can rooster with possible meriks disease live......

[Jenn321]

if we keep him seperated from the others?

Our bantam rooster has been showing signs of the nerve type meriks (he can't walk around) for about a week and a half now, he can still move them when I pick him up but he doesnt have enough strength to stand up. My parents said that we can't afford to take him to the vet, but I did some research about it and the site said that meriks is almost always fatal due to inability to reach food/water, inability to protect itself, and getting trampled by other chickens. He's fairly small and well behaved and I want to know if he can live as a 'house pet' in a cage with his own food/water supply, or will he will die from it regardless?
Also, is this a kind of disease they suffer from, or can they (kind of) live with it?

Please help!

He's very special to me and I want him to live happily (for however long that may be).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Read this maybe it
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From: Northern California
Registered: 02/15/2009
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Marek's Disease
This isn't an emergency, just a helpful tidbit of information to help. Despite what you may have heard, there IS a cure for Marek's Disease. It is a homeopathic remedy called "Hypericum." Hypericum is a small creeping herb that, when used hollistically, numbs nerves and dulls pain. When given to a bird suffering from the symptoms of Marek's Disease, it will cure the bird by working on the theory that "like cures like," in other words, by giving the bird the symptoms it will take the symptoms away. I've used this herb with great success to fully cure birds of Marek's Disease. You can fnd Hypericum at health food stores, $8 for 100 tablets. Hypericum must be diluted before it can be used:

- 1 tablespoon of DISTILLED water per tablet Hypericum (must be distilled water, tap water is ionized and will deactivate the Hypericum)
- MUST be mixed in a GLASS or PLASTIC bowl (metal with react with the water and herb)
- drip 5-10 drops (bantam) or 10-15 drops (large fowl) on the afflicted bird's tongue. Be sure the bird rubs its beak together because the Hypericum MUST touch the sinuses (located on the roof of the mouth) in order to work
- treat every 12 hours (morning and night) with a fresh batch
- recovery may be as quick as 1 day or as slow as several months

The treatment works best if you begin treating early. If you delay treatment, the Hypericum may not work or it may be a very slow recovery. IF YOU OVERDOSE YOUR BIRDS ON HYPERICUM, don't worry. The bird will exhibit extreme symptoms, and make a drastic improvment within a 24 hours. Hypericum is also helpful for pain. Only treat birds that are showing symptoms.

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY BIRD HAS MAREK'S DISEASE?

Check your flock history. Marek's Disease affects birds as early as 6 months of age. Symtoms occur most commonly between 6-8 months of age; however, any age bird can become sick, it just becomes less common with age. The incubation period is 2 weeks.

SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: sudden death (fairly common), depression (common), gradual weight loss (fairly common), neck paralysis (not common), paleness (in conjunction with other symtoms), wing paralysis (common), leg paralysis (most common), star-gazing (fairly common), extreme sudden emaciation (rare), mishapen pupil (not common), gray iris (not common), crazy behavior (rare), unresponsive (common), internal tumor growth (not common), tumors on feather follicles (not common), fearful (not common)

Hope this helps someone!!!
Last edited by MoodyChicken (02/20/2009 12:21 am)
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#2 02/20/2009 12:18 am
AHappychick
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Re: Marek's Disease
is this something found in human health food stores or in animal ones?

Do you use only if you see symptoms in that particularwill help,

 

[chickenzoo]

It can affect different birds differently. Most die from the disease, it is a form of chicken cancer. Tumors form on the organs, and depending on what forms on what organ decides how quickly or slowly the disease progresses. I have read that it is possible to vaccinate birds with symptoms to hopefully stop progression, but I don't know of anyone who has done that and wrote about the experience. You can make a little chicken sling for him to sit in so he doesn't soil himself until he gets worse or you are ready to put him down. It is very difficult... Try giving vitamins and vitamin E incase it is from an injury. Has he been wormed and checked for parasites? Sometimes parasites can drain them to the point where they show similar symptoms.....

 

[Chicken Dreams]

Hi

My chicken had mareks this summer and my parents

couldn't pay for a vet visit either. I kept her in a dog crate

and fed her normal chicken feed as well as grass and

some tomatoes. I would have liked to have kept

nursing her but a long trip forced us to kill her (humanly).

She was paralyzed for two weeks and maybe she would

have recovered maybe not. There are definitly cases though

where the chicken would fully recover, i think 20% live.

If its okay with your parents and the roo still seems happy

its probably worth the time to keep him. Also check the people

you purchase him from: ask them if he was immunized. then

again i have owned chickens for 7 months and i am no expert!

My heart goes out to you and your dear little boy

I noticed you say he can move when you hold him. right now i

have another chicken like that (i know bad luck). She seemed

almost paralyzed but closer examination showed she was weak,

not paralyzed. I researched a bunch and some sites said mites

or lice can cause anemia which causes weakness. It is probably

a good idea to search him for mites or lice. The mites are dark

spots and lice look kind of like sesame seeds. There could also

be egg clusters on the feather base. Make sure to check the vent,

under wings, and neck good.

Hope all this helps

 

[Jenn321]

Thanks you guys!!! I'll try the herb treatment and check for parasites. This gives me hope for my little buddy <3

 

[Jenn321]

It's been 2 months since I've started giving him the herbal medicine, but he still seems the same.

He hasn't gotten better or worse. He often likes to stretch his legs when i lift him up, but still can't seem to stand on his own.
I don't know if it's from the medicine not working or if he's not been taking it long enough any ideas?