Dying Hen.... more than a broken leg???

[bobbi-j]

You mentioned earlier humanely putting him down... considering you only have 6 hens and another rooster, that might be your best option at this point... sorry...

I would agree with this. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our animals is the hardest thing for us.

 

[Stayc]

I wisb u and them well

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I'm sorry I'd hoped with more involved you'd get more optimistic news.

Might want to let the neighbor know as well, if it looks that much like Mareks.

 

[Harestad Farm]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he can recover. This does mean, though, that you will need to figure out what to do with two males in your flock... How many females?

you know I was against having a rooster at the beginning of all this... hence why we gave away the first and got these.... but you know they really kind of grew on me and i really kind of like the knuckle head (or i guess i should say heads since we have 2) so we kept him.. and if this guy pulls through we will keep him

 

[Harestad Farm]

so weve had these 2 addopted chickens for a 4 months.... and the rest of the flock since may... so how did Mareks get here??? could it have come with the adopted 2 chickens that long ago??

 

[Harestad Farm]

Upon closer inspection of the upright photo, his comb looks a bit blue at the tios and his eye looks cloudy. Does it look cloudy in person? That (the eye) could also be a sign of Marek’s. How is his breathing? How is his crop? Wondering why hiscomb is tinged blue.

yes the comb is blueish..... though i checked my others and my easter hens have a slightly grayish/blueish/ashy color to their combs

 

[microchick]

Yes, it could have come in with the two gifted birds BUT, as I said. Marek's is airborne. If your neighbor has it you have it as it can travel 5-7 miles in the air. I mentally drew a radius 5 miles from around our farm and asked myself where it could have come from and the answer is everywhere and anywhere and everyone in that 5 mile radius has been exposed the same as our flock has been.

What you need to remember is that in a recent thread somebody posted that a vet told them that it is EVERYWHERE and virtually every flock has been exposed. The difference is in resistance, whether it be from vaccinating or from breeding.

You might consider asking your neighbor if he has any sick birds. Chances are he has.

I'm really sorry to hear that Theodore isn't doing well. Keep an eye on your girls. I had a beautiful Welsummer rooster that was just 2 years old present overnight with a completely labored breathing and blue comb. I put him down other than let him suffer. Marek's is noted for causing tumors in the lungs and heart.

 

[alcstreetman]

I know I'm late to this thread but wondering what happened. I have a hen with a similar story.