Cubalaya hen paralyzed and coughing up blood

[ahennamedgerald]

I have gotten cubalaya chickens the past two years. The first year i showed them and the hens became sick and died.The rooster also became sick but recovered. I figured they had picked something up at the fair. We bought three more last year, and one of the hens suddenly became paralyzed, lost a ton a weight, and is coughing up blood.(same thing that happened with the past two hens) This breed of chicken is rare so is it a possibility it is something genetic and there is nothing i can do? I have searched many diseases but nothing fits. She has been suffering for a month now, but i don't know how to put her down if it is fatal. has anyone else experienced anything like this or have any idea what it could be??

 

[Eggcessive]

There could be more than one disease affecting your flock. Most infectious diseases may be present in the flock until the last bird is gone. ILT is a respiratory that will cause gasping and coughing up bloody mucus. A common sign is blood slung around the coop walls. Mareks disease is known for causing paralysis in one or both legs, wings, or the neck, as well as wasting and starving. I would recommend sending in one of the affected chickens into the state vet or nearby poultry center for a necropsy to find what disease they have. Mareks disease is thought to remain in the environment for years,while ILT may remain for several months especially in cold winter. I would recommend getting any new chickens vaccinated for Mareks as day olds, and keeping them away from the coop area untill they are immune by 3 weeks old. Going to chicken shows unfortunately is a way to bring home diseases. Many will quarantine their birds for 30 days after shows before returning to the flock.