Help understand progression of wing injury?

[erinrstrain]

I am out of town this week and relying on pics from my husband. Elsie has been fine until yesterday when my husband said she could not stand. I have included a pic of how she could not support herself for a few hours. This morning she was standing and holding her wing like it was injured - she is wet because she laid in the cooking pool. She is eating and drinking quite a bit. This afternoon she looks back to normal. She did have a big poop. They were wormed with corrid and safeguard in July. Any thoughts on what could cause this progression? She has not laid an egg today.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you look under the wing and all over her body on that side for any hidden wounds, lumps or bruising?

 

[erinrstrain]

Can you look under the wing and all over her body on that side for any hidden wounds, lumps or bruising?

I don’t see anything that looks off. She’s eating and drinking but the wing hangs fanned out and drooped. She is standing. Should I wrap the wing?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If she's injured, then she may pull it back into place as she heals.

You can wrap if you want to try, if she's not having balance issues.

 

[erinrstrain]

I have had it wrapped for a few days and she’s been in the hospital coop alone. I unwrapped it tonight and it flopped back down. It makes her gait a off bc she has to step over it. I can’t imagine what would’ve caused this. They had not free ranged yet that day and my coop is secure. She does well with it wrapped.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poor Girl!

If she does really well with it wrapped, then I'd wrap it again, give it more time and see if it will heal up.

 

[erinrstrain]

Well, I do believe I am dealing with Marek's. It's odd because she did better for 2 weeks with the droopy wing wrapped, but I came home yesterday to her fallen over on her side with her feet out, which is how this started 2 weeks ago, and the other wing is hanging. She stopped eating yesterday and I can barely get her to peck at water. I got her and a few others from a breeder that claimed they were vaccinated, but one of the others died a few months ago and her necropsy showed Marek's, so I think I'm making an educated guess. She's enjoying some sunshine and fresh air now and I am taking her to the state diagnostic veterinarian now to be euthanized and necropsied to confirm later today. Poor Elsie. It's hard when you try so very hard to take the best care of your girls and this happens.

 

[LaFleche]

Well, I do believe I am dealing with Marek's. It's odd because she did better for 2 weeks with the droopy wing wrapped, but I came home yesterday to her fallen over on her side with her feet out, which is how this started 2 weeks ago, and the other wing is hanging. She stopped eating yesterday and I can barely get her to peck at water. I got her and a few others from a breeder that claimed they were vaccinated, but one of the others died a few months ago and her necropsy showed Marek's, so I think I'm making an educated guess. She's enjoying some sunshine and fresh air now and I am taking her to the state diagnostic veterinarian now to be euthanized and necropsied to confirm later today. Poor Elsie. It's hard when you try so very hard to take the best care of your girls and this happens.

Mareks Disease appears to be the cause, I am very sorry.

How many more birds do you have in your flock? They all will be affected although they might not show any symptons yet.

There is no need to cull the whole flock, but do not sell any birds or eggs as to not spread the virus.

 

[erinrstrain]

I now have 16. 7 came from the local hatchery where my 2 deceased, Marek’s positive, girls came from. The other 9 are my oldest girls and they all came from my pet chicken where i requested vaccinated chicks. I was told my dead girls were vaccinated, though. I talked to the vet at the diagnostic clinic and they are seeing many positive hens from this local hatchery so I’m not the only one dealing with this. I won’t bring in anymore hens until everyone passes - hopefully my old girls really were vaccinated and can die of old age like they deserve. They are all my babies. At least I feel more educated and experienced with Marek’s and can make a quick decision when someone is symptomatic.

 

[LaFleche]

Sadly, the vaccination will not prevent the infection with the Marek virus, it only suppresses some of the symptoms such as tumors.

But the older the chickens are when exposed, the less risk they have to succumb to the disease as with age they will at least aquire sone natural immunity to several local strains.

Some breeds are known to be less resistent to MD, among them are Silkies, Polish, Barnevelder, Sebright etc.