Mareks? Help? *Video added*

[Daisy668]

Hi,
I have had chickens for 6 years and never had a single mareks or thought to be marek's case. My oldest chicken, about 4 years old, started siting inside the coop and not coming out. Assuming she was just a bit ill, as they do that from time to time, I brought her out and popped her down on the floor next to the feed expecting her to stand up and eat. She didn't stand up.
This is two weeks ago since then she hasn't stood up but when I take food to her she pecks at it like mad as if she's hungry. I have now started siting her outside with the other chickens but with food and water in front of her to eat. She's eating, drinking and cherps alot so I'm sure she is happy. Is it Marek's? what else could it be?
You might wonder why I haven't seperated her from my other chickens, 3, but she was with them for 2 days before i realised she couldn't walk so they would have already caught it wouldn't they? She can shuffle herself around and move both wings and one leg(kind of) and she can curl her toes up and uncurl them.
If this is marek's she hasn't been able to walk for just over two weeks now, how long do they normally have?

In two weeks I am going on holiday and my grandma is looking after the chickens but all she does is fill the food and water up and she can't care for that chicken. ie. get her out every morning, make sure she eats and drinks, clean her bottom and put her away at night. I don't know what to do? My mum says put her down but she is still so happy! I can't do that to her, Has anyone else experienced this? And any suggestions on what I can do with her? Where she could eat, drink and sleep safely.
Thank you
Daisy

 

[ReikiStar]

Sure does sound like Mareks'. Initially a healthy looking bird who can't walk and needs help eating and drinking. If you're going to be away, putting her down might be the best course since it's unlikely she'll recover. It's such a heartbreaking disease. Hope she doesn't have it and will improve in the next week or so. But if not, my heart goes out to you both.

 

[Daisy668]

Thank you
she can eat and drink without me being there just can't move much
Thank you

 

[leadwolf1]

Can I ask you some questions?

Do you have younger chickens? Have you brought any new chickens into your flock?

Normally, a 4 year old chicken will not come down with Marek's..unless, you have brought in a chicken from outside in the last little while that would be a carrier.

Give me some more info and I will try and help you out with what to do with your hen.

 

[Daisy668]

I haven't had new chickens for 2 years and they were about 18 months old when i got them. I don't think they are carriers.
Thanks

 

[leadwolf1]

If they were carriers, you would know by now! Is there anyway that your girl could have gotten into some bad feed? Some other kind of poison? I just don't believe that this is Marek's. It doesn't make sense and doesn't follow the protocol.

Maybe she fell off the roost and hurt herself? I would bring her in where it is cool and safe. Give her some vitamins and electrolytes. Feed her some extra protein. Is she eggbound???

For now, put Marek's out of your thoughts and search other things that cause leg paralysis. There are others.

 

[Daisy668]

Ok, How would I know if she is egg bound? And what can I do?
There's Ivy in the very corner of the garden but there always has been. I didn't know that it was really poisonous,
Thanks

 

[Daisy668]

I forgot to say! About 3 weeks ago one of my chickens died. The only symptoms she had was that she lost her appetite and sat inside all day, but she could still walk. She was only like this for 2, maybe 3 days before she died
And about 2 months ago a free range chicken farm about half a mile away suddenly got rid of all the chickens. They could have been clearing out because of marek's? I don't know if it's relevant or not.
Thanks Daisy

 

[leadwolf1]

The loss of the first hen can definitely change things...as does the farm down the road. How far away? Can you visit and ask why they closed? With that information, if this hen passes, I would suggest that you have a necropsy performed to see just exactly what you are dealing with.

 

[Daisy668]

It's almost a mile away. I don't think I can get necropsy performed, I don't know where i could?
Thanks Daisy