Don't know if it is a vitamin B1 DefIciency or if it's Marek's disease. Please Help!

[shebechickcray]

Ok so here's what is happening, my rooster is about five months old. We had two turkens that died from the same symptoms, and they were about four months old. I am worried about the Marek's disease because he is showing symptoms of that. He try's to stand up and walk. And if he is sucssesful with standing he will walk on his hocks and sway , his head is drawn back to his shoulders, I don't know if he is flopping around to get up or if he is having convulsions, and his legs also stretch way in front of him, and when I try to bend his leg at the hock it doesn't bend. Oh, and when he stands he stands strait up on his toes.


Thank you so much for your help!

 

[centrarchid]

If he is getting access to free-range forage and / or good fresh feed then B1 deficiency not likely. Change feed to a higher protein chick grower for a few days to see what happens.


Mareks or Mareks-like condition otherwise more likely. Birds with such I cull. Even if you nurse one back to standing you will have a hard time getting it to live more than a year before it starts suffering from the dwindles.

 

[Twistedfeather]

Before you assume it's Marek's check it's foot pads to see if there is any signs of Bumble foot. If not then it does sound a lot like Marek's since you've lost birds previously before. The bacteria is definitely there being so common. Anymore acting like this right now?

 

[Eggcessive]

He certainly has neurological symptoms. Mareks, poisoning, riboflavin, thiamine, or vitamin E and selenium deficiency could be possible causes. He doesn't look like he has botulism, since they paralysis of the legs ranging up the spinal cord to wings, and then paralyzing the neck. It won't hurt to try the vitamins for a bit of time. Here are some links to read about vitamin deficency and Mareks, and the first is very long but comprehensive:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html

 

[shebechickcray]

No, just him and thank you!

 

[shebechickcray]

I am trying out the vitamin powder in his water and then mixing it with his food . Would that make it bad? And thank you soo much

 

[centrarchid]

That is what I would do. Wetting food will make it more palatable.


What type of food? Does it have a run date printed on the bag? How does the feed look and smell in general?

 

[shebechickcray]

We just got the food yesterday it is cracked corn and layer crumbles. It doesn't smell sweet or anything like that it smells dry if you can smell dry stuff.

 

[centrarchid]

Food of concern is what you have been feeding birds up until illness noted.

When using most layer diets, scratch grains and other low protein treats should be avoided it birds kept confined as such dilutes nutrient density of an already protein low ration.

 

[shebechickcray]

Well they have the run of the yard.