Found my first chicken. What is he?

[scratch'n'peck]

Poor Nellie. I'm not sure what the sores could be on the back of her legs. My first thought was the heat, but I don't know if she is inside in the A/C or outside. We usually recommend starting chickens on some sort of electolytes they sell powdered form at farm stores but a lot of people of the forum use pedialyte with out iron or gatorade mixed with water. People might ask for pictures of the sores behind her legs. Then they will ask how her poo looks.

Try to rule out mites ( little tiny white crawly things that are easiest to see around the vent) or lice or fleas. Then the next thought is worms, but I don't know how that would relate to sores on the legs. Ivervmectin pour on is often recommended for both external and internal parasites, but I hope that her system is not too stressed for it.

Of course the vet may be able to answer more questions. I'll see if I can think of anything else. Keep me updated.

 

[[email protected]]

Found a vet who will see her. SHe's on the other side of the borough and the earliest I can see her is Saturday morning. I've been reading about Marek's disease and it sounds like it. Honestly, is there a recovery rate? Or am I coming home Saturday without Nellie? I'd like to be prepared. My poor little chicky. This just stinks.

Fortunately, I've been super cautious about washing after I handle her because of salmonella. So with luck I haven't brought it in to my parrot. But there have been pigeons coming into the yard to feed on her leftover food. Have I caused an epidemic? It makes me sick just to think of this. I keep feeling there's something I could have done. I feel like I did this to her.

 

[ctbagley]

Sorry about Nellie. It may be Mareks but I find that many diseases have the some of the same symptoms of Mareks. I had a rooster last year that had a lot of the same symptoms, but he actually had Eastern Equine Encephalytis...yes you heard right, we have horses and mosquitos...who knew that chickens can get this disease. It was not contagious and he lived about a month, but seemed happy even though he could not fly, could barely walk (crookedly). His hens took good care of him and snuggled him at night to keep him warm. No vaccine for chickens for this one. So it may be something other than Mareks. Look up the symptoms for EEE plus chickens. I wish you much luck with your girl.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Marek's disease did cross my mind. If it is Marek's, it doesn't sound like there are any treatments for this viral disease and recovery is rare, nor was there much you could do to prevent it. I did a search on Marek's online and it sounds like it is a virus that infects only chickens and closely related birds. I copied and pasted:

I did a bit of research concerning transmission of Marek's Disease from wild birds, and the conclusion is that there really isn't much to worry about. Here are some details.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC415139/

This scientific paper looking at lots of different species of birds showed that only wild birds in the related order Galliformes (pheasants, quail, turkey, peacock, guinea fowl) could be natural hosts of Marek’s Disease.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6275596

This publication looked at wild game in the Order Galliformes thought to be most susceptible to Marek’s Disease……pheasant, 2 species of partridge, and quail. Only pheasant was found to be susceptible to infection with a virulent virus of Marek's disease. It was concluded that wild feathered game play no important role in the epizootology of Marek's disease.

So it appears that wild birds aren’t a significant reservoir of Marek’s Disease. In particular, it’s highly unlikely that common birds like geese, sparrows, etc could be a possible source of infection.


So you do not need to burden yourself with guilt on top of your worry for poor Nellie.

I have learned a lot lately from looking into other people's concerns. In the future if and when I have chicks again, I will be more aware of getting them vaccinated for Marek's (which is done right after hatch or even pre hatch) or think twice about where I get them from.

 

[[email protected]]

Thank you, Jill, for easing the burden a little. I'm afraid I won't have Nellie past the weekend after the vet appointment.

 

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The sun shone a little less brightly today. A little life passed from this world. She dropped out of my life as quickly as she dropped in. Goodbye Nellie.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I am so sorry about Nellie. Although her life was brief, I think she knew that she was loved.

 

[DawnCols]

Oh Kathy! I'm so sorry. I just dropped in to check how Nellie was doing and saw the news.

You have taken amazingly good care of her. You made her short little chicken life as happy as it could have been. She was a lucky girl to find you.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[[email protected]]

I've learned some things from this experience. I can love a chicken as much as I love my dog. And I will definitely get another sometime in the future, but I have to have a set up for them first. This should have ended with a new coop and 2 or 3 more chickens for Nellie. She didn't deserve this. My sister points out that had I not taken her, cats or crows would have gotten her, and that would have been worse. Today the vet gave her valium first and she was fast asleep in my hand at the last. So I guess that's not as bad as it could have been. Stupid me. I've been crying all day.

 

[maizy'smom]

Having looked through your photo bucket, I'd say she's a Jersey Giant. The black legs and tops of feet, pale soles of feet, darkening beak, even the little blond flecks.....she's just like my Agnes at about 6 to 7 weeks of age. She's now almost 11 weeks and getting big....they're not called Giants for nothing. They're supposed to be cold-tolerant, docile, dual-purpose (never eat anybody you have named!) 3-eggs-a-week brown egg layers.
Good luck with her! Hope her foot heals okay.

mm


Just editing now that I've read your whole thread. So sorry my timing was so bad. I just started at the beginning and recognized Nellie as a JG, and had to chime in. Then I went back and read all the way through. Your efforts were valiant. It's amazing how quickly these little creatures wrap themselves around our hearts, isn't it? Again, sorry for stepping in it.....my condolences.

mm