Hen with hurt leg and question about Marecks. Please help.

[dandydoodle]

I have a hen that is limping around. One of her legs seems to be hurting her. I assume she hurt it jumping off a nesting box or something. I am a little nervous though. Can birds get Marecks if they are four years old. I assume she just hurt herself so I am not doing any treatment. I figure it will get better in time. I have been told birds only gets Mareks at 5 to 6 months old but, if there is a chance that is what it could be I would like to know. I don't want to be doing nothing if I should be giving her Saint Johns Wort. If it could be Marecks I don't want to give it time to get worse. I also don't want to torture her by treating her if a bird her age can't get it anyway.

Oh yeh, I have examined her leg and there are no injuries that I can see. I checked her foot and there isn't bumble foot or anything. There is no scaley legs. She is just having a lot of trouble walking on the one leg. Thanks so much everyone for your help and advice in advance.

Sorry about my spelling. I don't know how to spell Mareks or Scaley. LOL!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think you can relax.
I think she injured it.

 

[dandydoodle]

Can they get Mareks when they are four?

 

[casportpony]

Can they get Mareks when they are four?

Yes.

 

[BantamLover21]

Can they get Mareks when they are four?

I'm sure they could, but I don't think its likely. By that point, most birds have been exposed to the virus and will have already become ill. My best guess is that she injured her leg in some way. Given enough rest, she should be fine.

 

[casportpony]

Most of mine die young, but I have lost a couple older ones and the necropsies done by UC Davis confirmed Marek's.

-Kathy

 

[dandydoodle]

Thanks.