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

Date sort Score sort
I will start with my non infected birds. So here is my update... I thought the antibiotics were helping, however the progress is at a stand still. There is still watery swollen eyes in a few. I am not sure if it ever was making a difference now, or just the erythromycin was and the duramycin is not. Ugh.
 
It's probably time to give them oral antibiotics. Baytril and Cipro are good ones, but are banned for use in food animals in the US. Metronidazole is also banned, but it isn't usually used for respirtory infections, so ignore it.

Listed below are medications that you can buy without a prescription. Check these out:
 
Last edited:
casportpony said:
It's probably time to give them oral antibiotics. Baytril and Cipro are good ones, but are banned for use in food animals in the US. Metronidazole is also banned, but it isn't usually used for respirtory infections, so ignore it.

Listed below are medications that you can buy without a prescription. Check these out:
Click to expand...
Now here's something I found out about Baytril today. This is the same family as the ciprofloxin we take. There is only a question on whether or not it is transferred through the egg and how long it actually stays in the system. I'd still say use with your eyes open.
 
Haunted55 said:
Now here's something I found out about Baytril today. This is the same family as the ciprofloxin we take. There is only a question on whether or not it is transferred through the egg and how long it actually stays in the system. I'd still say use with your eyes open.
Click to expand...
I use it on my birds and I eat their eggs, but that's just me. However, I do sell birds for meat, but I won't sell a bird or their eggs to someone if that bird has ever been given a banned drug. So I'm not against it's use (haunted55 already knows this -
big_smile.png
), I just believe in full disclosure and letting others make their own choices. Make sense?
 
UPDATE: So I sent one off a couple of weeks ago to the state vet for a necropsy and I just got the results.... MG with a secondary bacterial infection in the sinuses. Good thing I quarantined them. Thanks everyone for your input.
 
Hi, I've been trying to find photos/videos for examples of what Marek's could look like. I did do a post about my then 9 week chick who's been gradually getting worse since 1-3 wks old. I guess my description wasn't helpful. Thought maybe you might be able to help based on your responses to this thread. My hen is almost 11 wks now. It started with open mouth breathing (no noises) mostly at rest. Then for a week or 2 she had a right eye that she didn't fully open. Then I noticed she stays pretty ruffled and her crop was huge and off to the R but when she doesn't eat, it appears to empty. She continues to stay ruffled and seem heavier than the other orprington. Then I noticed she keeps her head in close to her body and appears to be right side heavy. Her R wing has been drooping more and more and she loses balance easily, primarily backward. I had to build a ramp for her to use the roost. Each week, she seems to stand around or lay down more and more. I thought to take a picture of her skin/feather follicles but she's giving me a hard time. Here's what I've got. Any thoughts would be great. Oh, I've been giving her vit/min in her water since the breathing problem which has since resolved (I think). I don't think the eye thing is the same as the person's chick who started this thread but who knows?






 
karrm01 said:
Hi, I've been trying to find photos/videos for examples of what Marek's could look like. I did do a post about my then 9 week chick who's been gradually getting worse since 1-3 wks old. I guess my description wasn't helpful. Thought maybe you might be able to help based on your responses to this thread. My hen is almost 11 wks now. It started with open mouth breathing (no noises) mostly at rest. Then for a week or 2 she had a right eye that she didn't fully open.
Rather than Marek's, this sounds to me like a respiratory disease, possibly Infectious Bronchitis. You haven't said whether or not she was given an antibiotic or if any other birds showed symptoms like hers. If she or any others you have are still showing or starting to show symptoms like this you can put them on Duramycin-10 1/2 tbls. per gallon, for 7-10 days.

Then I noticed she stays pretty ruffled and her crop was huge and off to the R but when she doesn't eat, it appears to empty. She continues to stay ruffled and seem heavier than the other orprington. Then I noticed she keeps her head in close to her body and appears to be right side heavy. Her R wing has been drooping more and more and she loses balance easily, primarily backward. I had to build a ramp for her to use the roost. Each week, she seems to stand around or lay down more and more.
What do her poops look like? It sounds almost like a coccidiosis or worm problem. What about mites? Check around her vent and see if there is any bare, red skin. What is she getting for feed? Treats? What are you using for vitamins?

I thought to take a picture of her skin/feather follicles but she's giving me a hard time. Here's what I've got. Any thoughts would be great. Oh, I've been giving her vit/min in her water since the breathing problem which has since resolved (I think). I don't think the eye thing is the same as the person's chick who started this thread but who knows?
I am going to post some links for you for Marek's. That said, I think the other issues need to be taken care of first, as I'm not sure it is Marek's. The backwards falling and drooping wing can be caused by a vitamin deficiency. You might want to get some human vitamin E capsules, I use the 400iu and squirt one onto her feed as well as continue with the vitamins in their water.

This may if fact be the first signs of Marek's but again, need more info about her and any other birds you have. If it is Marek's, there's not much you can really do, so let's take the time and look at everything, so nothing is missed. Chicken diseases all seem to start off with the same symptoms, it's the subtleties, that are sometimes hard to see when we are new to chickens, or never seen the symptoms before, that tell us what we are dealing with.
Click to expand...
 
Hi, thanks so much for responding and the info.

She definitely doesn't have the postules or whatever they are called in that picture.

My other two chicks, same age, have been thriving and appear healthy. Since day one. They're compact and sleek and lighter. They're also shorter if you look at foot to mid back. One is an orpington and one RIR. The RIR seems to help my unwell chick preen -- particularly the tail feathers. While the two healthy ones run around and act very curious and like to perch, my unwell one stays still or hangs back. (I haven't named them). She used to play keep away games and then as got older reminded me of Quasimoto when she did run. They've been outside since week 5-6.

When my poor chick was exhibiting the respiratory thing (which started sometime around wk 1-3 I think), I was advised by someone at a local hay and feed store that sells chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc not to give antibiotics since she was so young and we really had no idea what was wrong. But they did suggest the vit and electrolyte they carried, brand Vet Value Plus. Which I still put in their water.

I've never quaranteed her since the other two have always acted healthy.

She really doesn't get any treats since she hangs back. But she did eat some strawberry's growing in my yard like the others did. They eat whatever they find and choose to eat out there. The food is the typical chick starter grower crumbles.

She is missing most feathers just under where her wing attaches -- her armpit? On both sides. And her breast. Her skin does appear red toward the back end of her tummy. But I'm not sure what exactly to be looking for at her vent. Once she started losing her balance, pooping has appeared hard like she's straining but that could be because she's trying not to fall backward. It takes her a little longer than the other two but as far as the appearance of her poops? Nothing different really than the other two other than maybe slightly less matter.

So Vit E. What does that do? I'll have to pick some up tomorrow.
 

Similar threads

cooingdove
    • Like
1 month old chick with swollen eye
Replies
1
Views
651
Eggcessive
Eggcessive
C
How to treat an swollen face of a chicken?
Replies
2
Views
675
Chicksgowild
C
SuspiciousChick
URGENT Skinny and sickly pullets- not sure what to do
Replies
9
Views
952
SuspiciousChick
SuspiciousChick
mrskenmore
Cuckoo Marans Hen- photos of foot blue vein or blister??
Replies
6
Views
841
mrskenmore
mrskenmore
C
How to treat my chicken using tylosin powder...
2
Replies
16
Views
2K
dbounds10
dbounds10

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom