lose of balance, appetite, open mouth breathing

[rebrascora]

When the results come back, we're here to support you.

Especially those of us who have been dealing with Marek's for a while. Not happy to welcome another member to our not so little "club" but here to offer you practical advice and support if that's what it turns out to be.

 

[Cellomama2]

Another favorite starting to show signs. Found out this may be from the bantams I got from my friend. Hey view of the Marek's disease is it's everywhere and chickens do basically two things, they either live or die. This whole thing just sucks.

 

[azygous]

Try to hold on until you get the lab results. Even if it's Marek's it's not the end of the world. We're going to help you come up with a protocol to deal with it. You will eventually have a healthy normal flock. We'll show you how.

 

[Cellomama2]

Thank you. I still just feel like crying.

 

[Cellomama2]

So I was finally able to talk to a vet in my area and he was running out the door tonight, and he was leaving now towards some type of poisoning work how fast this seems to be moving so to be safe, tomorrow I'm going to completely dig out the run, empty and wash the coop and buy new food. He also suggested possibly calling it quits with this flock and staring a new one if it would turn out to be Marek's but that just sucks. He did suggest getting the blues out an hoping for the best as far as the others not getting sick but wouldn't they already be exposed? And even if we did cull this flock and get a new vaccinated one how would that make a difference when Marek's can live in the soil for so long and they can still get it even if they are vaccinated?

 

[azygous]

That's right. You seem more informed than your vet. Marek's is extremely long lived in soil and in structures, even with attempts at disinfecting.

All of your flock has been exposed if it turns out to be Marek's. There's nothing to be done about that. Some with strong immune systems will survive and develop resistance and live normal lives.

I've lost more than my share of chickens to poisoning. In chicks, it kills very quickly. In adults, it kills but may take a day or more. It doesn't sound like poisoning to me, but I'm not a vet.

Let's let the lab do the necropsy and we will take it from there.

By the way, was this guy you got the bantams from a licensed breeder and did he sell or give you these chicks? Is he in business or just an acquaintance? If he knew his flock was carrying Marek's and is selling chickens, he can be shut down with a phone call to the authorities.

 

[Cellomama2]

The person I got the possible carriers from is an old college roommate who gave them to me. I know they breed their own and go to poultry shows so I'm hoping I'm wrong about where I got it if we do actually have it. The vet won't be back in until Wednesday now.

The other thing I just don't fully understand is if it is some kind of poisoning why does it seem to be only one chicken at a time and not all at once. The vet was asking of only the dominant birds where getting sick but thats not the case so I would think it would be a food thing and if it was a bedding or ground type thing wouldn't they all be sick right now?

 

[WildCHILD400]

I'm very sorry to here about all of this. chitownhen your chicken is so pretty what breed is it.

 

[azygous]

If it was the food, you would notice mold and an odor that's "off". It would have had to get wet. There's a possibility of contamination from the feed source, but not real likely.

Bedding would cause respiratory symptoms.

If it was insecticide or petroleum distillates, you would see dramatic symptoms and they progress quickly. You probably would have figured out where they'd gotten into it by now.

All the symptoms point to an avian virus. It may not be Marek's, but I'm betting it's one of them.

 

[Cellomama2]