Large open wounds - Mareks?

[2ndTink]

*I have a Mareks positive flock, this pullet is vaccinated with the HVT vaccine* this is the first time I've seen these symptoms or this type of wound.

I have a pullet about 20 weeks old with two wounds, one on her right side between her keel and leg about 1 1/2" by 1" and one about 5/8" diameter just above her right hock.

She is on 20% all flock, not sure if she's started laying or not. She's never been very tame so I didn't notice anything wrong until Wednesday night and she didn't come out when I opened the run for them to have some yard time and she let me pick her up, that's when I discovered the wounds. I treated them with Vetrycin and started her on antibiotics. Yesterday and today they are more scabbed over vs looking like dark meat outside of her skin. She is thin but still has some weight on her.

I have her isolated now with dry feed, mash, and water, she is eating mash. Her poops are green, I'm not sure if it's "Marek's green poop" or from mayne not eating much prior to being isolated? She's eaten her mash well, but all her poops are still green.

Are these wounds from Mareks? Has anyone seen this before?

She is bright eyed today, eating, chatting with me, I don't want her to suffer but I don't want to put her down if this might be a true wound she can heal from.

Breast wound tonight, scabbed and no longer as red and meat looking

Hock wound, also more dry scabbed looking now.



Green poops

Hock wound when I first found it

Breast wound when I first saw it


The other day they looked like they were erupting through the skin, the skin was taunt looking and smooth edged around the wounds.

 

[sourland]

Do you have a rooster/roosters in the flock? They could be wounds from a large or clumsy rooster trying to breed her.

 

[2ndTink]

Do you have a rooster/roosters in the flock? They could be wounds from a large or clumsy rooster trying to breed her.

I had one cockerel in there the last 3 or 4 weeks, he had wry neck I'd been treating him for, he was better but still had a slight head tilt so he wasn't super great at catching the girls. It's not impossible on her hock, but the break one shouldn't be from him. He was the same age and a slow maturing breed so not super hormone crazed. We removed him last Saturday (freezer camp...)

 

[FrostRanger]

Could one of the other girls be bullying her?

 

[2ndTink]

Could one of the other girls be bullying her?

Not impossible, but these are thick, they stick up past the skin. I wish I could get better photos, but trying to hold her and hold the feathers out of the way with one hand and phone with the other isn't very helpful.

 

[2ndTink]

Sorry if it sounds like I'm just shooting yall down, I'm just trying to think through your suggestions and see if they fit

 

[triciayoung]

Was the flock also tested for avian leukosis?

https://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/hemangiomas

 

[2ndTink]

Was the flock also tested for avian leukosis?

https://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/hemangiomas

The first necropsy I had done that showed Mareks, I had that one PCR tested for Mareks and ALV, pos for Mareks neg for ALV.
I tested 5 others for Mareks, 3 neg, 2 pos, but I haven't tested anyone else for ALV.

 

[2ndTink]

@azygous @Eggcessive any ideas or advice on this one? I'll try to get better photos today.

 

[azygous]

You have two issues as I see this. It helps to prioritize them. First priority is treating the wounds. Second is to figure out what caused them so as to prevent further injuries.

First a tip. When you try to take more photos, face the wound area toward the light source. Photography is funny in that the camera does not see things like your brain interprets what your eyes see. Both a camera and your brain are computers interpreting what they see, but the camera only interprets what is lighted. By focusing light on what you wish for us to see, you can be well on your way toward being a competent photographer.

Back to the problems. Scabbing over of large wounds is not desirable as it traps bacteria under the scabbing. Careful daily wound cleaning, gently scrubbing away dead and extraneous tissue will expedite wound healing. New tissue grows from the outer edges toward the center. Keep the cleaned wounds moist with Neosporin in between cleanings.

These wounds may be, as @sourland suggested, from rooster attempts at mating. While a cockerel doesn't have much in the way of dangerous spurs, they do have toe nails that can inflict damage during their clumsy attempts at mating, and they are almost all clumsy in the most hilarious way. Keep them away fro the hens until they're older.

Or these hens may be injuring themselves on fencing poking out or thorny bushes, etc. You need to comb the area for hazards and correct them. You can do this best by quietly observing your flock to see what their habits are. It will help you to find the hazards.