Marek's and what to do?

[Lucysmom002]

I posted awhile back and can't find the post.
It's possible that my Dixie has Marek's.
She was lethargic, not eating, and her right leg appeared to be injured. I separated her from the flock, gave her ACV in her water, hand fed her fruit and bread (she wouldn't eat her feed) and let her rest. She perked up and was almost walking normally. She started eating just fine (she still is) and even seemed to gain a little weight back. This was over a period of a couple weeks.

Well, yesterday, her right leg is really weak and she steps on it and stumbles. Her voice is not normal, it's very deep and strange. She had to sleep on the floor again because her leg won't work properly.

I have 7 chickens that were not vaccinated and my others (from this year) ARE vaccinated.

I don't know what to do for her. She's one of our first chickens from last year and we don't want to lose her.

 

[Lucysmom002]

If this is NOT Marek's, does anyone know what else it could be? Today she laid around all day under the coop but right before sunset she ate really well and took a drink. I put her to bed on a nest on top of a large storage container so it's easy to get down in the morning. She slept there last night.
She cannot use her right leg hardly at all. (again) what could be going on??

I'm going to look up the St. John's Wort post and try that. Should I be considering antibiotics??
I have to try something or I will not forgive myself. Dixie is one of our first chickens

 

[chicks4kids]

Wow, I have no idea what this could be. I hope someone will chime in with some advice.

that she pulls through. I'd keep up with the acv and maybe get her some extra protein in the form of some scrambled eggs.

 

[tiki244]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=524932


Maybe this will help you decide. It is a long read but well worth it.

I would say also to give her some probiotics to boost her immune system and some scrambled eggs each day to gain strength. I would get Oxine and spray it in the coop and around her to sanitize the air. And keep the dust and dander from the feathers down.

IF she has Mareks and IF she recovers she could possibly do more damage to the rest of your flock by being a carrier. However, at this point, the rest may have already been exposed (again IF it is Mareks).

 

[Lucysmom002]

omg, if I lose my Dixie it will be hard enough but if I lose more and more I don't know if I can handle it.
I want to have her tested, vaccinated and I want to clean the coop. There are feathers all over the outside part of the run (50 x 150) ish..
I haven't separated her from the rest of the chickens, (only in a smaller area so she could rest but not far from them).
Of course, it's Saturday, it's dark out and I can't do anything until tomorrow or Monday.

Stress...
the more I read that post and all the replies, the more I worry. I can't read anymore tonight.

Thank you for your replies!

 

[eggdd]

it's unlikely to be mareks. are any other of your chickens sick?

mareks is NOT a common disease amongst backyard flocks. it isn't. i know if you're reading around here you'll convince yourself it is, but it ISN'T. it's like hanging out on webmd to diagnose yourself.

call a vet. let me repeat: call a vet. i'll also repeat: it is highly unlikely to be mareks.

actually, you say she appeared to have a leg injury and be lethargic. well, that makes sense if she has a leg injury. perhaps you should look into that instead of treating for a rare disease that she doesn't have.

and call a vet.

 

[seminolewind]

Hopefully your chickens are old enough to have some immunity/resistance, and your young chicks are protected by a vaccine.
How old is she? I imagine she's your oldest, and may not have Marek's. Where would she get it from? Do you have any new chickens that were not hatchery day old chicks?

She may be heat stressed. She may have hurt her leg. Maybe both.

You can only prove Marek's by a necropsy. Otherwise, you need some history on your flock, and more than one death.
For example, my flock was all hatched here at home EXcept for ONE pullet I bought 2 years ago. Since that time, I've had a chicken die every few months with the same symptoms; wasting away. Recently I let one of my chickens hatch 10 eggs that I bought. At 8 weeks, one died every week till they were all gone, and one silkie who had sat on the eggs. The 10 chicks died either from wasting away, or got paralysis, or both, and three started getting tumors on their faces. From the wasting away, and one pullet that I bought at a swap, my flock was exposed and became carriers 2 years ago. I did not know till the chicks started dying, or I had to euthanize them for paralysis.

Hope things are more clear now.

 

[BrattishTaz]

I am losing birds from what I believe to be Marek's. I just had to put one down a little while ago. The symptoms sound similar to yours. Only one of my birds developed tumors. I hope this is not what it is.

 

[eggdd]

Quote:
did you send the bird to the state vet to verify? mareks is a serious thing. if your birds have it, you need to close your flock. NEVER allow your birds to leave your property. this is information you should know. i do not think it's okay to "believe". you should know if it's mareks or not. the state vet can tell you.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
did you send the bird to the state vet to verify? mareks is a serious thing. if your birds have it, you need to close your flock. NEVER allow your birds to leave your property. this is information you should know. i do not think it's okay to "believe". you should know if it's mareks or not. the state vet can tell you.

The plan was to send this one to the state lab. I do not believe I can once it has been culled though. I am going to have to check with them on Monday. My flock was closed the minute the first bird showed signs of illness. Others with birds are already not allowed on the property.