HELP Possible egg bound hen

[s k y]

An update: we had the hen necropsied and it came back inconclusive. There were no tumors or any other Marek’s signs. About a month later, we had another hen sadly pass away with similar symptoms - unbalanced, lethargic, and having diarrhea. We believed we had caught it earlier than the last hen since this hen was still able to stand and take a few steps on her own, but even after doing supportive care, she still passed away. However, our vet still doesn’t believe it to be Marek’s. At this point, we believe that these hens died from lead poisoning. We have a house made in the sixties that originally had lead paint, and our hens will often peck at the paint (I don’t know why lol) and eventually got down to the wood on the house, where I believe that they may have eaten remnants from the original paint. The two hens that died seemed to be big offenders of this too. Their symptoms - diarrhea, paralysis, lethargy, weight loss, appetite loss and muscle weakness are also symptoms of lead poisoning. At this point, I’m keeping a very close eye on the remaining four hens and doing preventative care.

 

[Kathy Golla]

@s k y Just as an FYI your state lab should be able to do a lead level blood test from a live hen to confirm suspicion. Its relatively inexpensive.
You can also get a lead testing company out with what is called an XRF gun and can quickly scan the exterior of your house to determine if there is lead paint. That is also relatively inexpensive.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would check into testing for lead. Did your regular vet do the necropsy, or did the state poultry vet do one? Most local vets do not have the capability to do a Mareks test. That doesn’t mean that your hen had the disease, though. There are some national labs that will test a feather shaft or some blood serum for Mareks for as little as $18 plus shipping:
https://vet.uga.edu/education/acade...ealth/poultry-diagnostic-and-research-center/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mareks-testing-in-living-birds.1206105/