Green poop, won’t get up

[Aloha34]

I have a 22 week old golden Laced Wyandotte, Lacey. She has never laid and was recently introduced into a new flock (she came with 2 silkies). The past 3 days she won’t get up, eat or drink and has brighter green/white poop. I think before we separated her there was a long white worm in her dropping but none since. She almost seems to sink into herself. I’ve separated her and placed her in the basement. Today she’s been drinking (I’ve added acv, garlic, electrolytes, probiotics and nutra-drench to her water) and eating but still won’t stand. She came from a large flock where most died from Mareks but she showed no signs. I’ve had her for 4 weeks. Any ideas?

 

[azygous]

Hi there. Welcome to BYC. Sorry about your sick hen.

Of course it could be just about anything making her sick, and worms are one of them. If you collect a recent poop sample from her, you can get it tested at any vet's office to see if she has worms or coccidiosis.

I will state the obvious. There's a very good possibility she has active Marek's. Can you do an assessment of her motor functions? See if she will stand. See if she has trouble balancing. See if she holds one wing out or one leg forward. See what she does when you try to get her to walk.

Her comb is pale, not the red one would expect to see at her age. It's possible she has Marek's tumors.

I am going to assume you realize your facilities have become infected for the long term with the addition of this chicken that has come from a flock with Marek's. Your Silkies have Marek's now, too, as well as any chickens you choose to add in the future.

Marek's is extremely contagious, and unless you take strict precautions, you can infect other flocks if you wear clothing away from your home that you wear around your chickens. It's not a choice many people would make to knowingly import Marek's into their flock. I do hope it was an informed choice on your part.

 

[Aloha34]

Thank you so much for the information! This is only my second flock, so I’m still learning. The flock she came from assumed it was Mareks or botulism. Out of 30, 7 survived. We co-mingled her and the silkies with 8 free range hens (ranging from 6 months to 1.5 years old he thought) from another flock into a brand new 20’x18’ coop. Everything has gone smoothly and everyone seems healthy and happy (I started getting about 5 eggs daily right away)until she displayed the symptoms a few days ago. When I checked her this morning she can stand and take a few steps but then sits back down. What are my options with her and what should I do with the remaining flock? Is there a way to sanitize the coop other than a vinegar wash? Should I be giving the rest of the flock something? Any information is super appreciated! I’ve added pics of her today and her droppings

 

[azygous]

Knowing what you're dealing with is 95% of the battle. If the original flock owner had sent a dead chicken to a lab for a necropsy, then you wouldn't be grappling with the unknown and possibly very serious issues in your flock. So, that would be the number one bit of advice - if you have a chicken die, find a lab to do a necropsy. You can call your university extension office and ask for this information so you have it when/if the time comes.

The only way to eradicate Marek's from a flock is to kill off all the chickens and scrub everything down with Oxine. Dirt areas are a problem, though, and Marek's can hang around for a very long time. Unfortunately, Marek's virus is one of the most long-lived in the environment.

You can add to your flock safely by having baby chicks vaccinated for Marek's before you get them and keeping them quarantined for a few weeks before you expose them to the flock and coop. Vaccinating chickens involves buying a huge amount of vaccine and it's impractical for small flocks for that reason. It also has a short shelf life after opened.

Your hen is so lovely. GLWs are one of my most favorite. I have one right now and she's a dear. I'm afraid her symptoms point to Marek's. There is a chance she can endure these symptoms and make a recovery and feel better. But it's more likely she will continue to decline. Good nutrition and care can help chickens in a Marek's flock build resistance, but any stress can cause a chicken to become symptomatic at any time. There's no cure for this virus.

 

[Aloha34]

Thank you so much for the information! I will continue to care for her as best I can and the rest of my flock. I’m learning and am so thankful for the information. Thank you!