Mareks? Is it too late for our hen?

[SeaChickens]

@Eggcessive Thank you so much for the quantity of liquid to give, super helpful! I don’t think she has cocci, have dealt with that a few times before in my chicken keeping days. She had normal poops as recently as Tuesday, after she went lame. Now, of course, they are green and watery but I think that is just from not eating much. Going to try to find more things to tempt her to eat more. She seems more enthusiastic but mostly about mealworms!

Thank you to @Villa delle Rosa Silkies and @MissChick@dee - cucumbers are a great idea! Might be able to find watermelon too but it’s not in season so probably expensive. But I have a cucumber in the fridge

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

There is a blood test for Marek’s. This lab does it. I called and talked to them— they were very helpful and friendly.

http://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird

Marek’s has mimics... avian leukosis is one. Most of these viruses act like cancer and cannot be treated.

I have just gone through the worst fall of my chicken keeping life. I lost 8 birds in all. Marek’s was the suspect but I had the test done and it came back negative. I lost 2 breeds and after opening one hen I’m fairly certain it was genetic issues triggered by stress. (We moved)

 

[Eggcessive]

Tomatoes are also full of water, and my chickens always have loved pecking the whole tomatoes. Available, but not exactly inexpensive this time of year.

Most people that have dealt with Mareks say the best way to get a diagnosis is to get testing during a necropsy after death, where they test the feather shafts and any tumor tissue found in internal organs. I would worry about getting a false negative blood test, and feeling relieved. If it were as accurate as testing after a necropsy, then I think we would read more about it in poultry literature and even Mercks Manual. Some people have even received false negative results with a necropsy, while later getting a positive one done on another chicken later. Lab tests are not always perfect.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I specifically asked about false negatives and was told either it’s positive or it’s not.

I recommend calling the lab.