Can I nurse my chicken through Marek's

[AbbeyD]

I have a 24 week old Cream Crested Legbar that isn't able to walk or stand. I did a tele-visit with a veterinarian who said that she strongly suspected Marek's.
She has lost weight but she is stayed very alert. She wasn't eating or drinking so i have been tube feeding her twice a day for almost a week. Today she drank some water on her own and she was grooming herself. She also pushed herself around a bit (while lying down). Have any of you had experience nursing a chicken through Marek's and having her survive? How long did it take? Any tips? Thanks in advance.

 

[Painted Calls]

For 2 months I tube fed and bathed/blow dried one of my girls. She had wry neck. Eventually those symptoms changed and she was no longer able to evacuate her own bowels. I had to do that for her as well. I wound up losing her, but I had already set a date that I would put her down if positive changes didn't happen.

I will not suggest one thing or another. Ultimately you have to make that decision yourself. I will say though that if you choose to tube feed, you need to be keeping track of her weight. A chicken can waste away in a matter of days without you even realizing it. It is so important to keep track of their weight.

Big hugs.

 

[AbbeyD]

For 2 months I tube fed and bathed/blow dried one of my girls. She had wry neck. Eventually those symptoms changed and she was no longer able to evacuate her own bowels. I had to do that for her as well. I wound up losing her, but I had already set a date that I would put her down if positive changes didn't happen.

I will not suggest one thing or another. Ultimately you have to make that decision yourself. I will say though that if you choose to tube feed, you need to be keeping track of her weight. A chicken can waste away in a matter of days without you even realizing it. It is so important to keep track of their weight.

Big hugs.

Thanks for the advice to track her weight.