Last chance hen. Mareks? Cocci? Help!

[treetababy]

Can a bird with suspected Marek's wasting/paralzyed be force fed long enough to recover after the virus "runs it's course?"

Is there anything that can be done? I am in the same boat as the poster.

Trisha

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry, no. There is absolutely nothing that can be done. it's sad. The only thing you can do in the future is buy day old vaccinated chicks or hatch them and vaccinate yourself. (if it's Marek's). The other chickens may stay fine, but they will be carriers for life. And the vaccination only prevents paralysis and tumors, but vaccinated chickens can still carry the virus and spread it if exposed to other chickens that have it. Marek's vaccine does NOT give them the virus.

I hate this. I have been dealing with this for 3 months now. I never knew my flock had it. I guess most of my flock was exposed when they were older, and had more resistance.

The chicks I had incubated here last year were kept separate for 10-12 weeks, but in the coop and run right in the middle of my chicken area. With my last hatch last year, I lost one- wasted away.

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/content/view/17/37/

 

[mysweetgypsy]

Most of mine were vaccinated as day olds, or came from state certified breeders. Would it be bad to vaccinate them all now? I'm still hoping it's just her wasting from the cocci, (terrible to say I suppose), but if the alternative is Mareks... So I'll try Sulmet, oatmeal/buttermilk, a good suppliment, and vaccinating? Does this sound like a good course of action? If she survives all this I'll keep her!!

 

[speckledhen]

It could be something entirely different from either Mareks or intestinal or other damage related to the coccidiosis. This may be something that would have happened even if she had not gotten cocci, maybe something just wrong with her internally, a defect that you'll never find out. Provide supportive therapy as you are doing and hopefully, there will be a good outcome. Sometimes, there is just nothing you can do for them, unfortunately.

 

[seminolewind]

Speckledhen is right. It could be anything . I'm just guessing from what my experiences are. I surely hope it's something she'll get over. Your plan sounds like a wise one.

 

[mysweetgypsy]

I don't know if any of you will see this but the hen died before I could enact any of my plan. I went out and she was on her side struggling to get up. I put her in a box and that was it. Over the last 24 hours I noticed two things. She was eating, I saw her pick up pellets, for several minutes, nothing came back up, but nothing in her croop (sp?). And her neck was twisted to one side, but with all the fluff and feathers it looked straight. I really don't get it? Everyone else looks great. I guess I'll have her tested, that's all that's left now. I've never had a necropsy on a chicken, do I just take it to the vet? Or to a university? At least it was fast. On her feet one minute and down the next.

Thanks for all the help though

 

[speckledhen]

You'd call one of your state poultry labs and ask them the procedure. You'd keep her body in the fridge, not the freezer as that will destroy tissue.

 

[mysweetgypsy]

Thanks. If it is Mareks, God forbid! do I cull the entire flock?

This is a depressing prospect.

 

[DanyyChicken]

Sorry to hear the news for you but at least the worrying is over and she went relatively peaceable.

I have one with similar symptoms myself. She is still alive at about 19 weeks. She had a severe case of cocci at about 7 weeks. She was never the same after although she is well enough to get around with the flock but doesn't seemed to be as fit as the others. I wonder if she will ever produce an egg after all that hAs effected her system. I tried so hard to save her as she is one of my two EEs.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
You would need to close your flock, so no birds in or out, but as far as culling them, you need to ask your state vet about that.