Is it mareks?

[theuglychick]

I got a pullet at 9 weeks old about a month ago as part of a trio. So she's about 13 weeks now. My other 13 pullets and cockeral are all vaccinated for mareks, but this trio was never vaccinated. Over the last week, I've noticed her holding her right eye shut. It's not swollen, watery, or irritated, just held shut. She can open it, but doesn't seem to want to. Pupil seems responsive to light. Her activity level has gone WAY down and her head stays held in close to her body. She also appears to be favoring one leg. Not limping, but when she stops moving, I've seen her standing on one leg ( left) with the right foot curled under her on the ground or stretched behind her like she's mid-stride.

The rains finally stopped here today and of course we now have sweltering heat, so there is definitely an element of stress.

She's eating and drinking and keeping up with her cockeral brother and sister. But they are kind of slowing their pace to allow her to keep up.

I've also got another cockeral with a nasty eye (maybe Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Bacteria) and another cockeral (her brother) with a little bit of scabbing on his comb (thinking fowl pox). I'm treating everyone with sulfadimethazine because I've also noticed some dark loose stools so I want to treat all for cocci. Again. Just in case.

Could this pullet be suffering from either Fowl pox orMycoplasma Gallisepticum Bacteria, or is it likely mareks? Is there a way to tell the difference in the diseases? Aside from cocci in chicks, my birds were fairly healthy up until the flooding and days of rain and damp humidity and then everything started going down hill.

I have been flushing her eye and putting human grade antibiotics (all I've got) and tonight I put some Valbazen and saline mixture (mixed 1:2) to treat for eye worm just in case. Is there anything that I can do?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It sounds like you have several things going on which will be hard to nail down. Here is info that I have on some of the things you mentioned. Hopefully it will help.

===================
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) is a respiratory illness. MG can cause eye bubbles (foamy eyes), gasping, wheezing, coughing and mucous from the nose.
For respiratory illness you may want to use Tylan 50 injectable, given orally, or seek a vet's help. Tylan 50 dosage is 1 cc or ml per 5 pounds of weight. Give it orally or as an injection into the breast muscle 1/4 inch deep.

This is an example of what MG can look like:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1086681/is-this-the-flu-or-a-serious-disease

====================
Cocci can present with weakness/lethargy, not eating, diarrhea with mucus or blood, loss of balance, and puffing up/fluffed up appearance.
Corid dosage for Cocci is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon.
Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.
After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

VIDEO of chick with cocci - chick starts around the 1:55mark:
http://www.easychickenry.com/coccidiosis-in-chickens.html

========================
For Marek's some of the more "classic" symptoms are paralysis of one or both legs, going off feed/unable to connect with the food when eating, breathing difficulties (comb darkening), tumors, weight loss and loose bright green poop.

There really is no treatment for Marek's. Keep them hydrated and fed. Adding poultry vitamins may help. If you see any signs of secondary infection, treat accordingly.

Marek's info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
Photos of what Marek's can look like:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502#/disease/Marek's_Disease
===========================================================
First and foremost try to keep everyone hydrated. Dehydration makes it all worse.

Flushing the eye with saline is good, but I don't know about putting the valbazene directly in the eye. Even if you suspected something like eye worm, valbazen is given orally. Best to continue to flush out any pus/mucous and apply ointment to the eye if there seems to be infection.

Just my thoughts.

 

[theuglychick]

It sounds like you have several things going on which will be hard to nail down. Here is info that I have on some of the things you mentioned. Hopefully it will help.

===================
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) is a respiratory illness. MG can cause eye bubbles (foamy eyes), gasping, wheezing, coughing and mucous from the nose.
For respiratory illness you may want to use Tylan 50 injectable, given orally, or seek a vet's help. Tylan 50 dosage is 1 cc or ml per 5 pounds of weight. Give it orally or as an injection into the breast muscle 1/4 inch deep.

This is an example of what MG can look like:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1086681/is-this-the-flu-or-a-serious-disease

====================

Cocci can present with weakness/lethargy, not eating, diarrhea with mucus or blood, loss of balance, and puffing up/fluffed up appearance.  
Corid dosage for Cocci is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon.

Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.

After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

VIDEO of chick with cocci - chick starts around the 1:55mark:
http://www.easychickenry.com/coccidiosis-in-chickens.html

========================
For Marek's some of the more "classic" symptoms are paralysis of one or both legs, going off feed/unable to connect with the food when eating, breathing difficulties (comb darkening), tumors, weight loss and loose bright green poop.

There really is no treatment for Marek's. Keep them hydrated and fed. Adding poultry vitamins may help. If you see any signs of secondary infection, treat accordingly.

 

Marek's info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Photos of what Marek's can look like:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502#/disease/Marek's_Disease

===========================================================
First and foremost try to keep everyone hydrated.   Dehydration makes it all worse.

Flushing the eye with saline is good, but I don't know about putting the valbazene directly in the eye. Even if you suspected something like eye worm, valbazen is given orally. Best to continue to flush out any pus/mucous and apply ointment to the eye if there seems to be infection.

Just my thoughts.

THANK YOU so much for the help and advice. Everything went downhill over a matter of days. I'll try to get the Tulane. I found the info on Valbazen on one of the eye worm threads here. It said to mix half and half, but that seemed strong to me so I did it 1:2. I'll see how everyone is doing this morning and keep updated.

 

[theuglychick]

It sounds like you have several things going on which will be hard to nail down. Here is info that I have on some of the things you mentioned. Hopefully it will help.

===================
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) is a respiratory illness. MG can cause eye bubbles (foamy eyes), gasping, wheezing, coughing and mucous from the nose.
For respiratory illness you may want to use Tylan 50 injectable, given orally, or seek a vet's help. Tylan 50 dosage is 1 cc or ml per 5 pounds of weight. Give it orally or as an injection into the breast muscle 1/4 inch deep.

This is an example of what MG can look like:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1086681/is-this-the-flu-or-a-serious-disease

====================

Cocci can present with weakness/lethargy, not eating, diarrhea with mucus or blood, loss of balance, and puffing up/fluffed up appearance.  
Corid dosage for Cocci is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon.

Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.

After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

VIDEO of chick with cocci - chick starts around the 1:55mark:
http://www.easychickenry.com/coccidiosis-in-chickens.html

========================
For Marek's some of the more "classic" symptoms are paralysis of one or both legs, going off feed/unable to connect with the food when eating, breathing difficulties (comb darkening), tumors, weight loss and loose bright green poop.

There really is no treatment for Marek's. Keep them hydrated and fed. Adding poultry vitamins may help. If you see any signs of secondary infection, treat accordingly.

 

Marek's info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Photos of what Marek's can look like:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502#/disease/Marek's_Disease

===========================================================
First and foremost try to keep everyone hydrated.   Dehydration makes it all worse.

Flushing the eye with saline is good, but I don't know about putting the valbazene directly in the eye. Even if you suspected something like eye worm, valbazen is given orally. Best to continue to flush out any pus/mucous and apply ointment to the eye if there seems to be infection.

Just my thoughts.

What would be the quickest way to get the Tylan into them and working? Injecting? I'll give it a go. I'm going to get some today. The thing that has me thrown off is that there doesn't appear to be nasal discharge or coughing /sneezing. The bubbles in the eye aren't foamy, either. Just one or two bubbles. I wonder if I can give the Tylan on top of the Sulfadimethoxine. I may have to isolate him and the pullet and put them on just the Tylan.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What would be the quickest way to get the Tylan into them and working? Injecting? I'll give it a go. I'm going to get some today. The thing that has me thrown off is that there doesn't appear to be nasal discharge or coughing /sneezing. The bubbles in the eye aren't foamy, either. Just one or two bubbles. I wonder if I can give the Tylan on top of the Sulfadimethoxine. I may have to isolate him and the pullet and put them on just the Tylan.

I don't know much about the Sulfadimethoxine, I think it is an antibacterial not an antibiotic. I don't think I would combine it with Tylan though. @casportpony knows more about meds than I do, but to me it seems like it would be overload of medication.

