Hen not standing

[Mamagirl3]

Happy 4th!
She's enjoying that watermelon.

It's good that she's able to stand a little, that's a positive!

Let us know how she's doing and if you get testing results, please let us know about those too.

Check it out!! After some PT during and after her epsom spa treatment-- set her in her cage in front of her.food and water... i was talking to her and she was sorta purring sound answering me and i was adding fresh food to her dish.. then i sprinkled a few eggshells on the side of her food.. our girls eat them like candy!! Haha they eat their oyster flakes.. but not like they do eggshells! Anyway.. she reached over to get at the eggshells and just couldnt barely reach.. she looked up with the head turn one eye look at me then fussed at me --- and stood right up!! Haha once up she went at her food and the the shells like she was starving! Stood there the whole time eating.. when she was done she turned to walk back to her fav spot.. only took one step and sat down. The weaker side i think didnt negotiate that turn like standing ??? But any way you want to see it... to us ..it is PROGRESS!
Got the sample collection items.. found out our whole area charges for overnight but because it has to be picked up and taken to the central hub it takes an extra day... so why are you charging overnight rates? Haha lots of backwards "normals" in these here mountains! So monday morn i will collect the samples.. drive an hour and 15 min away to get it overnighted! They said possibly same day results if it gets there on the first delivery of the day.. but sometimes if it comes 2nd delivery of the day.. even tho testing will be done it may be the next morning before results are entered into the system!. Either way.. seems like quick turnaround on results!! The tests are $20.00 each ... which seemed reasonable to me as well. Also, once the test i ordered is complete i have the option of adding other tests if you are looking for other reasons.. the cost is additional.. $20 per test.. but to me this place is an excellent lab for poultry.. the testing options are over a half page on the written form.. lots of options! Even have "panels" if needed-- they are more but it is a group of tests... not single ones!! I could definitely see myself using this lab again if ever needed...but fingers crossed it will never be needed again!
Thanks for your support! Let you know when the results are in!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Standing is good!
I agree, baby steps is progress She's a lovely hen.

I'm glad you will be able to send in some testing and hopefully find out more. Please do share the results.

 

[Mamagirl3]

Standing is good!
I agree, baby steps is progress She's a lovely hen.

I'm glad you will be able to send in some testing and hopefully find out more. Please do share the results.

Standing well yesterday.. took couple steps in the late afternoon. When arrived at cage this morning..she got up and slowly walked towards the front of the cage. After her exercises and being up a while left her be with her food and a sprinkle of egg shell. When came back this afternoon.. she got up and walked to me and stood there a good bit looking at me and then her dish... cause no more treats! Haha. Decided to take a big big old wash tub and went down and got some dirt .. filled it about 4 in deep. Put her in it. She walked around onit and scratched at it.. then plopped down in it and began with a dust bath!! Occasionally she would stand and move to another spot and start all over.... after about 30 min i picked her to get her back to her cage and she began fussing and trying to flap her wings... which i took to mean she wasnt done yet! Haha so i let her get back in.. and she dusted and pecked at that dirt and rolled around for another 30 min or so... when she stopped moving around and finally just laid there like she would nap.. i picked her up... she did not fuss and back into her cage. She walked to the back part of the cage that is her fav... began to shake dirt off.. then began preening.... when i left she was resting in her fav spot!!
-> NOW the hard part... samples in the morning and sent out. Fingers crossed this will not end in the worst way!! Results soon!

Question.... i know once they have it.. they always have it... but are they still always contagious?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Standing well yesterday.. took couple steps in the late afternoon. When arrived at cage this morning..she got up and slowly walked towards the front of the cage. After her exercises and being up a while left her be with her food and a sprinkle of egg shell. When came back this afternoon.. she got up and walked to me and stood there a good bit looking at me and then her dish... cause no more treats! Haha. Decided to take a big big old wash tub and went down and got some dirt .. filled it about 4 in deep. Put her in it. She walked around onit and scratched at it.. then plopped down in it and began with a dust bath!! Occasionally she would stand and move to another spot and start all over.... after about 30 min i picked her to get her back to her cage and she began fussing and trying to flap her wings... which i took to mean she wasnt done yet! Haha so i let her get back in.. and she dusted and pecked at that dirt and rolled around for another 30 min or so... when she stopped moving around and finally just laid there like she would nap.. i picked her up... she did not fuss and back into her cage. She walked to the back part of the cage that is her fav... began to shake dirt off.. then began preening.... when i left she was resting in her fav spot!!
-> NOW the hard part... samples in the morning and sent out. Fingers crossed this will not end in the worst way!! Results soon!

Question.... i know once they have it.. they always have it... but are they still always contagious?

This is promising!

Sounds like she's slowly improving and very much enjoying the dirt you provided.

Your question : "i know once they have it.. they always have it... but are they still always contagious?"

