Can someone tell me what this is and how to treat it? Marek's?? *photos*

[chocolateeggs]

My vet told me conjunctivitis is quite common in birds.
How are the birds now?

They are 8-9 weeks old.

 

[casportpony]

Check the roof of the mouth for pus:

Normal, no pus.


Pus in cleft - Sinus infection

 

[chocolateeggs]

Check the roof of the mouth for pus:

Normal, no pus.


Pus in cleft - Sinus infection

Ok I will check for that tomorrow.

 

[casportpony]

If they are getting better with antibiotics, it's a respiratory and/or eye infection of some type.

 

[Haunted55]

I think the swelling made the eye look strange and I always assume the worst. Also, why do you think respiratory? They really are not exhibiting any other symptoms. I checked on them again this evening and the one that is in the picture above showed marked improvement from yesterday. Maybe it was conjunctivitis? How long does it take for a respiratory infection to take hold and really start showing symptoms other than eye swelling? It has been 4 days for the first one to have swollen eyes.

Sometimes with MG there are no real in your face symptoms, just little things that could be overlooked quite easily. When in doubt I always try to err on the side of caution and will give an antibiotic for 7 - 10 days and watch what happens.

Having Marek's in my own flock makes me hesitate to agree with someone else who may or may not have it in theirs unless the symptoms are glaringly obvious. I would hate for something to be missed because of jumping to conclusions. I still suggest using an internal antibiotic. Duramycin, Tylan, something, to rule out an infection. If this was a cut or other injury the topical antibiotic would be fine but not with this. If you can't give shots then get one you can put into their water.

Now, hoping you will follow the above advice from me and Casportpony....let's talk a bit about Marek's. You're right it could be. I pray for your sake that it isn't but your birds are the right age for things to be showing up. Casportpony is absolutely correct in saying that swelling around the eys can happen with Marek's. I've seen it in my own many times. I'd even go so far as to say that if I saw this bird in my flock my first thought would be Marek's and then just wait for the inevitable outcome. You don't 'cure' Marek's, once it's there, it's there. All you can do is face that reality and make your decisions about how to go on. You can cull, clean and start over again after time has passed, or you can work with what you have and try to get some hatches from these to try and breed for resistance. If it is Marek's, you're in kind of a bad position. If you try to add new birds, without following the right steps, you'll end up with a lot of dead birds. Even if you do follow them you could still lose a lot.

You should take one of these birds to a Vet if you have one. If not, contact your State Vet and speak with them. They can help with finding someone near you and also with a necropsy if and when the birds start dying. I hope you will have a necropsy done when the time comes. It should tell you everything you'll need to know about the situation you have going on there. Education and information are going to be the best friends you've ever had if this is in fact Marek's.

 

[chocolateeggs]

Thank you for your responses and candor. I am new to all of this and hope that they make it through. I will keep updating this and hopefully have good news soon. I have a vet locally that I think can do a necropsy if it comes to that point. Right now they are separated across the property from everyone else, so if it is contagious I will just lose this batch, which is still awful, because they were beautiful french black copper marans.

 

[Haunted55]

I hope everything works out for you as well and I am glad to hear you will keep this updated. Don't give up hope, your birds are not showing paralysis so this may well be something curable with antibiotic. Talk to your local Vet and see if they will even see chickens. So many will not and if you find that to be the case, again, contact your State Vet for more help.

One last thing...there is life after Marek's, if that's what this turns out to be. There are a lot of people on BYC who are doing their own research with their flocks and are willing to offer advice, help and support.

 

[chocolateeggs]

I checked the top of the mouth for puss and there was none. Started everyone on duramycin and electrolytes now that the eyes are looking better. Will report further progress in a couple of days.

 

[Haunted55]

I checked the top of the mouth for puss and there was none. Started everyone on duramycin and electrolytes now that the eyes are looking better. Will report further progress in a couple of days.

Good! I hope that this is all that's needed and your birds heal up quickly. Please do let everyone know! I did have a question for you...have you changed their bedding or anything else in their coop in the last couple of weeks? Was it a little more messy because of the weather? I know that because of all of the snow we've had, it's made it very difficult to get the cleaning done the way I want. Just a couple of days ago I had a couple of roosters sneezing. I even found mold growing in their house! That didn't last long, lol. Guess what, no more sneezing after thorough cleaning and a bleach and water clean up. Sometimes it's the simple things that get by us and are actually the problem. I hope it's the case here.

 

[chocolateeggs]

Good! I hope that this is all that's needed and your birds heal up quickly. Please do let everyone know! I did have a question for you...have you changed their bedding or anything else in their coop in the last couple of weeks? Was it a little more messy because of the weather? I know that because of all of the snow we've had, it's made it very difficult to get the cleaning done the way I want. Just a couple of days ago I had a couple of roosters sneezing. I even found mold growing in their house! That didn't last long, lol. Guess what, no more sneezing after thorough cleaning and a bleach and water clean up. Sometimes it's the simple things that get by us and are actually the problem. I hope it's the case here.

They were previously in an outdoor mini coop with a run. Inside the coop there was hay bedding, I changed it weekly sometimes twice weekly and it did get pretty gross sometimes before I could get in there and clean it good. They are now in a full size (huge) coop and it is much easier to keep clean because of the size.