Mareks in a vaccinated bird?

[ErinH]

Hello,
Long post, I apologize....

I have a mixed flock, half are 2 years (ish) and half are about 10 months old. One of my 10 month old olive eggers is sick and I'm having trouble figuring out what is going on. I was on vacation for 2 weeks and when I returned, I found this hen to be very lethargic. Normally she would not let me catch her but she was just sitting outside the coop with her eyes closed and let me swoop her up so I knew something was wrong. She felt thin, and her crop felt empty. SIDEBAR - I should also add that while I was gone a hawk killed one of my hens and so I had the house-sitter lock the flock up in the coop/run (normally they free range all day) until I got home to figure some protective measures out. They were locked in the coop/run for 8 days.

I have isolated the sick hen in the house in a kennel where it is warm and quiet. At first I thought maybe the stress of the attack and subsequent incarceration had sent her into this state. Then I thought maybe her beak was overgrown (it was), and she couldn't pick up her food so I trimmed it for better alignment. It has been 4 days now and she is somewhat perkier but still can't eat on her own. I have been spoon feeding her layer feed softened in warm water, syringe feeding her water with honey (when she seems really low on energy) and canned cat food. She spends most of her time standing or sitting in the kennel with her eyes closed. If I go in there and wake her up she will walk around and look interested in the food. She definitely wants to eat, and she makes the motion like she is pecking at the food but falls short of actually grabbing it, or sticks her beak in the cat food/crumbles but doesn't actually grab the food, then looks confused and gives up. Almost like her vision is off. She can drink water on her own out of the waterer.

I thought maybe she was lonely so I put her out with the flock to observe her yesterday and she perked up substantially, but she was high stepping, so now I am thinking its a neuro problem. SIDEBAR - she also pooped while she was out in the front yard and it was this yellow cheese curd looking poop with foamy clear and white liquid and a tad of white and bright green. I didn't get a pic because I couldn't find my phone of course (it had gotten buried in hay). Reminded me of what people describe as a lash egg. (so I got a shovel and removed the poop and dirt from the area). She pooped four more times while out there which were either chocolate brown color or white/clear (all very tiny - maybe some diarrhea now too?). She was scratching and pecking at the ground while out in the yard, but she also stumbled a few times like her balance is off and got startled a few times over the other birds doing normal bird stuff. The other birds look like they are confused/scared of her when she does this.

SO I guess my questions are this:

Can it be Mareks even though she is vaccinated?
Would salpingitis cause any of these symptoms?
Could it be a vision problem without being Mareks?
If it is suspected Mareks should I cull and send for necropsy to state?

She doesn't have any lice/mites. I "dewormed" with an herb mix and cayenne pepper a few times last year. No signs of trauma/wounds on her.

Any suggestions would help

Half my flock are vaccinated (younger ones) and the other half are not.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Mareks will still infect vaccinated birds. The vaccine just prevents most of the symptoms that result in death.

 

[ErinH]

Mareks will still infect vaccinated birds. The vaccine just prevents most of the symptoms that result in death.

OK, so if it is Mareks, and she recovers do they ever recover fully? How long does it usually take? Will she be a threat to the other birds now? I'm thinking obviously it is already in their environment?

 

[Myrshine]

The truth about the Marek’s Disease vaccine is that it doesn’t protect your birds from getting the disease at all. In fact, it just slows the deadly progression of what the disease would normally do, giving birds a longer life than those who aren’t vaccinated. There are some cases where the viral load is so high, that it becomes a breakthrough. However, this is uncommon and I suggest getting your birds tested for Avian Leukosis Virus (ALV) and Reticuloendotheliosis as they can mimic Marek’s Disease to a T.

