I cured my wee bantam of Mereks

[gabrielle harri]

Hello I just wanted to share a success story. My wee girl a speckled bantam was around 10 weeks old when her legs suddenly collapsed under her. One leg shot out to the front and one to the side and she could really only lie on her belly and sometimes get up. we isolated her but she was still hungry and kept eating well. I fed her avocado and cheese high protein and oily food and tomatoes which she loved and kept her water fresh.
After research I saw that Hypericum was good for chickens with this suspect disease so bought some tincture which wasn't correct that was like a brown fluid. After speaking the the nutropath she said put that on her feathers a few drops then she gave me some pistules of hypericum and Rhus Tox. One for viral herpetic treatment. I put the two pills in water which was filtered in two seperate vials. Wait until they dissolve. Just use a small shot glass and fill it up. Each day I held her and gave her 2-3 doses of each which she didn't like too much.
By day 2 she was getting stronger
By day 3 she was standing
By day 4 I let her out she walked and was still wobbly
By day 5 well on the mend
then I just added the pills to her water.
I let her out to play with her buddies so she could socialise I figured if they had the disease they would already have it and I thought that was more important for her to eat grass and scratch.
Well now peanut is a feisty wee girl. I can't believe I nearly got her put down
It's a victory.
Another couple of things I did \
Bathed in epsom salt bath which is good for aching joints
We also made a sling to put her in to take weight off her legs but that was bit weird!

 

[MissNutmeg]

That's wonderful! Great job!

 

[jacrae05]

Hello. From the symptoms your describing I think one of my chicks may have mareks. I don't know how she would be exposed to it. But she suddenly stopped walking and sits one foot out the back one out the front. I thought she may have injured it as they have all been climbing on some rolled chicken wire. But she doesn't cry or flinch if u lay her on her back and move her legs.

 

[Taylorbrood]

Hello I just wanted to share a success story. My wee girl a speckled bantam was around 10 weeks old when her legs suddenly collapsed under her. One leg shot out to the front and one to the side and she could really only lie on her belly and sometimes get up. we isolated her but she was still hungry and kept eating well. I fed her avocado and cheese high protein and oily food and tomatoes which she loved and kept her water fresh.
After research I saw that Hypericum was good for chickens with this suspect disease so bought some tincture which wasn't correct that was like a brown fluid. After speaking the the nutropath she said put that on her feathers a few drops then she gave me some pistules of hypericum and Rhus Tox. One for viral herpetic treatment. I put the two pills in water which was filtered in two seperate vials. Wait until they dissolve. Just use a small shot glass and fill it up. Each day I held her and gave her 2-3 doses of each which she didn't like too much.
By day 2 she was getting stronger
By day 3 she was standing
By day 4 I let her out she walked and was still wobbly
By day 5 well on the mend
then I just added the pills to her water.
I let her out to play with her buddies so she could socialise I figured if they had the disease they would already have it and I thought that was more important for her to eat grass and scratch.
Well now peanut is a feisty wee girl. I can't believe I nearly got her put down
It's a victory.
Another couple of things I did \
Bathed in epsom salt bath which is good for aching joints
We also made a sling to put her in to take weight off her legs but that was bit weird!

what do you mean by two seperate vials, are you talking two different shot glasses?

 

[Saaniya]

Wow hatts off to u I'm.so happy to read ur post

Marek's is a "Red Alarm" for every chicken keeper and everyone know there's no medication are avail till today..

Your girl is Strong there are two types of Marek's one is "Non Life Threatening" & Other one is deadly ..
Some chickens survived the virus easily ..my love to ur chicken

 

[rebrascora]

I know this is an old thread from January and I hate to burst someone's bubble, but my experience of Marek's Diesease is that some birds have these miraculous recoveries from really debilitating paralysis with no treatment at all, but it does not mean they are "cured". They will almost certainly suffer further and usually more severe/prolonged attacks in the future, sometimes months or even a year later. It is a really frustrating disease because it is so hard to tell what treatment is effective and what isn't because it can naturally fluctuate, but I have had several birds exhibit the same amazing recovery as the OP describes without any treatment, so whilst I would not discourage you from trying Hypericum, I personally do not find it is an effective treatment for Marek's and the OP's success may have nothing to do with the treatment they used.
Good nutrition is very important though because Marek's compromises the immune system, so a good vitamin supplement and probiotics or fermented feed and good quality higher protein treats like scrambled egg and liver or fish and plenty of sunshine and grass will do as much good as anything else. Keeping them happy and stress free is very important.
Good luck to everyone else who is battling this disease.

Regards

Barbara

PS. It would be interesting to know if the OP's (@gabrielle harri ) pullet is still alive and if there have been any other cases in the flock.

 

[Taylorbrood]

i've been working on keeping my flock alive after a mareks outbreak been doing the above, and had success until last night ugh.... had a bowl of supplements out that the s/o takes it was mixed together royal jelly coconut oil and shark cartledge, had her in my arms and she went straight for his bowl and started eating it. strange

 

[BugStalker]

I've seen healthy ones lunge after certain foods they usually never touch, when they feel like they need them. I've also seen them go after man-made things like brittle plastic. :$

 

[Taylorbrood]

I've seen healthy ones lunge after certain foods they usually never touch, when they feel like they need them. I've also seen them go after man-made things like brittle plastic. :$

we have the plastic issue also from time to time, shark cartledge concerns me though because her comb turned pale, but she went after it again today when I divided the three supplements up to see what she would do, that was her first choice, considering the side effects on the liver that drug can have she won't have access to it again. I don't see much hope for her just trying to boost her immune system to help her fight this off, but I have two now that I am dealing with, pulled her last night but she was going crazy so put her back out this morning, what I noticed is they are not letting her eat, not letting her in the coop, and saw one grab a beak full of tail feathers and rip them out. so tonight after they kicked her out twice I pulled her and brought her in. I think she is just stressed out and I am trying to reduce their stress. but between them, the dogs, the lazy s/o stress is just way to high

 

[BugStalker]

Stressed chickens typically like to be warm (80F), dark, quiet, with water and food nearby. They will tend to be picked on in the coop. Sometimes, I'll look for one that doesn't pick on them, and let them visit for a social boost.

Does she go for oyster shell? That for calcium, and a little magnesium (molasses, for instance) are great for an energy boost. Sometimes poultry vitamins help with weird hen cravings.