I assume you mean Marek's disease? If she's positive, she's a carry for life. Marek's is a type of herpesvirus, so over her lifetime the virus can be shed through dust/dander, the poop and direct bird to bird contact, etc. If she does have Marek's and was with the others, likely they are all exposed.

 

[Mamagirl3]

This is promising!

Sounds like she's slowly improving and very much enjoying the dirt you provided.

Your question : "i know once they have it.. they always have it... but are they still always contagious?"

I assume you mean Marek's disease? If she's positive, she's a carry for life. Marek's is a type of herpesvirus, so over her lifetime the virus can be shed through dust/dander, the poop and direct bird to bird contact, etc. If she does have Marek's and was with the others, likely they are all exposed.

Yes, she was with all the flock. Still no others with symptoms. She is just now 2 years old. From what i read they are usually much younger? Most having first symptoms when starting to lay and due to the stress of beginning to lay causing a suppression of the immune system symptoms will appear if they are already positive with no symptoms. We are just so frustrated that we have tried to do everything possible to have healthy birds. Our original 12 were supposedly vaccinated-- paid extra to have it done. Only 10 of those are left and all of our others have been born here. We have changed roosters twice but all have been vaccinated. Just makes us wonder how it was introduced into our flock? Still hoping for good results but bracing for the worst.
Will update you then... possibly tues or wed for sure.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, she was with all the flock. Still no others with symptoms. She is just now 2 years old. From what i read they are usually much younger? Most having first symptoms when starting to lay and due to the stress of beginning to lay causing a suppression of the immune system symptoms will appear if they are already positive with no symptoms. We are just so frustrated that we have tried to do everything possible to have healthy birds. Our original 12 were supposedly vaccinated-- paid extra to have it done. Only 10 of those are left and all of our others have been born here. We have changed roosters twice but all have been vaccinated. Just makes us wonder how it was introduced into our flock? Still hoping for good results but bracing for the worst.
Will update you then... possibly tues or wed for sure.

Let me know what you find out.

The Marek's vaccine can help stop the formation of tumors, but does not prevent infection from the Virus, so even if vaccinated, chickens can become symptomatic.

 

[Mamagirl3]

Let me know what you find out.

The Marek's vaccine can help stop the formation of tumors, but does not prevent infection from the Virus, so even if vaccinated, chickens can become symptomatic.

Oh WOW!! Cried anyway!! Thank you so very much for holding my hand thru this! She is standing to eat and walks in her cage... not as steady as she needs to be to go back to the coop!!! But improving daily and now we can put her out in the tractor amongst the others every day.
Still no cause for her paralysis... but that has been her only symptom. And what really is questioning was the week of paralysis with the next week fine-- walking normal not gingerly like now for a week.. then complete Paralysis again. And this time almost 2 weeks before getting up again? Also, one thing i noted was that all the pics i found online about mareks- had one leg or both legs straight behind them or straight in front of them. Goldie never had that-- she was always just like she sat down.. like she was sitting on a nest. One leg is still a weaker but getting better. The better leg i would say is almost normal again. When she stumbles it is always that weak leg, but the giid one is strong enough now that she can recover instead of having to just sit down! Thank you again! We are so excited with the results.... not only for her... but for our entire flock!! Plus we have 2 hens that hatched -- chicks 3 weeks and just 4 days! Not in contact now... but with the concerns of it being airborne and us trying to cover clothes and shoes and dont cross contaminate --- been huge ordeal!! Haha but was trying to protect those baby chicks!! A blessing for us all!! *SIGH OF RELIEF*

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh WOW!! Cried anyway!! Thank you so very much for holding my hand thru this! She is standing to eat and walks in her cage... not as steady as she needs to be to go back to the coop!!! But improving daily and now we can put her out in the tractor amongst the others every day.
Still no cause for her paralysis... but that has been her only symptom. And what really is questioning was the week of paralysis with the next week fine-- walking normal not gingerly like now for a week.. then complete Paralysis again. And this time almost 2 weeks before getting up again? Also, one thing i noted was that all the pics i found online about mareks- had one leg or both legs straight behind them or straight in front of them. Goldie never had that-- she was always just like she sat down.. like she was sitting on a nest. One leg is still a weaker but getting better. The better leg i would say is almost normal again. When she stumbles it is always that weak leg, but the giid one is strong enough now that she can recover instead of having to just sit down! Thank you again! We are so excited with the results.... not only for her... but for our entire flock!! Plus we have 2 hens that hatched -- chicks 3 weeks and just 4 days! Not in contact now... but with the concerns of it being airborne and us trying to cover clothes and shoes and dont cross contaminate --- been huge ordeal!! Haha but was trying to protect those baby chicks!! A blessing for us all!! *SIGH OF RELIEF*

That is good news!

I'm sure having the results back have given some relief.

It can be very hard to know what's going on with them sometimes. I'd just try to keep working with her, giving the B vitamins and see how it goes, hopefully she'll continue to improve.