Mareks or vitamin deficiency?

[Chickenchick17]

Hi there,
I have a 5 month old silkie rooster. He started limping July 4th. At first I thought he injured himself because I had introduced some new chickens and he was chasing them. Then 2 days later his toes were curling like making a fist and he doesnt seem to have feeling. He doesnt seem in pain, it seems neurological. I started treating with poly-vi-sol on july 6th. Now today he seemed worse and I took him to a vet. I didnt get much info besides they think he has mareks but there is no way to know. It is only one leg, he is still eating and drinking. He also was not vaccinated to my knowledge, i just got him from a lady a month ago. Anybody experience this?

Also I had him in a seperate cage today but all he did was lay there. I took him back with his friends and he walked around and ate like normal. I hate to keep him in a cage because he doesnt even move but I know its contagious to others. But hes been with them for a month so he already spread it is he has mareks. Just not sure what to do..TIA

 

[Eggcessive]

It takes about 3 or more weeks after exposure for Mareks symptoms to show up when exposed to a carrier. Since you have only had him for a month, he could have been exposed before, if that it the problem. Curled under toe paralysis sometimes can be a riboflavin deficiency, but that tends to affect both feet. It won’t hurt to treat him with a chick vitamin that has riboflavin, or some human B complex 1/4 tablet daily. You can contact this lab for info on getting his blood serum tested (a PCR test for Mareks,) which you can do at home for $20:
http://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf
Since Mareks is spread via the feather dander in the environment, your birds are probably already exposed, and it can linger in the environment for a long time. I really hope that Mareks is not what he has, but that is always a risk getting birds from another person. Here is some reading about Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Rohini0821]

Hi there,
I have a 5 month old silkie rooster. He started limping July 4th. At first I thought he injured himself because I had introduced some new chickens and he was chasing them. Then 2 days later his toes were curling like making a fist and he doesnt seem to have feeling. He doesnt seem in pain, it seems neurological. I started treating with poly-vi-sol on july 6th. Now today he seemed worse and I took him to a vet. I didnt get much info besides they think he has mareks but there is no way to know. It is only one leg, he is still eating and drinking. He also was not vaccinated to my knowledge, i just got him from a lady a month ago. Anybody experience this?

Also I had him in a seperate cage today but all he did was lay there. I took him back with his friends and he walked around and ate like normal. I hate to keep him in a cage because he doesnt even move but I know its contagious to others. But hes been with them for a month so he already spread it is he has mareks. Just not sure what to do..TIA

Hi there,
I have a chicken right now with the same symptoms. How's your rooster doing?