Disease maybe?

[Estrellathehen]

Recently, I lost one of my chickens, Mariana. (she was a rir) I still don't know why, although I think it may be mareks? I don't have much experiance with diseases and such so i'm not too sure.
One day I went to check on her and she couldn't use her leg. The day before her leg was fine... it looked as if it was paralised or something. She didn't appear to be in any pain, she just continued life as normal. But, slowly she got weaker and weaker, and one day we found her dead in her nesting box. I'm not sure if it was mareks or some other disease or just old age (she was around 3-4 years old). What i'm worried about is that if she did have mareks she may have spread it to our other birds... any advice?

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry to hear that.
What was their diet? Did you try any vitamins? Was she laying eggs? Was she standing like a Penguin? (tail and wings down).

 

[Eggcessive]

Had you added any new birds to your flock in recent weeks or months until she became lame? Mareks usually shows up in young chickens in the first 3-8 month, but it can show up later if exposed by a carrier. She might have injured her leg somehow. It is always good when we lose a bird to something unknown and possibly infectious, to have the state vet perform a necropsy. Reproductive disorders or a stuck egg can sometimes cause pressure on leg nerves. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Estrellathehen]

Had you added any new birds to your flock in recent weeks or months until she became lame? Mareks usually shows up in young chickens in the first 3-8 month, but it can show up later if exposed by a carrier. She might have injured her leg somehow. It is always good when we lose a bird to something unknown and possibly infectious, to have the state vet perform a necropsy. Reproductive disorders or a stuck egg can sometimes cause pressure on leg nerves. Sorry for your loss.

Yes, I recently added two very young birds, around 4 months old.
thanks for the advice!

 

[Eggcessive]

If you lose her contact the state vet from this list to get a necropsy, and try to get a diagnosis:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[Estrellathehen]

Sorry to hear that.
What was their diet? Did you try any vitamins? Was she laying eggs? Was she standing like a Penguin? (tail and wings down).

She ate mainly pellets, veges, sometimes fruits, and if she was lucky I gave her scraps like rice or bread. She didn't lay eggs. I don't remember her puting her tail down, but one thing i deffenitley remember is she was doing something funny with her wings; she kinda pushed it downwards, her wing on her injured side espicially more down.