Chicken sick, not laying, probably Mareks

[TheBoyds]

Hi guys. Some might remember me from posts about sick chickens. We got 8 chicks 10 months ago from serenity sprouts in Colorado. They don’t vaccinate. Long story short is 5 of them have already died vicious deaths, all completely different presentations, signs, symptoms. CSU confirmed mareks in the first one we brought in.

Anyway, another one is sick, a RI red. She stopped laying a couple weeks ago. Then layed one misshapen soft shelled gelatinous thing, then layed one more normal one the next day, then nothing since.

We’ve squeezed on her and felt nothing, poked fingers inside her and felt nothing. Took her to the vet and the x ray showed nothing. The vet had her on amoxicillin for 5 days and she seemed ok, still just lower energy then normal and pale comb. Amoxicillin ended 5 days ago.

She seems to be going down hill again. Another finger poke and squeeze on her and we didn’t feel anything again.

The vet put her back on the amoxicillin yesterday. She’s been sitting in the nest box for an hour, but nothing.

Just wondering if there’s anything else we can do.

Don’t buy unvaccinated chicks and don’t buy from serenity sprouts in Colorado. They have big problems in there that they won’t acknowledge.

Thanks.

 

[azygous]

On the chance that this is a reproductive issue, try a calcium tablet to encourage contractions to expel an obstruction in the oviduct. You almost always can't detect these as many posters urge. Either the egg is soft and undetectable or it's not even an egg but sloughed tissue from the oviduct that has hung up.

 

[azygous]

This is what I recommend.

 

[TheBoyds]

We’ve been putting oyster shell down in the run for them. If we did this product, how do you give it to them?

 

[azygous]

Oyster shell is fine for general calcium needs, but this product is a different form of calcium that's much easier to absorb. You give it by prying open the beak and shoving the tablet in. The hen will swallow it no problem. Do not fear. She won't choke on it as you probably would.

 

[TheBoyds]

She just died. Thanks for trying to help.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Sorry you are dealing with this

 

[nettlesandrose]

I’m so sorry. We have gone through the same thing with them. We had a beautiful flock and went through death after death. I thought I had done something horribly wrong when we realized it was Mareks. I asked them to cover our costs. They have started vaccinating now and refused. I feel horrible for the birds.

 

[TheBoyds]

I’m so sorry. We have gone through the same thing with them. We had a beautiful flock and went through death after death. I thought I had done something horribly wrong when we realized it was Mareks. I asked them to cover our costs. They have started vaccinating now and refused. I feel horrible for the birds.

You’re saying that serenity sprouts vaccinates for mareks now?

 

[nettlesandrose]

You’re saying that serenity sprouts vaccinates for mareks now?

Yes. We bought vaccinated chicks (before we connected all the dots) this Spring. Now on their pre order you can opt in to vaccines. This doesn’t mitigate all of the issues. Just sharing as an FYI