feed is used within 1 month, and it's kept in a dry,. cool, airtight container. It should also be changed daily - refreshed of course.

If you want to eliminate the possibility that she got into some sort of mildew or mold or soured feed, you could do a one time gentle flush to possibly flush any toxins from her digestive tract and give her a fresh clean slate for good bacteria. Let me know if you're interested in this approach.

The vitamin therapy is not a quick-fix. Often if there is any element of nutrition involved in the problem, it was long-standing. Thus the repair process is also longstanding.

The vitamin E is both for inflammatory processes (in case something is inflammed an impairing her muscles or nerves), as well as neurological healing (in case she was injured or exposed to something that caused neurological impairment). It's also full of anti-oxidants that help with healing and immune function.

The vitamin B complex includes a range of vitamins in one capsule. Vitamins B are often implicated in problems with ambulation (walking) as well as paralysis issues. I would check the toes of that effected foot carefully - see if when the foot is relaxed if the toes curl at all inwards, or are relaxed and semi-curved.

The polyvisol is a relatively medium spectrum balance of vitamins (mainly oil vitamins and B) that are a good over-all immune booster as well as spot treating oil vitamin deficiencies if she had any exposure to mildew/molds and thus mycotoxicosis. Mycotoxins (the toxins from fungus and mildew) cause oil vitamin deficiency so, without a blood test, we're going to conservatively treat for it and at least build her immunity if there's NO deficiency. She can use the extra help. I believe in direct-fed vitamins rather than water for oil vitamins because they're more effective, less light exposure (thus less degradation), and honestly - we're talking oil vitamins, not water-type vitamins. Oil vitamins in food, water vitamins in water.

 

[PoultryPedia]

You can find out more info on Marek's to see if that seems to be the problem, by doing a search on this site, or at:
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page9.htm
Sending my best wishes to you and your pullet

 

[miss_jayne]

Marek's is where my thoughts were heading with wild bird contact.
how is she doing today?

 

[Attack Chicken]

Well she is the same today. I have been giving here polyvistol without iron by beak and 2-3 drops. We have a vet appointment tomorrow at 9:20am. So we will see what the vet thinks. I have had alot of people ask my if it was an ear infection to. But I don't know.. I'm getting all my stashed money together and read to pay for her bills. I just hope it isn't something serious... All of the other birds are happy and dandy.

 

[threehorses]

Unfortunately, if it is marek's the vet won't be able to tell as that's really a disease that can only be truly diagnosed via a necropsy unfortunately (unless it's ocular marek's). But maybe a blood test will reveal something - WBC's showing infection, some deficiency, maybe some blood level that points to injury (though I don't think so).

 

[Attack Chicken]

If it is mareks how likely is it to spread to the rest of my flock? Will it affect quail chicks? She is in my living room next to my OEGB pullet and my box of quail chicks that hatched last week. I have no other place to quarentine her.

 

[chickenzoo]

Some birds develop Mareks, some don't. Some birds seem to develop a natural immunity to it.
Often Mareks will start with one leg. Then it progresses up the body until the head and neck are compromised. birds often loose weight and get an unthrifty appearance. Mareks is spread by feather dander. If you can put a sheet or something over her cage, and take her somewhere else to handle her , as well as change clothes before handling the other birds would be best. Oxine may be helpful to , to spray and mist in the air. I don't think it is common in quail etc..... I hope you get some answers, and it is not too costly to you.

 

[Attack Chicken]

It started with her now roosting on the bar with all the others. Then a few days later I noticed she was walking stiltlegged while they were getting treats. 2 days after til today she has just been acting drunk. I really hope it isn't mareks... Do they seem fine when they get it except their legs?