 

[ErinH]

The truth about the Marek’s Disease vaccine is that it doesn’t protect your birds from getting the disease at all. In fact, it just slows the deadly progression of what the disease would normally do, giving birds a longer life than those who aren’t vaccinated. There are some cases where the viral load is so high, that it becomes a breakthrough. However, this is uncommon and I suggest getting your birds tested for Avian Leukosis Virus (ALV) and Reticuloendotheliosis as they can mimic Marek’s Disease to a T.

Ok, thank you. Is this something you have to test for at necropsy or is it a blood test?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give vitamins and electrolytes, such as Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml daily, and continue to feed wet chicken feed, cooked egg, and canned cat food or tuna. How do her eyes look? Are they the same in color and shape of pupils? Picture can help if they are not. Poop pictures are also helpful. Herbs and cayenne pepper is not an effective wormer. Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are very good. Her symptoms could be a sign of a lot of things. I wouldn’t suspect Mareks just yet, but keep it in mind. Have you added any new flock members lately? This could be related to having a chicken sitter and keeping them in for some time. Most testing is best done after a death, when the state vet can perform a necropsy. Keep the body cool and send or take it in on M-F. They look at organs and the history, and if testing is deemed necessary, they go from there. If you should lose her, I would contact the state vet in your state, which can be found in this list:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[ErinH]

I would give vitamins and electrolytes, such as Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml daily, and continue to feed wet chicken feed, cooked egg, and canned cat food or tuna. How do her eyes look? Are they the same in color and shape of pupils? Picture can help if they are not. Poop pictures are also helpful. Herbs and cayenne pepper is not an effective wormer. Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are very good. Her symptoms could be a sign of a lot of things. I wouldn’t suspect Mareks just yet, but keep it in mind. Have you added any new flock members lately? This could be related to having a chicken sitter and keeping them in for some time. Most testing is best done after a death, when the state vet can perform a necropsy. Keep the body cool and send or take it in on M-F. They look at organs and the history, and if testing is deemed necessary, they go from there. If you should lose her, I would contact the state vet in your state, which can be found in this list:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

So I have been giving her nutridrench, her normal feed and wet cat food. She started eating a little bit on sunday evening, and then I had to work the last three days so she was resting in her kennel mostly, as I work long shifts and am gone for 15 hours on the days I work. Today I was finally able to take her outside again and she was able to fly and walk normally and peck at things! She still seems a bit weak but is acting normal and eating well. Maybe it will take her a bit more to get her stamina back as she is still very thin from not eating for who knows how long? I suppose I will rest her a few more days and then reintroduce her to the flock and hope for the best. I would feel bad for culling a bird that was acting normal and I'm guessing if it were Mareks that its already in my flock. I guess the risk would be if that's what it is/was, then she will shed hotter virus. I did add a new bird to my flock about 6 months ago that was found wondering around the hospital I work at for a few days, nobody claimed her so I brought her home and quarantined her for a few weeks and then introduced her and she has been doing very well. I knew it was a risk but I guess I just didn't understand fully the way it works with vaccinated vs. unvaccinated birds, and that vaccinated birds could still contract the disease; and I am a sucker for homeless animals. sigh. So.....I am hoping it was something else, fingers crossed.

 

[ErinH]

I would give vitamins and electrolytes, such as Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml daily, and continue to feed wet chicken feed, cooked egg, and canned cat food or tuna. How do her eyes look? Are they the same in color and shape of pupils? Picture can help if they are not. Poop pictures are also helpful. Herbs and cayenne pepper is not an effective wormer. Valbazen or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer are very good. Her symptoms could be a sign of a lot of things. I wouldn’t suspect Mareks just yet, but keep it in mind. Have you added any new flock members lately? This could be related to having a chicken sitter and keeping them in for some time. Most testing is best done after a death, when the state vet can perform a necropsy. Keep the body cool and send or take it in on M-F. They look at organs and the history, and if testing is deemed necessary, they go from there. If you should lose her, I would contact the state vet in your state, which can be found in this list:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

I forgot to add, her eyes look normal, symmetrical. Her poop is back to normal.