Marek’s Disease? Or something else?

[KindleTay]

Looking for some insight on Marek’s disease so I can be prepared... google searches have conflicting info so I’d like to hear your experience.

I have a pullet who was hatched Nov 14th, so she’s about 15 weeks old. Four days ago she started hobbling, two days ago the toes of one foot curled in and we started Vitamin B2, no change yesterday, and this morning she was on her side laying in diarrhea with the affected leg curled in and the other leg extended. So I’m pretty sure she has Marek’s. She can move both legs but will no longer bear weight. She will flap when I try to stand her up. She seems otherwise alert but I am doubtful she will make it. I quarantined her shortly after this with a little bit of food mixed with egg yolk, water with electrolytes and B2, and added some extra comfort. I’ve syringed her water and electrolytes a few times a day the last few days.

Now, the bigger concern… she was with 6 other chicks from her clutch. Obviously did not vaccinate them for Marek’s, either. She is separated from them now, but they’ve been with her from the start. Everyone else seems totally normal. The bigger, bigger, concern… the “nursery” area shares a panel (fencing, open air) with each of my runs, so they can interact without getting picked on.

I have a mixed flock in one run consisting of older birds and ducks (from 8 months to 6-7 years old), and the other has barred rocks that are about a year old and 8-ish months old.

How likely is it that I am going to lose most of my flock Is this a big threat to the older birds? What can I do to prevent this from spreading rampant through my flock?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Sounds like Curled Toe Paralysis, which is Vitamin B2 Deficiency.

It takes several weeks, to maybe a month or so to fully cure. I've treated 2 Silkies with it.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Looking for some insight on Marek’s disease so I can be prepared... google searches have conflicting info so I’d like to hear your experience.

I have a pullet who was hatched Nov 14th, so she’s about 15 weeks old. Four days ago she started hobbling, two days ago the toes of one foot curled in and we started Vitamin B2, no change yesterday, and this morning she was on her side laying in diarrhea with the affected leg curled in and the other leg extended. So I’m pretty sure she has Marek’s. She can move both legs but will no longer bear weight. She will flap when I try to stand her up. She seems otherwise alert but I am doubtful she will make it. I quarantined her shortly after this with a little bit of food mixed with egg yolk, water with electrolytes and B2, and added some extra comfort. I’ve syringed her water and electrolytes a few times a day the last few days.

Now, the bigger concern… she was with 6 other chicks from her clutch. Obviously did not vaccinate them for Marek’s, either. She is separated from them now, but they’ve been with her from the start. Everyone else seems totally normal. The bigger, bigger, concern… the “nursery” area shares a panel (fencing, open air) with each of my runs, so they can interact without getting picked on.

I have a mixed flock in one run consisting of older birds and ducks (from 8 months to 6-7 years old), and the other has barred rocks that are about a year old and 8-ish months old.

How likely is it that I am going to lose most of my flock Is this a big threat to the older birds? What can I do to prevent this from spreading rampant through my flock?

What's the dosage of the B2 you have? Also are they capsules?

 

[Eggcessive]

I can understand the worry about it being Mareks. If she has Mareks, the others have already been exposed. But I would treat her at least 2 weeks for a possible B2 riboflavin deficiency. What are you using for the riboflavin? A 1/4 of a human B complex tablet daily would supply enough riboflavin with 5 mg. Riboflavin tablets or capsules would be overkill at 100 mg per capsule, but you could scrape a little off a tablet or a tiny portion of a capsule per day.

Some things that may look like Mareks are dehydration, eating moldy feed or something in the compost bed, infection pressing on nerves in the leg, or an injury. Has there been a rooster around her who might have injured her? The best way to get a diagnosis is testing and a necropsy through your state vet if she dies. There also is a blood test available through a couple of labs that you collect yourself through a trimmed toenail, and send back in.

I hope it doesn’t turn out to be Mareks, but it doesn’t mean that you will lose all of your other chickens. Have you added any new birds to your flock recently? Are there a lot of neighbors or farms nearby that have chickens?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a couple of good articles to read about Mareks:

https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vdl/colorado-avian-health-program/mareks-disease/

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

 

[MysteryChicken]

Riboflavin tablets or capsules would be overkill at 100 mg per capsule,

I used really high doses, which worked wonders. Too low of a dose it won't be sufficient.

 

[Eggcessive]

I used really high doses, which worked wonders. Too low of a dose it won't be sufficient. View attachment 3757784

I understand that it worked for you, but according to Merck vet Manual, only a little extra riboflavin is required to treat a deficiency. If you notice the dosage in 1 tablet of B complex here, it is over 1500% of a human daily dose. I usually recommend 1/4-1/2 tablet daily.
https://www.naturemade.com/cdn/shop...18SUPERBCOMPLEXTABback_1500x.png?v=1659114968

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ement-poultry/vitamin-deficiencies-in-poultry

 

[MysteryChicken]

I understand that it worked for you, but according to Merck vet Manual, only a little extra riboflavin is required to treat a deficiency. If you notice the dosage in 1 tablet of B complex here, it is over 1500% of a human daily dose. I usually recommend 1/4-1/2 tablet daily.
https://www.naturemade.com/cdn/shop...18SUPERBCOMPLEXTABback_1500x.png?v=1659114968

I used Capsules.
It is impossible to overdose, so why recommend a lower dose then? Excess is excreted through urates, & poop so there's no danger.

It's pure Riboflavin I used, not B Complex vitamins.

 

[KindleTay]

Sounds like Curled Toe Paralysis, which is Vitamin B2 Deficiency.

It takes several weeks, to maybe a month or so to fully cure. I've treated 2 Silkies with it.

This is what I thought initially, does it typically get worse like this? She looks so miserable the last few times I’ve checked on her

 

[MysteryChicken]

This is what I thought initially, does it typically get worse like this? She looks so miserable the last few times I’ve checked on her

How's she like currently? My worst bird had it happen to both her feet.

Left untreated it can be harder to fix.