Help!! Easter egger really bad idk what it is

[Chicken Kate]

I don't think dear its Marek's some vitamin deficiency mimic like Marek's. Marek's first symptom is paralyzed wing or leg ..curled toes are vitamin deficiency ...

Thats what im thinking as well. Her wings are good and she uses her legs when i pick her up. She was just chirping too.

 

[Chicken Kate]

How much personal experience do you have with Marek's disease or are you just going by what you have read?

Marek's can present in a multitude of different ways. The commonest is probably lameness or a dropped wing but it can kill suddenly with no apparent symptoms, it can be as subtle as being unable to control one eyelid or eye pupil and it can suppress the immune system so that infections set in or parasites like coccidia flourish without any paralysis occuring. I was reading a necropsy report the other day where it had suppressed the immune system to the point that the bird asphyxiated from wet pox lesions and mycelium growth in the trachea.

Well that just scared me. Now im sick to think that my flock has Mereks. i had a baby just pass, blood in her poop, but i dont think that was Mereks. I pray she doesnt have Mereks, the neck issue, she cant seem to hold her head up, that is what scares me .

 

[Chicken Kate]

I guess i should just cull my entire herd then. Mereks spreads. So ill, just have to cull and never do chickens again. This is painful, but i dont want it to spread and have others come visit and bring mereks home with them. None of my neighbors seem to have these issues, only me. I give up. Lol

 

[rebrascora]

Did the vet send off any samples from your Silkie to test for Marek's? I find it very strange that a vet would rule out such a common disease so casually. Silkies are particularly prone to Marek's and the fact that you have another bird now displaying symptoms adds weight to that diagnosis.

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

She keep rolling her neck, falling and tucking it into her chest. I dont think shes going to make it. Head injury?

Symptom of Newcastle Disease.

 

[ChickenLady2014]

Thank you so very much. I dont know why, but i keep thinking this is an injury. My other four who she lives with are perfectly fine. I am wondering if she ate a pebble. Something seems...off. Not like shes sick, but more like something else happened. I wish i could explain better. I just put down a silkie that was had a paralized leg, she was also covered with mites and had a very runny nose. The vet said it was not mareks and that everyone will automatically assume it is lol. He said its smart to think that way. I know i shouldnt just give up, but i feel that i should forget about my young birds and start over..maybe..in a year or so. Idk, too scary with Mareks

I would still recommending that you get her tested if she passes. There aren't many vets that know much about poultry so it may be possible that your Silkie with the paralyzed leg may have been the first victim. Please have one tested before you make any rash decisions. I love my birds, they make my day brighter just watching them. Hoping that it's not Meeks & that you can get through whatever is happening in your flock.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I guess i should just cull my entire herd then. Mereks spreads. So ill, just have to cull and never do chickens again. This is painful, but i dont want it to spread and have others come visit and bring mereks home with them. None of my neighbors seem to have these issues, only me. I give up. Lol

Greetings Chicken Kate,

If you have a broad spectrum antibiotic, administer some now orally. Enrofloxacin, .2 mL, twice daily, is a good one; you can also use Albon suspension (not broad spectrum), which is for dogs. Albon will treat certain bacterial infections as well as coccidiosis.

There are so many things this can be. But, I would start by treating for a bacterial infection. This will give her a chance if it is bacterial.

If you don't have an antibiotic available, perhaps one of your neighbors may have some. Give them a call to see if they have anything that can help. Or, call a local vet to see what they can do for the chick.

As for the rest of the flock, be vigilant for any symptoms of illness. If the chick dies, then do a necropsy, first. If it turns out to be the big "M", then, you can decide whether or not to cull.

Take a deep breath, and stay calm, you are doing everything you can. Dealing with illness and injuries is part of the challenge, of chicken keeping. It can be exhausting and unnerving. For now, just do your best to help this little life.

God Bless and peace to you.

 

[Chicken Kate]

Ok don't think this is Mareks at all. She had fluid coming out of her mouth. Maybe the water i gave her, idk, but when i opened her beak, there was a bubble. I blew on it to pop it and she shook her head. The fluid was merky. She curled her toes around my hand, but her neck flopped. We just put her down. She kept opening her beak .

 

[Chicken Kate]

Oh thank you, ill check that out.

 

[Chicken Kate]

I am thinking this is not the big M. This is something different. Maybe soap left on the waterer. Hubby cleaned it the other day and he said he wiped of a bit of left over soap when he went to put the waterer into the coop. Idk but the fluid she spit up, tells me, not the big M.