Lame chicken dies and now another is lame

[ksavageclarke]

I had a young Turken hen go lame with no explanation, then she improved, then suddenly the leg was nearly useless. She was still getting around, eating getting to shelter etc. Suddenly she appeared ill, hunched, fluffed feathers, we brought her inside but she died. The same day we noticed a younger Olive Egger pullet limping. it seemed like her left knee/elbow was wobbly. We brought her in and noticed that she is sitting back on her elbows/knees and her feet are not flat on the cage, the toes are curling in. Both feet are warm, and still have reflexes and the toes grab onto a finger. The right leg seems OK, but the left is not supporting her when she walks. I have no idea what to think. We assumed the Turken had been injured, but now others have suggested a possible neurological problem.

 

[Eggcessive]

Some diseases to consider would be Mareks disease, mycoplasma synoviae, and viral arthritis. I would start some poultry vitamins such as avian superpak, and do some research.

 

[cgmccary]

Quote: This does sound a lot like Marek's - Marek's starts out like the bird is unsteady on its feet or limping and progresses slowly from there -- the only thing is the bird does not fluff up, act sick or anything, with Marek's, they eat, are alert and do not appear to be in pain or anything . . . if Marek's, then nothing can be done anyway. What age are the birds in question?

It could also be some sort of toxin, from wet feed or bad feed -- make sure feed is dry and not getting wet clean up spilled feed . . . you might try another feed . . . I am assuming you in a wintry place so no poisonous plants available?

 

[Eggcessive]

The reason to use poultry vitamins is that some leg and foot issues can be caused by a vitamin deficiency that may come from the feed sitting on the shelf at the store too long, or from the mother hen. Here are some links to information on MS, Mareks, and viral arthritis:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/164/viral-arthritis

 

[ksavageclarke]

We will dump the feed and scrape the dirt floor, clean the chicken house and put in fresh bedding. I will try giving the lame OE pullet some vitamins to see if she improves. I would be thrilled to find this is not Mareks. I was supposed to supply a friend with hatching eggs but we did not want to take a chance on infecting his birds. My birds are all free range during the day and we supply pellets, grower crumbles and scratch grain daily at this time of year. I buy my feed from MFA as the price is better and the birds like it better than what we can get at other suppliers.

 

[ksavageclarke]

The two limping pullets and 2 roosters that died suddenly 2 weeks ago were all less than 6 months old. I have some bantams that were housed with the Olive eggers and they are unaffected and have been very vigorous. The affected birds were a mix of birds hatched on my property and chicks purchased from private individuals.

 

[Eggcessive]

Oddly enough some breeds of chickens seem to be immune to Mareks. If there is Mareks on your property all birds, even though some don't get it, they still become carriers. Here is a good thread that is up to date on Mareks, and they welcome new peope with questions about the disease. Mareks is not passed through hatching eggs, so you may be able to still somehow supply the eggs. Chicks who are vaccinated at day one, then kept in a Mareks-free environment for two weeks are then immune to the disease.

 

[ksavageclarke]

I don't see the Mareks thread. Also will my ducks and geese be affected? I have Muscovy, Cayuga and Khaki Campbell ducks and a pair of African Geese.

 

[Eggcessive]

I don't see the Mareks thread. Also will my ducks and geese be affected? I have Muscovy, Cayuga and Khaki Campbell ducks and a pair of African Geese.

Sorry, here it is: https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=not+an+emergency,+mareks+in+the+flock

 

[Eggcessive]

No ducks don't get Mareks:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/neoplasms/mareks_disease_in_poultry.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/31528/can-ducks-get-mareks