Does this sound like Marek's?

[LynneP]

I's like to wish you the very best as you work with your birds. You seem a very conscientious owner and it's a very steep learning curve...

 

[gretahw]

Yes, thanks SO much for giving some options and hope. My little sickie, Mabel, is my favorite, and I want to give her every chance I can.

(Everything written by everyone above was very helpful and clarified several things for me).

Thanks again!

 

[crtrlovr]

hi Greta; I don't think I got to say HI yet, so HI, welcome to BYC, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. There are SO many wonderful, caring people who are very generous with their time and knowledge, and they're all very much appreciated.

If you're anything like me, you'll find yourself spending FAR too much time here, even if there's not a problem or crisis. It's just too darn much fun !!

WELCOME!

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
I'm learning as I go; I've never had chickens before, but I've had indoor birds for several years. NOT a thing similar!!

You're right about that learning curve -- I think I'll have everything going just right and then something comes up to bite me in the behind.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate BYC's members; I'd have been lost without them. Relatively speaking, I've learned a lot, but have MUCH, MUCH more to learn. I did my first euthanasia of a chicken Sunday. It broke my heart, but I couldn't stand to see her so sick any longer. I used the gas chamber method (baking soda & vinegar to form CO2). She didn't suffer any more; she went to sleep and didn't awaken. I have read so many posts about it and hoped and prayed I'd never have to do that, but have come to realize that at some point and time, if you have very many chickens at all, it's a very distinct possibility and another unfortunate aspect of raising chickens. I have heard our capacity for having our hearts broken indicates our capacity to love.... My big heart gets broken over and over, and I ask God to heal the hurt and leave the sweet memories of all my "fids" (furred and feathered kids) who have come and gone -- and like the good God He is, He does.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

it is a mareks problem and some birds you brought on the place must have had mareks and are sluffing off the disease
just as the ones that are cripled

I would guess that the silkie was exposed to mareks
silkies have several issues that will reappear when put on new ground or with new birds

so if you can dispose of the sick birds maybe with some healthier probiotic you can save the chickens
but my thoughts are they are all exposed to mareks
you will just have to live with the trama

the wet mash probiotic with Vit E and Vit Bcomplex is very good for them all at this point


(1 and feed the chickens water with apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp to 2 quarst of water
Do this till after the chickens iare better. Should be able to put the ACV water in a small waterer for the the individual birds

(2 immediately give each of the affected chick ens 1000 mg capsule of liquid Vit E by cutting the end of the capsule and taking the vit E capsule and let the oil run into the chickens beak

(3 also need to crush a vit B complex pill in a tbsp and put it into a tsp of water and put it in the chickens beak after it is disolved

Do both Vit's twice today then for 7 days till you see some improvement in the chick

then give twice a week for two weeks should see much improvement

(4 generally the shock of a event like having a siege of mareks will cause the birds to have this nerve damage

(5 after today I would see if the chickens will eat a wet mash probiotic with the vits added to the wet mash
**** DO THIS IMMEDIATELY IF THEY WILL EAT IT AND ADD THE VIT'S ALSO
for each chicken do this

natural probiotic wet mash
2 tsp of dry crumbles
3-1/2 tsp of milk sweet, sour or buttermilk
1 tbsp of non flavored yogurt
mix good and put the
vit E liquid as directed in the wet mash
and crumble the Vit B complex tablet in a tabsp and add to the wet mash

(6 Do this twice a day for 7 days to see if the chickena are better
then do this once a day for another week then once a week for a while
this should give the nervous system some stability

(7
you can email by PM for more information and include this inf so I remember what is happening