HELP Losing chickens fast... mareks??

[Lil_Kumquat]

Hi everyone, new to posting but have trolled the forum for info for last couple years. I recently had 3 incidents that I am starting to wonder if this is a flock issue.. I stared with a flock of 25 chickens and about 2 weeks ago my gold lace polish died. I notice she was in a corner fluffed just a bit with her head tucked, I quarantined her but by morning she was gone. Incident #2 noticed a few weeks ago that my delaware had a few ruffed feathers on her head, upon inspection i felt a bump on top of her head and it looked almost like an ingrown feather so I plucked the single feather and a little yellowish/green discharge came out. I placed some ointment on there. However there is scabbing and it appears to hurt her if you touch it now. More discoloration is on the feathers which leads me to believe more diacharge??

Although she seems to eat and drink i can tell she has lost weight although i have not taken a recent weight. She has been quarantined. Incident #3 my Easter egger I noticed over the last few days her eyes have become cloudy and she slightly tucks her tail, she keeps her eyes closes a lot and seems a bit weak. I tried an eye ointment today and will do so for the few days as the directions state to see if it's just bacterial and can be cleared up. She eats and drinks still but has been quarantined as well. I am unsure of exact age but they are under 8months old and I know for a fact some of these chickens were not vaccinated for mareks. After researching and with the multiple issues I am starting to think this may be mareks Or ocular mareks in the one case??? Really hope not but any advice is super helpful and appreciated. I've included a few photos.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

First one was probably just one of those things, sometimes they just die from no apparent reason. The second bird it looks like she's being pecked, those look like wounds.

The third I don't know. Could be she got pecked too.

Mareks generally shows itself as leg paralysis or drunken behaviors.

What does your set up look like? Size of coop and run? What are you feeding them? A bit more information may help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Stinks that you are having trouble.

Your description is not sound like the Marek's I have seen, which usually starts as limping. But of course each case will not display all the same symptoms.

How long have you had these birds and where did you get them? Even though it could be on or introduced at any time by wild birds to your property...

I suggest if you have another pass that you refrigerate and send it for necropsy, so you can know for sure what you are dealing with instead of guessing. Here are 2 links to help you achieve that...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

If they have been together all this time, unless they are pecking each other tons... I don't know why you are quarantining. It may just stress them out more and they have already been exposed.

According to my state poultry vet at UC Davis, Ca... Marek's is considered to be in EVERY poultry environment.

Even vaccinated birds can get it, they are just less likely to display the symptoms or die.

Tail tucked, eyes closed sounds more like Coccidiosis to me. But there are so many variables. So some basic diagnosis questions... What do you feed including treats and supplements? How many birds total in how much space (coop/run/roost/range)? How has your weather been?

 

[Lil_Kumquat]

No pecking was occurring it's a hard knot in her head after plucking the one feather and having discharge it started to scab and look that way. The cloudy eye one sways a bit but sits most of the time

I now have 23 chickens, some are bantams and what not. Run is 45 feet long 20 feet wide they have a barn attached with nest boxes that is 10 feet long 7.5 feet wide.

They get vitamins supplemented in water and I usually feed Modesto organic layer crumble with organic scratch as well, offer oyster shells too. We did use another feed this last time just because our brand was out of stock I think . This brand was either nutrena or manna pro, i no longer have the bag. I also occasional feed kitchen scraps like fruits or veggies, but this is not often.

We have had Coccidiosis few months ago and I have treated with corid and seemed that all was clear. The cloudy eyes are throwing me off and was making me think ocular mareks, and with the loss of the one and this other maybe it just got me paranoid about mareks..

I am aware that vaccinated birds are not immune.

I am "quarantining" more for safety and observation. I live on large property can't be over in the coop all day, and since the one is blind i have her in a smaller area that is warmer and drier ( since we got rain yesterday) to reduce chance of Injury and observe to make sure she is eating/drinking.

