Is this mareks disease?

[Parkbenchchickens]

Is this mareks disease? It’s eating and drinking normal though it’s been limping

 

[Eggcessive]

We will need more details. The picture is far away. Does the chicken have torticolis or wry neck? How old is it? Does she put weight or the leg, hold it up, drag it? Have you added any new chickens recently? Are the eyes normal color, with equal round pupils?

 

[microchick]

I agree with @Eggcessive. More details needed please. It almost looks like a sunbathing hen.

 

[Parkbenchchickens]

No wry neck, eyes normal color, puts a little weight on it and that one is one of the new chickens we added a week ago

 

[Wezdin]

Agree with micro, it looks there like sunbathing. Have you inspected feet for bumblefoot?

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully, it is just a leg injury or bumblefoot. Sometimes a short video posted to You Tube with a link here of the chicken walking can help. Here is some reading about Mareks disease:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext...Preventing Mareks Disease in Small Flocks.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[microchick]

Did you isolate your new birds away from your existing flock? Very important to do that.

Hallmarks of Marek's is a slow development of paralysis in one leg. The bird will limp on one leg but the limp will progress rapidly to the point where the bird is dragging the leg behind it. When it rests on the ground, it will extend the leg ahead of it or behind it.

As the disease progresses, the other leg will become affected and the bird will start to use its wings for balance until the wings also become effected. Throughout this period, the bird will act normal, meaning it will eat and drink and look healthy, just paralyzed to the point where it cannot reach food and water unless you put it directly in front of it. Sometimes the bird will use it's wings to 'walk'and make it's way around that way, using it's wings as leverage/crutches.

There are instances where the paralysis will suddenly reverse. The bird will appear normal but will later die of a secondary effect of Marek's disease, usually tumors. Once the paralysis progresses to the point where the bird is helpless, it is rare for the disease to reverse its course. At least that has been the case in my flock. Once symptoms appear, if not paralysis, they develop tumors or neurological problems that lead to them being put down. The only way you can get a definitive diagnosis is to have the bird euthanized or you put the bird down and ship it to your state's agriculture lab for necropsy.

I would definitely keep the bird away from your flock until you know what is going on. Unfortunately, the genie is out of the bottle. Meaning, if it is MD, your whole flock in exposed. I sincerely hope it isn't MD, but if it is, it isn't the end of the world for your flock.

Lots here, myself included, are dealing with this disease in our flocks. We are here to answer questions.

 

[Parkbenchchickens]

It’s foot was swelling, and it looked like bumblefoot so I put some stuff on to help. We are separating them in the coop, and when we Let them free range the new flock usually sticks with the old flock and vice versa. Thanks so much for your help, I feel much better about the situation now!

 

[Parkbenchchickens]

Also I just checked it and it keeps shaking it’s head. Do you know what this means?