Mareks? Mites? Help Please!

[MedusaSnake]

hello this is a follow up to my thread about my chicken not eating. She is an old girl, around 7 or 8 so at first I thought it was just old age, but when took a good look at her today, she was covered in mites. I’m going to try and order some permethrin, but she is also showing signs of I believe Mareks?

She isn’t moving much and when she is she is wobbly. She is not standing up straight at all either. Do you think this may be a cause of the mites or maybe something else? It’s like her legs don’t function at all anymore. Could it be Mareks? She was eating but now she isn’t eating at all, I’m going to offer her eggs tomorrow, but what else should I do for her?

Any advice is appreciated
The photo is of her in the morning, it is now night.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I saw that she had some mites and I sprayed her in the morning but I’m not sure if the mites are causing her symptoms.

She is an old girl, around 7 or 8, and I’m wondering if these are signs due to age or something else is going on. I noticed that the last 2 days hse struggled to get up the coop for the night.

Other signs of include more watery yellow poop, puffed up feathers, droopy wings, and increased sleepiness.

I found the girl today covered in mites , I’ll go get the permethrin ready but do you think this may be causing her symptoms?

Do you think this may be a cause of the mites or maybe something else?

In your other thread, I'm posting some of your comments.

You found her covered in mites yesterday. Can you go to TSC or similar Farm Store and buy some Permethrin Poultry Dust AND Permethrin Concentrate or Spray?

Dust her very well with the dust, put the dust in a sock, then use it like a powder puff to dust her, work the dust through the feathers all the way down to the skin. Make sure to get around the vent, under her body, under the wings, under her chin/neck, around the face and head too. Repeat dusting in 5 day intervals.

Clean out your coop, including the nesting boxes. Mix the Permethrin concentrate (or you can buy premixed spray if you wish), according to the label.
Spray every nook and cranny of the coop/housing including roosting bars and nesting boxes. Repeat spraying/treating the coop in 5 days intervals.

Check all your other birds, if one has mites, likely the other do too. This Gal is older so she may be showing more signs of stress than younger hens.

A heavy mite infestation can cause decline and possible death in a hen. It's important to get her treated.

Do, see that she's eating well and drinking.
Check her crop first thing in the morning, see that it's emptying, if it's not, then address that symptom. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If you have poultry vitamins, give her those daily for a few days. If you don't, then give her a bit of egg or cooked beef liver daily.

Does she lay eggs at all?

 

[nuthatched]

It looks like she's standing as if she's egg bound.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/quick-guide-to-treating-egg-binding.66043/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can the spray also be used directly on the bird or just the coop? I’m planning to order it soon

The spray can be used on the bird, but I would try to at least get the dust or something tomorrow and treat her Asap.
The mites are killing her.

 

[coach723]

It does sound like a reproductive issue if the abdomen is bloated and firm. When it's very firm that can mean infectious material, when it's water balloon like it's fluid (ascites), from the liver leaking. Those can cause slow or stopped digestion, which show up as crop issues many times, or weight loss. Many times it's hard to know exactly what the issue is until necropsy. Based on your last picture, it doesn't look like she's doing well at all, and may not have much time left. For most reproductive problems treatments are few and generally not successful, mostly palliative to provide comfort when possible. I'm very sorry.

 

[Sylvester017]

@MedusaSnake I am so sorry you lost Camila. We lost our 11-yr-old Silkie last year. Her wee heart gave out. Never easy to lose sweet birds.

You asked earlier about vitamins for chickens My vet always asks as I leave his office that I'm giving vitamins to my hens. Three different kinds of vitamins we've used: Infant Poly-Vi-Sol no iron (liquid drops) and MissingLink Ultimate Avian Formula (dry powder) and Rooster Booster (crumbles). We used the liquid drops cuz the Silkies would directly drink a couple drops from the palm of our hand and seemed to love the taste -- we'd give it as a treat a couple times a week. Our baby chicks had the Avian dry powder mixed into their chick mash and today we still use it daily to lightly sprinkle into the adult birds wet treats like organic canned corn or canned peas, chopped cucumber, any wet treat, and the Rooster Booster was mixed into layer feed for adults but they scattered it more than they ate it!

Poly-Vi-Sol is found in any pharmacy, MissingLink Ultimate Avian Formula we bought at a pet store, and Rooster Booster was online -- today anything can be ordered online. Because our hens didn't like the Booster crumbles we ground it down to powder form to disguise in their treats (it's gritty is probably why the birds don't like it) so we sprinkle it sparingly into treats.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

If it was Marek's she would probably be practically paralyzed and if she had been sick for a few days it most likely isn't Marek's - she probably would have been dead by now. I am thinking a mix of old age and the mites are not making making her feel really well.
How does her crop feel?? Swishy almost softer than a water balloon or firm like it should be?? Is her crop empty ever night?? Is she eating and drinking anything at all??

 

[MedusaSnake]

Update > got her to eat some eggs, and gave her some wet feed and veggies. Still off balance when moving. The sound in the background is coming from another hen.
https://youtube.com/shorts/mLgWtDvZeGI?feature=share

 

[MedusaSnake]

She has passed. It’s not the first time I’ve lost a hen put it was so hard watching her condition worsen. She was fine the 1st few days, but she became unable to walk, and would start eating less even though she loved to eat before. Her name was Camila and she was such a good friend, I’ll love and cherish her forever . I was able to stay by her side during her last few moments at least.

Thanks everyone for all your advice. Stay well everyone, you and your birds.

 

[coach723]

Very sorry for your loss.