 

[chickens really]

You defiantly have something moving through the flock..I do not think Mereks either..So many diseases with different strains that a necropsy should be done..The one does look pecked..Possibly too crowded...Coccidiosis was my thought too..Might need higher protein feed...Do you have Roosters

 

[EggSighted4Life]

organic layer crumble with organic scratch as well

Do you know what the ratio of scratch to feed is? Is it everyday?

I forgot tom include a symptom tool that could help you narrow things down. One thing I like about it is seeing the symptoms they have listed helps clue me in to other things I might not think about. ..
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

Interestingly, when I put cloudy eyes in the symptom... Mareks did not pop up as a possibility. But these things did...
Ammonia toxicity,
Avian chlamydiosis,
Avian encephalomyelitis,
Blindness,
Cataracts, Conjunctivitis, infectious Coryza

 

[Lil_Kumquat]

You defiantly have something moving through the flock..I do not think Mereks either..So many diseases with different strains that a necropsy should be done..The one does look pecked..Possibly too crowded...Coccidiosis was my thought too..Might need higher protein feed...Do you have Roosters

Definitely not packed it didn't start out looking that way it started as a hard knot on the head no scabing or anything initiallky until I plucked the funny feather then there was discharge and scabbing started. There is definitely plenty of room for them, we have 1 roo he is in his own pen but is next too the hens.

 

[Lil_Kumquat]

Do you know what the ratio of scratch to feed is? Is it everyday?

I forgot tom include a symptom tool that could help you narrow things down. One thing I like about it is seeing the symptoms they have listed helps clue me in to other things I might not think about. ..
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

Interestingly, when I put cloudy eyes in the symptom... Mareks did not pop up as a possibility. But these things did...
Ammonia toxicity,
Avian chlamydiosis,
Avian encephalomyelitis,
Blindness,
Cataracts, Conjunctivitis, infectious Coryza

Thank you for the link. Scratch has been removed for the last month they get 18%protein crumble and occasional meal worms. Ocular mareks has cloudy eye sympotom... but I have been treating with a eye ointment yesterday and today so we will see if that helps at all.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you for the link. Scratch has been removed for the last month they get 18%protein crumble and occasional meal worms. Ocular mareks has cloudy eye sympotom... but I have been treating with a eye ointment yesterday and today so we will see if that helps at all.

Yes, when I added in loss of balance to that symptom checker with the cloudy eyes.. then Marek's popped up as a possibility.

I do understand that your description of the bump on the head did not start out as pecking and maybe just hasn't gotten any better. Things like that seem to take a while to heal when we get them on ourselves or the dogs. Seems like her body is fighting off whatever the infection there might be. I would leave it alone and provide supportive care like probiotics maybe. And if it does appear to get pecked at maybe Blu Kote could be applied.

Health issues among a flock can really steal the joy from chicken keeping. Hang in there, it isn't all hard and thankless!

 

[Lil_Kumquat]

Yes, when I added in loss of balance to that symptom checker with the cloudy eyes.. then Marek's popped up as a possibility.

I do understand that your description of the bump on the head did not start out as pecking and maybe just hasn't gotten any better. Things like that seem to take a while to heal when we get them on ourselves or the dogs. Seems like her body is fighting off whatever the infection there might be. I would leave it alone and provide supportive care like probiotics maybe. And if it does appear to get pecked at maybe Blu Kote could be applied.

Health issues among a flock can really steal the joy from chicken keeping. Hang in there, it isn't all hard and thankless!

Thanks appreciate the response. I have been adding probiotics and of course there vitamins to water.. will continue to do so and keep an eye on the head wound. So I use terramycin ointment for eyes, I've used in many other animals with great success so hopefully this is just an eye thing for the one hen and if so I am hoping this clears it up. Been keeping a watchful eye on the rest, minus these few issues and the loss at the beginning of the year of my rhode island and the polish from a few weeks ago everyone else seems ok, but still will keep a close eye. Sighhhh well atleast the livestock have been fine this Year..