Extremely skinny, unable to balance, wheezing.

[EmmaRainboe]

Two things this might be. The first is not treatable, and the second is.

Her problem might be from avian leucosis causing tumors on her organs, shutting her body down, causing weight loss, crop malfunction, breathing issues, and even nerve and brain damage.

But it may be a simple crop disorder causing over fullness and this might be backing up occasionally into her larynx, causing the breathing noises.

You can't treat the first one, but a crop issue is easily treated. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Read through my article and decide which crop issue you are dealing with. If the crop is very large and hard, she may have an impacted crop, so you would start my giving her oil and massage. Hopefully, she will improve with crop treatment, and the leucosis scare is unwarranted.

Are these the only two options?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I'm thinking this may be visceral Marek's. You've already had at least two birds pass away from possible Mareks, right?

"Clinical Features and Epidemiology."​

Marek's disease is a progressive disease with variable signs and several overlapping pathological syndromes. In its clinical presentation, Marek's disease can resemble avian leukosis, although there are key differences between the two diseases. Lymphoproliferative syndromes are most frequent with Marek's disease, lymphoma being most common, with involvement of several visceral organs and, usually, asymmetric paralysis of one or both legs or wings. Incoordination is a common early sign: one leg is held forward and the other backward when the bird is stationary, because of unilateral paresis or paralysis. Wing dropping and lowering of the head and neck are common. If the vagus nerve is involved, there may be dilation of the crop and gasping. Marek's disease lymphoma sometimes may occur without neurological signs, and present only as depression and comatose state, with visceral lymphomas."

 

[EmmaRainboe]

I'm thinking this may be visceral Marek's. You've already had at least two birds pass away from possible Mareks, right?

Not to my knowledge.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

But testing for mareks probably isn’t a bad idea. I was afraid it might be that.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Not to my knowledge.

Posh and Moony?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Posh and Moony?

Posh was exhibiting Marek's symptoms and I thought the vet confirmed the fact that it could be.
And Moony had a large tumor along her reproductive tract, right?
Sounds like they may all be related.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Posh was exhibiting Marek's symptoms and I thought the vet confirmed the fact that it could be.
And Moony had a large tumor along her reproductive tract, right?
Sounds like they may all be related.

Posh had a slight limp in her left leg that never progressed. Vet said likely hip injury, or possibly Mareks. She was culled 10/21/20

Moony ended up with a prolapse due to a large cancerous mass in her intestinal track. She was put down in July 2021 I believe.

Then Peepers here now. They have all been ~6 months apart.

You are probably right. But I hope to god you are not.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Posh had a slight limp in her left leg that never progressed. Vet said likely hip injury, or possibly Mareks. She was culled 10/21/20

Moony ended up with a prolapse due to a large cancerous mass in her intestinal track. She was put down in July 2021 I believe.

Then Peepers here now. They have all been ~6 months apart.

You are probably right. But I hope to god you are not.

Well, I hope not too. Unfortunately that all lines up in my head, but there’s no way to know without testing. But either way, big hugs.
I really hope Peepers improves.
Fire and Thunder are vaxxed, btw.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

How long has Peepers been like this?

 

[EmmaRainboe]

How long has Peepers been like this?

She slept on the ground the past two nights. I noticed her lack of balance today.