Marek's.... how does it progress.... and how quickly?

[amyduck]

Is she able to be left alone in the coop with the other 2 hens? Can she get to her food and water?

She can eat and drink and be left alone with the Tracy, the pullet from the same household, but not with my alpha chicken, who would probably kill her if she found her flailing on her back. But even if I left her with Tracy, I think the other problem would be if she fell over, couldn't get up and stayed that way until I got home. She wouldn't be able to eat or drink. So I need to devise something, ideally, that would keep her upright AND be light enough and mobile enough to let her walk around... working on that, but it's taking so much time to figure out what I'm going to do.

 

[Jack Coma]

Is there any chance she might have something neueralogial?
Does not sound like Marek's. My birds never lasted over a month, because it progresses to cancer. They would be very lethargic and mopey. The falling and eye discoloration might point to something else. It's surprisingly common for chickens to break their backs and the inflammation pressed on their spinal cord messing with their balance and coordination. They would still have an appetite and be just engaged as before. I had a bird with a pretty severe break and after a shot of cortisone and some oral prednisone (1/4 of a 5mg tablet) she was right as rain. Can not sleep on the perch anymore though, too big of a risk for reinjury. Either in a nesting box or inside on a blanket.

It could also be possible your bird dislocated or injured one of her legs, an exray might help you figure it out.

Hope this helps and best wishes to you and your birdie!

 

[amyduck]

Thanks so much Jack! I do think it is neurological, but apparently Mareks can present itself neurologically or viscerally (prone to tumors) or something like that, if I recall correctly. Perhaps your chickens responded viscerally?

As for your hen, how did the vet discover the break? There doesn't seem to be any pain when I palpate Blondie's back or her legs, and my vet examined her pretty well manually as well.... if something was broken, I would think my gal would exhibit some pain...

Unfortunately, the Vet said the way her eye looked was conclusive....yet to my untrained eye, the iris is just a *little* lighter than the other, and a little slower to respond to light, but it does, and it is perfectly round. It does puzzle me that she's lasted this long...

I almost went today to one of the few vets locally that treats chickens, but he tends to throw antibiotics at everything... I've emailed my vet (45 min away) who is an avian specialist and will see what she thinks... maybe Blondie will be one of the few that survives but then comes down with it later... it's just hard to know what to do and how to help her... and work FT!

 

[Jack Coma]

The vet took a xray, chickens are often great at hiding pain. SHe could have cancer caused by marek's or she could have had a stroke that left a little off. If it's neurological she wont necessarily die, as long as she sleeps on the ground and stays out of harm. If you let your birds free range she will be less likely to be pecked on.

 

[amyduck]

Hi all, for an update on Blondie: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ver-id-like-ideas-to-improve-upon-it.1344866/