chicks with Merek's?

[DrDean]

I bought 26 chicks from E-Foul (Welsummers, Speckled Sussex, Austrolops and Ameraucanas), one male in the bunch. At about 3 weeks, 7 have what looks like Marek's: they can barely or not at all walk, and one has its head twisted down. They have only been in my garage and there have never been chickens here (the nearest ones are 2 properties away). One has already died. Could this be Merek's when they are this young?

 

[chick chicks]

Are the chicks still eating and drinking normally? Mareks will also shut down the muscles in the digestion process which will cause them to stop eating and drinking. The fact that they are not walking or can't use their legs would worry me because yes mareks can get chicks at this age but I really hope they are okay.

 

[DrDean]

some are, some are not.

 

[chick chicks]

To be safe I would separate the ones that look sick and the ones that don't so that if some are okay the disease does not spread (assuming it is mareks). You could also try save-a-chick or a little sugar in the water on the off chance that they are just ill or weak to try and give them more energy.