You can give Tylan50 injectable orally (by mouth) if you prefer to do it that way.

Any photos of the sick chickens, so we can see what you see?
The eyes, poop, etc.?

 

[theuglychick]

I don't know much about the Sulfadimethoxine, I think it is an antibacterial not an antibiotic.  I don't think I would combine it with Tylan though. @casportpony
knows more about meds than I do, but to me it seems like it would be overload of medication.

You can give Tylan50 injectable orally (by mouth) if you prefer to do it that way. 

Any photos of the sick chickens, so we can see what you see?
The eyes, poop, etc.?

Thank you again. I checked at the 3 Tractor Supplies nearest me and none of them have it. I had to order it through Amazon and it won't be here until a few days

. Hopefully they can hang on until then. I have a pic of the cockerals eye from 2 days ago, but it's gotten a little worse since then. He's feathering in on his head and face so he looks less than awesome.

Normal eye

Irritated eye-NOTE: The eye isn't clouded like it appears in the photo. The pic just came out weird.

The pullets eye isn't irritated. Just held shut. I'll try to get pics of both birds eyes and the poop that I'm finding this evening when I get home. Thank you again for everything!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's hard to see, but the irritated eye-is there some blood on top and the facial area?
Any chance one of the other chicks plucked on him and possibly pecked him in the eye as well?

 

[theuglychick]

The pullet is about 80% better. Moving around a lot more and both eyes are open and great. I know that they can seem to get better and then go downhill with mareks so I'm cautiously optimistic.

The cockeral now has the foamy bubbles in the eye corner so I'm 95% sure it's MG. I'm rinsing it with saline morning and night. His activity level is great, his appetite is great, he seems fine other than the darn ugly eye. He was homely looking before because he was a late featherer, but now he's just ragged looking :/

I'm thankful he seems fine otherwise.

I really hope the meds come in soon.

Almost forgot... Here's a poop pic. Note: it's not fresh, so it's dried a little darker.

I'm also seeing some tapeworm segments so I'm planning to deworm with rooster booster first (should be here in a few days) and then Valbazen once my new syringes come in next week.

Geez! This is a lot! Hoping to get them back up and healthy soon

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm assuming due to there age you are still feeding chick starter?

If so, that is a good thing. I would make sure they are eating the chick starter generously and limit treats to no more than 10% of daily intake. Give things like fresh fruits/veggies, scrambled/hard boiled egg, tuna, mackerel, meat, sunflower seeds or mealworms. Focus on more "nutritious" treats for a while.

If you are seeing evidence of tapeworm, then you will want to use the Valzaben, I think Rooster Booster may not be effective on tapeworm, but you may want to research that. I do know it contains
Hygromicin B which is a antibiotic, which could possibly help with some of your other issues that you have, but I don't know much about it. If you give it to any of your laying hens, make sure you look to see if there is a withdrawal period (egg throw away period). With the Valzaben it is 14days after last dosage.

Let us know how they come along.

 

[theuglychick]

I'm  assuming due to there age you are still feeding chick starter?

If so, that is a good thing.  I would make sure they are eating the chick starter generously and limit treats to no more than 10% of daily intake. Give things like fresh fruits/veggies, scrambled/hard boiled egg, tuna, mackerel, meat, sunflower seeds or mealworms. Focus on more "nutritious" treats for a while.

If you are seeing evidence of tapeworm, then you will want to use the Valzaben, I think Rooster Booster may not be effective on tapeworm, but you may want to research that. I do know it contains
Hygromicin B which is a antibiotic, which could possibly help with some of your other issues that you have, but I don't know much about it.  If you give it to any of your laying hens, make sure you look to see if there is a withdrawal period (egg throw away period).  With the Valzaben it is 14days after last dosage.

Let us know how they come along.

My Tylan came in today. Im going to attempt to treat orally Monday night. I want to finish the sulfa first for cocci and I'm waiting on a scale to arrive to weigh the cockeral. I also got rooster booster vitamins and dewormer that I read helps with respiratory problems that I'll start tomorrow morning.

My question about Tylan is how many days do I dose him for?