Hen not acting normal!!

[chickenman101]

Hello all i have a question about one of my hens. the past few days she hasnt been herself. she not being lethargic or anything but she just mopes around and doesnt act happy, i guess u could say depressed like. its has been really hot here the past week, do u think the heat could be causing it??? my other ones are acting normal so i dont know. any help is appreciated!!

 

[chickenbottom]

how old is she? is she laying?

 

[chickenman101]

shes probably about a year and 1/2. and yes shes laying

 

[chickenbottom]

has she layed in the past few days or day

 

[chickenman101]

she layed tuesday, i dont know about today yet i usaully check when i get home from work

 

[a2ms4chickens]

If the heat is getting to her, you could give her some vitamin/electrolyte water. I get mine at the feed store.

You should also check her for mites, runny nose, etc.

Good luck with your girl. I know it is always a worry when one of ours doesn't act right.

Angie

 

[chickenman101]

thanks for the advice!!

 

[Americanaluver]

Chickenman WAIT!! D: guys your both wrong! I no what this is! D: it's Mareks Disease! D: Chickenman take the hen inside straight away!!! D: you now have to treat her and the HOLE flock if you want them to live here's the Mareks guide. D:
P.s I no this is Mareks because it sounds Exactly like how my Roast Emerson was acting right before he died.

IF YOUR CHICKENS BREATHE,

THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO MAREKS

Mareks Disease

by K. J. Theodore


MAREKS DISEASE (MD), is a common virus that causes internal lesions (tumors), and kills more birds than any other disease. It is so common that you should assume you have it in your flock, even if you detect no evidence.

Mareks is a member of the herpesvirus family of viruses. It is also known as 'Range Paralysis'. Mareks is spread through airborne feather dander so microscopic that it can spread from one farm to another via the wind, even when no human or bird contact is made between the two farms. The virus enters through the bird's respiratory tract.

The turkey version is Herpes Virus Turkey (HVT), and the waterfowl version is known as Duck Virus Enteritis (or DVE). All three are from the same family of viruses.

It's not common for MD, HVT, and DVE to cross over between chickens, turkeys, and ducks kept together, but it has happened.

The study of Mareks Disease in poultry is exciting because it has had a profound effect on cancer research in all species, including human. And the Mareks vaccine for chickens was the first time medical science was able to produce an effective cancer vaccine for any species.

There are a few different types of Mareks in chickens. The most common are eye, visceral (tumor producing), and nerve.

The nerve version is known by some Fanciers as 'down in the leg', and symptoms range from slight to severe paralysis in the wings, legs, or neck, and usually results in death from trampling by other chickens, and/or the inability to get to food and water. There can be 'transient' paralysis that disappears after a few days, such as a dropped wing that suddenly corrects itself. In the eye version, you'll detect an irregularly shaped pupil, cloudy eye ('gray eye'), or sensitivity to light. It can result in blindness. The visceral version should be considered when a bird is just generally 'wasting'.

Mareks is extremely contagious but does not spread vertically (to the egg). Youngsters should develop a natural immunity (called 'age resistance'), by the time they're five months old. This is one of the reasons it is important to raise your youngsters separately from your oldsters. The older birds that have encountered Mareks and have managed to survive are carriers. New birds coming in from other flocks are always potential carriers.

Mareks usually hits between 5 and 25 weeks of age, but can appear even later if the bird had 'latent' MD and is substantially stressed. However, if the bird is a few years old, I would suspect a similar disease called Lymphoid Leukosis (which does pass to the egg). Both diseases will produce internal lesions (or tumors), detectable upon post mortem examination, but LL does not produce paralysis.

Since it is so difficult to control your birds' exposure to Mareks, (showing, bringing in new birds, airborne spread from other farms), the best course is prevention. That starts with completely sanitizing your brooders. Then consider the Mareks vaccine, which is available in a freeze-dried form through a few of the mail-order suppliers, and is easy to administer to day-old chicks. The downside is that you have to administer the vaccine within one-half hour of mixing it with the fluid it comes with (diluent), and you have to plan your hatching to accommodate the 'all-or-none' vaccination within a day or two of hatch. (After one hour of mixing the Mareks vaccine, the active virus dies and the vaccine becomes ineffective.)

You'll inject the vaccine under the skin at the back of the neck (subtecaneously). Be careful though, you could stick right through to the other side and vaccinate the floor instead of the chick!

There are certain 'B factors' contained in the blood of some chickens that make them resistant to Mareks. If you have access to a lab for 'B type' blood testing, 'B factor' birds are desirable for breeding for a 'Mareks-free' flock.

Overall, the easiest way by keep Mareks out of your flock (but not the most effective), is to promote 'age resistance' by keeping your youngsters separate from the adults and away from the poultry shows until they're over 5 months old.

You can treat it by putting Hyland's HOMROPATHIC NDC 54973-2915-04 Homropathic Medicine
HYPERICUM PERF. 30X
NERVE INJURY

250 TABLETS, put it in there water if you want them to live.

 

[Wynette]

whoa, slow down - you don't know this is Marek's. Please consider how you phrase things when you post - I'd have for the OP to have a heart attack!

Usually, Marek's presents with one leg flopping to the side - straight out beside it. Are you seeing this at all? Also, they typically contract Marek's as youngsters - this hen is 1 1/2 yrs. old, so the chances are slim, IMO.

Is she eating/drinking okay?

 

[chickenbottom]

well i never really said it was something but i dont think it is mareks, cause it usually presents leg problems and stress