Mareks or Something Else?

[MaithePotatoFly]

Can you post photos of the poop?

It's very possible she has EYP or some other reproductive disorder. EYP (Coelomitis) is when Egg Yolk is deposited into the Coelom (main body cavity/abdomen) of the hen. Yolk is a rich medium for bacterial growth which in turn causes the body to have an inflammation response and attempt to surround or wall of the material. EYP can happen at just about any age, but especially during laying age, your girl is almost a year old.

It can be hard to know unless you lose her and have a necropsy performed.

If she's been off and on lay, then I'd give her 300mg Calcium Citrate+D3 now, then once daily for a week. See if she lays an egg or lash material.

Unfortunately Marek's disease can affect birds at just about any age over 8weeks of age.

Her stance is a stance most often seen in hens that have something reproductive or perhaps organ dysfunction. Yellow mustard droppings can indicate liver or reproductive issues. Has she ever been dewormed?

Work on hydration, get the calcium into her and see that she's eating o.k. I'd leave her with her flock if she's able to move able without being harassed and just go in and treat her as needed. While you tend to her, check for lice/mites.

An example of Calcium Citrate is below.

View attachment 4325997

Hi, thanks for your in depth reply. I’ve been giving her that calcium citrate mixed with feed, and making sure I observe her drinking. Unfortunately my head hen has been picking on her so I may have to separate her to make her more comfortable, which I was hoping to avoid. I think she likely has eyp, as her droppings are appearing more yolky to me now I read that maybe soaking in epson salt might do…something? I’m not sure, I’m a new chicken owner. Is it worth a try? I hate to see her suffer.

I haven't seen any bugs or lice. Is it worth treating for something like Cocci? Some of the symptoms also seem a little similar, just no bloody poop?

 

[Susan Skylark]

Isolate her from bullies, have easy access to feed/water, clean bedding, a Buddy if necessary, keep her at a comfortable temp out of drafts or direct Sun…good nursing care is her best bet. Deworming (safe and reliable dewormer) and a broad spectrum antibiotic won’t hurt and maybe some aspirin or other chicken safe pain medication. Specific treatment calls for a specific diagnosis, which you can’t get from vague clinical signs (type lethargy, decreased appetite and depression into web MD and you’ll literally get 6500 different diseases (in people)). Everybody’s chicken has mareks/coccidia/egg bound, but in reality it could be a thousand different things, some respond to time and good nursing care (let the bird heal itself), a few have very specific remedies, many do not and very very few have an easy to diagnose sign or symptom, and doing certain treatments for the wrong disease can actually cause more harm than good (while epsom salt soaks might help an egg bound bird, soaking a bird with respiratory issues (and stressing it out in doing so) is counterproductive. Don’t do something just to feel like you are doing something, rather attend to her actual comfort and basic physical needs, don’t drive yourself crazy scouring the internet trying to diagnose whatever it is. Even a trained vet or physician doesn’t actually diagnose vague disease very often on the first try. Take your kid to the ER for a respiratory disease and you get supportive care and a list of 18 possible causes, most viral, with instructions to give the kid time and good nursing care, don’t have expectations of yourself that a trained and experienced physician doesn’t require of themselves! Do your best, relax, take care of your bird and yourself!