Marek’s in pullet. Next step?

[ChickenCameFirst]

I have a Brahma pullet that seems to be suffering from Marek’s. One eye seems cloudy, but her pupil is misshapen.

She’s also acting kind of lethargic though, she still moves around and eats.

I’m wondering what my next step should be. I’ve heard that they can live through the paralysis and recover from it. Even passing on immunity to their offspring.

I didn’t know about Marek’s vaccinated birds passing on Marek’s to non vacced(?) birds. I have a lot of chicks that weren’t vaccinated, mostly hatched by me, that I hope won’t just get decimated once they’re introduced to the flock. Any advice?

 

[nuthatched]

I have a Brahma pullet that seems to be suffering from Marek’s. One eye seems cloudy, but her pupil is misshapen.
View attachment 4183520
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She’s also acting kind of lethargic though, she still moves around and eats.

I’m wondering what my next step should be. I’ve heard that they can live through the paralysis and recover from it. Even passing on immunity to their offspring.

I didn’t know about Marek’s vaccinated birds passing on Marek’s to non vacced(?) birds. I have a lot of chicks that weren’t vaccinated, mostly hatched by me, that I hope won’t just get decimated once they’re introduced to the flock. Any advice?

Are they in the same air space?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She’s also acting kind of lethargic though, she still moves around and eats.

I’m wondering what my next step should be. I’ve heard that they can live through the paralysis and recover from it. Even passing on immunity to their offspring.

Can you get some different photos that don't have shadows in them? Well-lit of the eye?
Here's a few examples of Ocular Marek's that @coach723 has posted of her flock. You may find the post interesting as well. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ocular-mareks-with-pics.1587096/post-26970258

How old is your pullet?

Can you get photos of all of her and her poop too?

She's lethargic, but still moves around and eats. It's possible that she has something else going on.

Check her for lice/mites, see that her crop is emptying overnight. Observe to see if she's being bullied or kept from food and that she can see well to eat/drink.

Has she been treated for Coccidiosis and/or Worms?

What do you feed, including treats?

Answering the questions can be extremely helpful.

The Vaccine can help stop the formation of tumors, it does not prevent infection from the virus. While the vaccine doesn't necessarily cause the virus to spread to unvaccinated birds, the vaccinated can still become infected and spread it. Same as unvaccinated. The virus is shed through dust/dander, housing, etc.

At this point, I'd try to determine if she's not well due to something else or if she does have Marek's.


Some do send for testing to see what they can find out. Some folks use this service, I have not, so you may want to research about it some more. https://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird

I didn’t know about Marek’s vaccinated birds passing on Marek’s to non vacced(?) birds. I have a lot of chicks that weren’t vaccinated, mostly hatched by me, that I hope won’t just get decimated once they’re introduced to the flock. Any advice?

 

[ChickenCameFirst]

Are they in the same air space?

They were as of two days ago. They’ve definitely been exposed. I had two separate age groups of chicks. All of them have been outside. Though, I can almost guarantee that Marek’s was spread through an injured pullet I put in with the older group of chicks to recover. She came from TSC along with 25ish other hens that are kept at the place in the countryside that I’m moving to within a month or so. They’ve been there since last fall, while I still live in town till my house is built. All of the chicks were in town until a couple days ago when the older group got moved.

 

[ChickenCameFirst]

Can you get some different photos that don't have shadows in them? Well-lit of the eye?

I’ll have to get better ones tomorrow. Same for checking behavior and poop.

How old is your pullet?

Almost 12 weeks.

She's lethargic, but still moves around and eats. It's possible that she has something else going on.

Possibly, though her eye did look misshapen. Once again, I’ll try to get better pictures tomorrow

Has she been treated for Coccidiosis and/or Worms?

No, though I’d gladly take advice medicines. I’d like to have some on hand for anything I might come across.

The Vaccine can help stop the formation of tumors, it does not prevent infection from the virus. While the vaccine doesn't necessarily cause the virus to spread to unvaccinated birds, the vaccinated can still become infected and spread it. Same as unvaccinated. The virus is shed through dust/dander, housing, etc.

I’ve read that a vaccinated bird will test positive for Marek’s. Doesn’t that mean they can spread it? I definitely could be wrong and am open to correction.

Another reason I’m leaning towards Marek’s is because of a Brahma hen that I noticed recently with discolored irises and and her pupils don’t dilate properly.

 

[Eggcessive]

The one in post 5 does look like pictures I have seen of ocular Mareks. In the first picture, I had thought that one may have been an injury, but with the last pics, it may well be Mareks. The pupils should constrict (get smaller) when light is put into the eye, not dilate (get larger.) I would try to get a diagnosis either on a live chicken with blood from a trimmed toenail collected at home through RAL lab (Vetdna) in the link Wyorp Rock provided. They will send you the material to collect it and send in, and are reasonable. If you ever lose a bird some state vet labs can do a necropsy and look for Mareks. I would close my flock if I were you. Caution others with chickens from visiting your chickens. A vaccinated chicken cannot spread Mareks to a non-vaccinated chicken, but even vaccinated chickens can get Mareks. There can be a lot of misinformation about Mareks, so it is good to read as much as you can especially from sources who are reliable. Many people on BYC have flocks who are positive for Mareks. Some have chickens who seem to have some natural resistance to Mareks. Here are a few links about Mareks to read:
https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vdl/colorado-avian-health-program/mareks-disease/

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

https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens

 

[ChickenCameFirst]

I tried lol, but she didn’t like the flashlight in her eyes. Her comb is usually a little bit redder. Her and the other newbies usually stay together but do move around the coop. There isn’t a run, so I try to let them free range their area as often as I can. Today they don’t get to because I only went to check on the pullet and for eggs.
The newbies might not be getting to the feeder today as often as they would like, but the hens are really messy with food so it’s literally scattered across the ground. I’m sure they can get some.
As for the kind of food, Dumor chick starter was what she had been eating, but for the last couple days she’s gotten layer feed and some scratch grain and kitchen scraps.

edit: added two more pictures