Help!! Marek's Disease??

[Haunted55]

The only reason I included this last piece of info is because of your mention of the red face and the pics of the blueish discoloration. It could also explain the nerve involvement of the legs. If by some odd chance this is what is wrong, it goes back as well to the septic call Casportpony made before. Please find and contact your state Vet. and extension service. They are going to be a big help to you now and later on, if you continue with keeping chickens. I don't mean to be harsh, but having learned the hard way, there are some things we just can't do ourselves and we need professional help. The only other alternative we have is culling. I have no clue what your bird has or if this is a genetic issue. Either one could be true. You need to know where this bird came from and research to find if this is from the original flock or a fluke.

 

[seminolewind]

Haunted, that was a good find and sounds like a possibility. There may even be a few more possibilities out there that affect the nerves.

 

[casportpony]

Haunted, that was a good find and sounds like a possibility. There may even be a few more possibilities out there that affect the nerves.

I agree, that was a good find.

 

[casportpony]

Here are some pictures of her "bruises". They're not outright black and blues... just a blue-er looking shade. I also took some shots of her neck. The feathers are not growing back there... they seem to be everywhere else.

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Her rear from afar: IS that black and blue?? Or is she just skinny?

Feathers not growing back (cutaneous Marek's), probable weight loss, neurological problems, I still say Marek's. How much does she weigh?

 

[Zrcalo]

Does anyone know how long a chicken typically is alive from the onset of merek's symptoms? My hen has been sitting on her hocks for about 4 days now.. but she hasnt gotten worse.

 

[Haunted55]

Does anyone know how long a chicken typically is alive from the onset of merek's symptoms? My hen has been sitting on her hocks for about 4 days now.. but she hasnt gotten worse.

I have Marek's survivors that are coming up on the 1 year mark. Are you sure it's Marek's? Can you post some pictures? A couple of the eyes, body...There a lot of people on here that do have it and sad, but true, can pretty much look and tell.

 

[seminolewind]

My wasting ones took a month or two. The paralysis ones, well I don't know because I went ahead and euthanized them because they were also wasting. The one roo I kept as long as I could started with paralysis, then clouded eye, then loss of his neck control. When I knew he needed tube feeding , I had the vet euthanize him. At that point he was trying to move with his wings, but would fall on his face and it took him 20 minutes to upright himself. He was still happy and crowing. Go figure.

 

[casportpony]

Does anyone know how long a chicken typically is alive from the onset of merek's symptoms? My hen has been sitting on her hocks for about 4 days now.. but she hasnt gotten worse.

In my experiences, there has been no typical amount of time. I have quite a few that have had the ocular form for well over a year and still seem quite happy.

 

[Haunted55]

In my experiences, there has been no typical amount of time. I have quite a few that have had the ocular form for well over a year and still seem quite happy.

Truth! If you don't tell them they're sick and special needs birds, they don't know. Even mine when they were so paralyzed they only could move their head, were just as happy as the birds out running around. I'd move them from place to place so they could have new grass and a different outlook, or take them to where the flock was then roaming. Some though you could tell they were in pain and that wasn't allowed to go on for very long at all.

 

[Gallina8]

Hi everybody! Piotr lives, and I've been reading your posts but unable to reply- I've been on the road and visiting family while my boyfriend sustains our bird(s). Her symptoms are unchanged- except he reports that she had a quail-egg sized lump below her vent last night, followed by a STINKY poo the day after.

I'd read about tenosynovitis, thank you for that. Not sure that this is her issue but I will keep it in mind. I'll be back at home tomorrow and I'll let you all know what's going on! I tried finding the info for the State Vet but I didn't find one yet... again, I'll be more persistent

Thank you so much for your support and for your constant stream of thoughts and advice. I really appreciate it.

~K