Hen can't walk.... why?

[Akrnaf2]

It is almost certainly Marek's disease. And once you have it you can almost be shore the you always will have it in your property. You don't have to be discourage from it you can search mor resilient breeds, you can vaccinate, reduce the stress level, breed for resistant and so on there is a way but it take effort,time and som disappointment! Se la vie!

 

[casportpony]

Thank you....I will run and get the Polyvisol today. I'm giving them eggshells....is that considered 'grit'? How much is a necropsy? As for the little one....I am aware it may very well have been my fault...maybe I drowned it giving it too much water? It was just a dropper but strange that it died when I was giving it water. But it was for sure showing symptoms of something.

I can teach you how to tube water. It's much safer that syringing it.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Well, I ended up putting her down yesterday. She just was not getting any better and it got to the point where she couldn't even shift her position.

I'd love to know what it was but a necropsy is >250.00. Such a shame since other than not being able to move her legs she was fine, not acting sick or anything. But she is bird #3 we've lost and we've had chickens for about a month so I'm not doing so hot over here. I hope luck improves because I really do like the chickens! Thanks for all of your advice

Sorry for your loss. You might wan to call some out of state labs and see what they charge for necropsies.

-Kathy

 

[justplainbatty]

Well, I ended up putting her down yesterday. She just was not getting any better and it got to the point where she couldn't even shift her position.

I'd love to know what it was but a necropsy is >250.00. Such a shame since other than not being able to move her legs she was fine, not acting sick or anything. But she is bird #3 we've lost and we've had chickens for about a month so I'm not doing so hot over here. I hope luck improves because I really do like the chickens! Thanks for all of your advice

Sorry for your loss.

I hope you don't lose any more birds to this. I can't believe the necropsy costs that much! there has to be somewhere cheaper! I'd check around, ask folks on the Arizona thread (where am I where are you) to see if a veterinary college or something would charge less. Your best hope of saving your birds now and in the future is to know what the disease is.

Best wishes!

 

[alibabba]

justplainbetty, If symptom free, I believe you can eat them....as we all do all the time. Unless vegetarian.

 

[alibabba]

If you decide to keep alive the seek hen, you must take in consideration that the hen is actually a Virus production plant, that produce MDV 24/7 (if she have the strand that infect the skein and the feather follicles) and that put in risk any new chicks that you will decide to raise.

possibly stretch issue. May help to keep actively ill birds away, because that is when they actively shed....for certain. Best guesses do not count.

But, they have already have had enough exposure living with her, and the wind, and the feed store and wild birds. etc. Get busy living.

 

[justplainbatty]

justplainbetty, If symptom free, I believe you can eat them....as we all do all the time. Unless vegetarian.

Yes, you can eat them if they are symptom free and do not have tumors upon butchering. You still can eat them but it is not recommended. Mareks is not zoonotic but when it comes to viruses, you never know when they will jump species. I just rather not risk it. And, in ranchgirlcook's case, it would be helpful to know which strain of mareks.