Help/Emergency! Just left the vet. She thinks my 4 week old chick has Mereks

[AnimalmomSarah]

There are tests for live birds to detect the Marek's virus, but they can be inconclusive and not totally reliable. The best way to find out if these chicks have been exposed is to cull the 13th chick and send it to a lab for a necropsy.

What’s the most humane way to do this? I really don’t want to kill her, or anything. Can I pay my vet to euthanize her?

 

[Eggcessive]

What does her other eye look like? Her leg bone deformities look pretty serious to me, and the crooked toes which sometimes are able to be fixed with taping and shoes in the first week, are probably too advanced to fix at this time. I doubt that this chick can be diagnosed with Mareks at this early age. Chicks can sometimes rarely show signs at 3 weeks of age, but more often it is between 6 and 25 weeks they more often occur. Here are some good article on Mareks disease:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading about leg bone deformities in chickens:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1051/leg-health-in-large-broilers/

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul.../noninfectious-skeletal-disorders-in-broilers

 

[AnimalmomSarah]

What does her other eye look like? Her leg bone deformities look pretty serious to me, and the crooked toes which sometimes are able to be fixed with taping and shoes in the first week, are probably too advanced to fix at this time. I doubt that this chick can be diagnosed with Mareks at this early age. Chicks can sometimes rarely show signs at 3 weeks of age, but more often it is between 6 and 25 weeks they more often occur. Here are some good article on Mareks disease:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens

Yes, her leg is bad. Her toes only started deforming in the last week! I don’t know why or how. Thank you for the links. Attached are multiple pictures of both eyes.

 

[azygous]

The most humane method for euthanizing a baby chick is to scissor off its head. Yes, I know, it goes against all of our instincts to preserve life, especially a new one. I've used this method, and I wrapped the chick in a paper towel like a burrito, and located its neck. Then snip. It's all over. Be sure to refrigerate, do not freeze, the chick and the head and locate a lab.

 

[christwodog]

I have always noticed that the chicks I've raised in the past have had blue/green eyes up until they are older - no Marek's in my flock, I always get them vaccinated from Meyer's. I don't think I would worry about the eye color just yet.

 

[Kiki]

What state are you in?
I can give you a direct link to your state lab.

 

[AnimalmomSarah]

I have always noticed that the chicks I've raised in the past have had blue/green eyes up until they are older - no Marek's in my flock, I always get them vaccinated from Meyer's. I don't think I would worry about the eye color just yet.

Thank you.

 

[AnimalmomSarah]

What state are you in?
I can give you a direct link to your state lab.

I’m in Ohio. Thank you, that would be very helpful. Is it expensive to get chicks autopsied?

 

[Kiki]

I’m in Ohio. Thank you, that would be very helpful. Is it expensive to get chicks autopsied?

Not sure what the price is in your state.
I'm having trouble copying the link from my phone so I just tagged you in another thread that has the link.