Mareks or not?

[ChrisO]

I have a flock of 60 mixed breed layers. Older chickens are 6 months to 2 years and were purchased with mareks vaccine. Twenty chicks are 8 to 12 weeks and not vaccinated. One chick showed signs of Mareks with leg paralysis 2 weeks ago and is quarantined. Placed hobbles on chick and adding B vitamins to feed. No change in condition of sick chick in 2 weeks. There is no design of disease in rest of flock. I have 2 questions: 1. How long should I should I wait to euthanize chick if no improvement? 2. If it is Mareks how long before it shows up in rest of flock?

 

[nuthatched]

Are you doing direct dose of b complex at all?
Any other symptoms or just the paralysis,

 

[ChrisO]

Liquid B complex in feed only. Can't stand due to paralysis. Missing all feathers on her head and skin on head is hard and crusty. She eats feed if I set bowl in front of her or hand feed her. Droppings look normal. Eyes look normal.

 

[NetherLeeFarm]

Why do you suspect Marek's? I'm just wondering if you've dealt with it before on your property because the chick is a little young for full blown Marek's (although it's possible) and missing feathers and crusty skin aren't really indicative of Marek's. However, the virus can compromise the chick to the point that additional issues set in.

In regards to your two questions...

1) That is totally up to you. Personally, I usually wait until there's a sure sign of failure to thrive or a risk to the rest of my flock before I cull. Sometimes I notice an issue and it's time to cull right then. Sometimes I wait a while. If it's Marek's, your entire flock is already exposed and was likely exposed before now unless you brought it in with the newest chicks. Again, to cull or not is totally up to you.

2) It usually takes a while after exposure for Marek's to show, or you may never see signs (especially in your vaccinated ones). That's a disease that plays a hard game of wait-and-see. But the good news is that you can enjoy them, day by day, as they are. And who knows - you may never have another issue in your flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

Was she showing paralysis in her legs before her head was scalped? Do you have any pictures? How is she eating?

 

[ChrisO]

Mareks was suggested by another member based on photos I posted earlier; chick was sitting with legs splayed in photo. She was missing head feathers when I found her hobbling around coop, suspect older hens had been pecking her.
She was walking this morning although still unsteady and she was eating on her own.

 

[NetherLeeFarm]

Mareks was suggested by another member based on photos I posted earlier; chick was sitting with legs splayed in photo. She was missing head feathers when I found her hobbling around coop, suspect older hens had been pecking her.
She was walking this morning although still unsteady and she was eating on her own.

Yeah you really can't diagnose Marek's via a photo, although no judgement on the other member. They likely were making a very educated observation based solely on the leg splaying.

There are quite a few things that can cause paralysis in any animal, and same with chickens. If the chick is starting to get up and about, that's a good sign.

Just do what you can and if worse comes to worse, it's not a bad idea to cull and keep moving forward. Best wishes to you and the chick!