Mareks or Eggbound Pullet, or something else?

[ufflepish]

Hi all,

We were just starting to get our first eggs from some Australorp chicks last week. The eggs had soft shells and the girls were eating them . Then on the weekend (14.5.23) I noticed one of the pullets laying down a lot - she is probably the smallest of the 3 chicks and is the only one still chirping like a chick, but she has developed the reddest comb. Next day things looked worse and she has a limp, so I start thinking she is eggbound.

That night I gave her a long epsom salt bath and she tried squeezing, with strong contractions from her vent, but I could not feel the egg. The next morning we do the exact same thing - half hour bath, dried off, contractions, nothing. That evening we do the same, but she has quite a lot of energy by this stage.

Now this morning and today she is full of energy, but still walking around with this gammy leg and shaking every now and then. I still can't feel an egg, but shes going into contractions every now and then.

Since symptoms first shown, in small doses have given her calcium, magnesium, dusted her feathers for mites and drunken dewormer.

Does she have Marek's disease or is she eggbound or is there something else I should investigate?

Video: https://www.loom.com/share/75cb37e4e89a45d2a659ed326d42efed

 

[AidKD]

Have you tried feeling around in her vent for an egg?

 

[ufflepish]

Have you tried feeling around in her vent for an egg?

Yep, cant feel an egg

 

[Sussex19]

Try giving her some calcium, with D3.
You should be able to buy it in any supermarket, if you don't have any. Just pop one tablet down her beak.
It can't hurt, and will help if she is egg bound.

 

[AidKD]

Yep, cant feel an egg

That's too bad. What @Sussex19 said! Has she had been having problems with her vision? Is she not drinking? Has she lost her appetite? And does she have rough skin around her feather follicals?

 

[ufflepish]

Thanks @AidKD and @Sussex19 ! She is eating and drinking and has a surprising amount of energy. She is much smaller than her sister who we got at the same time (and was the same size then).

I'm not sure how i would test for vision - her funny walking means she steps on things that she shouldnt? as in the other chickens are coordinated while she sort of stumbles about.

skin around her feather follicals is soft!

 

[AidKD]

Thanks @AidKD and @Sussex19 ! She is eating and drinking and has a surprising amount of energy. She is much smaller than her sister who we got at the same time (and was the same size then).

I'm not sure how i would test for vision - her funny walking means she steps on things that she shouldnt? as in the other chickens are coordinated while she sort of stumbles about.

skin around her feather follicals is soft!

That's good because it means that she does not have Marek's! If her vision is poor then she'll have a hard time eating, drinking, she'll run into things most likely.

 

[Sussex19]

That's good because it means that she does not have Marek's! If her vision is poor then she'll have a hard time eating, drinking, she'll run into things most likely.

I'm sorry, but none of that rules out Mareks.
I have Mareks in my flock, and when I lose one often all that is apparent is what appears to be a blocked crop and general lethargy.
Sometimes, (and is happing more and more) there will be either a limp, or more usually a slight stiffness, or poor coordination.

@ufflepish I didn't see the video before, and now it isn't playing very well, (most likely my connection, its pretty bad at this time of day)
From what I can see, it don't look too bad. Could she just have strained/sprained it?
From the bit I saw of the video, it don't really look like Mareks, but that don't rule it out either.
I don't think she can be eggbound, as she would be in a bad way by now.
I'll tag a couple of others, so see what they say.
@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock
Sorry guys, I know I tag you quite a bit, but its very much appreciated!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I noticed one of the pullets laying down a lot

Next day things looked worse and she has a limp, so I start thinking she is eggbound.

That night I gave her a long epsom salt bath and she tried squeezing, with strong contractions from her vent, but I could not feel the egg. The next morning we do the exact same thing - half hour bath, dried off, contractions, nothing. That evening we do the same, but she has quite a lot of energy by this stage.

Since symptoms first shown, in small doses have given her calcium, magnesium, dusted her feathers for mites and drunken dewormer.

Give her 1 tablet Calcium Citrate daily for a week. You can find Calcium Citrate with D3 in the vitamin aisle of stores like Walmart, CVS, etc. Give 1 tablet daily, just pull down on her wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.

You dusted for mites - does she have mites or lice?

She drank dewormer - what did you give, the dose and duration?

Limping can be from a number of things from injury to something more serious like Marek's. I'd give her 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily for a couple of weeks for leg support.
At this point, monitor her, see that she's eating/drinking and her crop is emptying.

What do you feed, including treats? Do you provide oyster shell free choice?

That's too bad. What @Sussex19 said! Has she had been having problems with her vision? Is she not drinking? Has she lost her appetite? And does she have rough skin around her feather follicals?

That's good because it means that she does not have Marek's! If her vision is poor then she'll have a hard time eating, drinking, she'll run into things most likely.

You can't say she does not have Marek's. The disease presents in so many different ways.

 

[ufflepish]

Update from quarantine. The limp has gotten worse:

https://www.loom.com/share/1993f74e9cb9480bb810e9599fdd373d

I fed her the above vitamins this morning