Mareks in flock? Chicken is unsteady

[Jtaranc]

Ok last week I had a 4 year old bantam rooster just curl up in the lay box and die after being fine.

I got home yesterday from work and my husband points to my 4 year old RIR hen on my porch and says "she hasnt moved all day" so of course i stand her up and she immediately falls over and uses her wing to stabilize herself. She almost acts high/drunk, like she sits down and stares off. She is eating. But does nothing but sits down. I work in a small animal ER and she reminds me of a dog whos ingested pot. They stare off and then come to.

About a month ago my BBW turkey hen could not walk, seemed neurologic, was falling over and just wanted to sit down. I could not tell where he exact injury was. She had been in with a TOM and I thought he crushed her trying to mate and she had a spinal injury so we did supportive care and I loaded her up with steroids. That hen is 100% recovered.

So now im worried this is Mareks. Ive read all the doom and gloom about mareks, but if you already have a flock with it and its too late, what kind of supportive care are you doing?

Ive also read conflicting info on whether turkeys ducks and geese get it.


Now Im wondering if this is mareks which would be awful, i have baby chicks and geese right now.

 

[azygous]

These symptoms aren't just for Marek's. Other viruses can cause similar ones. Also, toxic poisoning can cause this, mold, petroleum distillates, insecticides.

Do the chickens scratch around in soil and gravel that is under leaking machinery? Years ago my chickens were going lame, and when a chick died at my feet after being under the log splitter, I finally made the connection.

Insecticides also can cause these symptoms. And hot weather can also cause this.

 

[Jtaranc]

These symptoms aren't just for Marek's. Other viruses can cause similar ones. Also, toxic poisoning can cause this, mold, petroleum distillates, insecticides.

Do the chickens scratch around in soil and gravel that is under leaking machinery? Years ago my chickens were going lame, and when a chick died at my feet after being under the log splitter, I finally made the connection.

Insecticides also can cause these symptoms. And hot weather can also cause this.

They all free range and scratch around in everything. We have a 10 acre horse farm but I am super careful about chemicals and pesticides, insecticides. It is possible they scratched around in moldy bedding or hay. It was a wet winter and its hot now.

I fly spray the horses but i doubt they got into that.

 

[SegiDream]

Ok last week I had a 4 year old bantam rooster just curl up in the lay box and die after being fine.

I got home yesterday from work and my husband points to my 4 year old RIR hen on my porch and says "she hasnt moved all day" so of course i stand her up and she immediately falls over and uses her wing to stabilize herself. She almost acts high/drunk, like she sits down and stares off. She is eating. But does nothing but sits down. I work in a small animal ER and she reminds me of a dog whos ingested pot. They stare off and then come to.

About a month ago my BBW turkey hen could not walk, seemed neurologic, was falling over and just wanted to sit down. I could not tell where he exact injury was. She had been in with a TOM and I thought he crushed her trying to mate and she had a spinal injury so we did supportive care and I loaded her up with steroids. That hen is 100% recovered.

So now im worried this is Mareks. Ive read all the doom and gloom about mareks, but if you already have a flock with it and its too late, what kind of supportive care are you doing?

Ive also read conflicting info on whether turkeys ducks and geese get it.


Now Im wondering if this is mareks which would be awful, i have baby chicks and geese right now.

Worm them worm them worm them. I was worming our chickens with fenbendazole. They started having this issue and I was very concerned. My feed store sold me an ivermectin based dewormer.. One hen was lame and on death's door but is now back up and doing well. Not saying a parasite is the cause but it is worth a shot! Don't forget to double check what you are feeding them that their feed is not moldy and do not feed them raw beans or anything like that. If you are laying out poison for rats or mice that could also be a problem.

There's a group on facebook "positive about mareks and avian leuokosis virus" that you can look into.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you added any new chickens to your flock in the past weeks or months? Turkeys don’t get Mareks, so that would rule it out in her. But I wonder if there is some toxin as azygous said. This time of year people and neighbors go crazy with insecticides and weed killers. Mold that develops in feed or scratch from a few drops of water can happen overnight and cause severe illness. Eating dead fish, mice, or other critters in compost beds or eating a rat that has eaten poison could also cause paralysis or severe illness. I am sorry for your loss. Your state vet lab can do a necropsy and look for a cause of death if you refrigerate the body, and send it in soon after death.

 

[Jtaranc]

Have you added any new chickens to your flock in the past weeks or months? Turkeys don’t get Mareks, so that would rule it out in her. But I wonder if there is some toxin as azygous said. This time of year people and neighbors go crazy with insecticides and weed killers. Mold that develops in feed or scratch from a few drops of water can happen overnight and cause severe illness. Eating dead fish, mice, or other critters in compost beds or eating a rat that has eaten poison could also cause paralysis or severe illness. I am sorry for your loss. Your state vet lab can do a necropsy and look for a cause of death if you refrigerate the body, and send it in soon after death.

Its a farm so we do have mice but i dont use poison honestly i let the rat snakes take care of them. I dont use weed killer either cause i have livestock eating the grass. Im off tomorrow and will go through everything they have access to.

I added BCMs a year ago. They are with the flock and healthy. I have babies right now but theyre in a brooder.