mareks or vitamin deficiency?

[Uselessfarmlife88]

I have a hen who is about 9ish months old. First she had coccidiosis, all chickens was treated with corid. Right after that she had a impacted crop which I did take her to the vet for and she was given metoclopramide 5 ml. While still dealing with the crop issue I took her back to the vet 2 weeks later for a check up and the vet found she had round worms and I was given panacur to treat it with (I did worm whole flock) and she also had coccidiosis at the same time which was treated with corid. It took about a month of the metoclopramide for her crop to go back to normal.

About three weeks ago, I noticed her left wing was hanging. It wasn't touching the ground it just wasn't normal. Than a few days later I noticed she wasn't keeping up with the rest of the flock and her legs seemed weak. The same day she had went to turn around and fell over. She has been in the house since. She has got the point where she can't stand at all but she isn't paralyzed. She can still move her legs, she just can't stand. She is eating on her own and drinking. Her eyes hasn't changed, her skin if fine, no raised bumps or injuries. I didn't see any lice or mites. I have talked to the vet, she advised to put her to down and have her tested for marek's. She isn't getting worse but she isn't getting better either and all the other chickens are healthy.

I started out treating her with poultry cell in her water. I was also giving her selenium e gel with vitamin e and vitamin b gel. I was doing a pea sized amount twice a day and feeding her medicated fed (not anymore). She was getting eggs and tuna to eat also.

Than I changed to giving her 3 cc's of poultry cell on eggs once a day and gave her purina all flock feed which is what she normally eats and always had access to. I did that for 7 days and was going to stop for 5 before starting again but after the second day off of poultry cell she seemed to decline. She was trying to stand again but she was back to just laying down.
So now I am back to giving her selenium with vitamin e gel and vitamin b gel twice a day as well as the poultry cell 3 cc's on eggs everyday. She doesn't always eat it but she still has excess to the all flock feed. (Today is the 3rd day of this.)

 

[azygous]

Marek's isn't the only avian virus that produces lameness. Lymphoid leucosis does, too. She is in the age window for each.

But after all the coccidia treatments, she could be vitamin deficient. Let's say there's a 50/50 chance. It's certainly worth treating before you sacrifice her to get a necropsy.

Poultry Cell is a good supplement, but I suggest a more potent B-complex. If you live in the US and have access to Walmart, get a bottle of B-100 complex. It's really loaded with B-2,6, and 12 which are the vitamins that affect leg strength. Give her one whole tablet directly in her beak once a day for the next couple weeks. You should see improvement by the end of week two if this is a deficiency. If so, keep giving the tablet.

How much selenium are you giving her with the E? Only a sliver of selenium should be given as it can build up and become toxic.

 

[Uselessfarmlife88]

I am only giving her a pea size amount twice a day but I will definitely stop and pick up the B-100 complex. Thank you.

 

[EmmaEsme]

I am going through something similar with my 5 week old chick right now too. I've read a lot about Marek's and AE lately. It's my understanding the vet should be able to do a test for Marek's DNA markers without the chook being deceased, if you want piece of mind.

That said, I feel like when anything is neurological, Marek's is the go-to explanation but very rarely the actual cause. I'm about to try my girl on a similar vitamin regimen too, to see if she improves. Good luck to you!

 

[Uselessfarmlife88]

Thank you but It is marek's. I lost a rooster and had a necropsy done. I have had 3 now showing signs and only lost the one and he is the only one I didn't give poultry cell and vitamin b complex bc he wasn't showing the same symptoms. The hen is doing so much better and so is the other to show symptoms. I hope it works out for you.

 

[EmmaEsme]

Thank you but It is marek's. I lost a rooster and had a necropsy done. I have had 3 now showing signs and only lost the one and he is the only one I didn't give poultry cell and vitamin b complex bc he wasn't showing the same symptoms. The hen is doing so much better and so is the other to show symptoms. I hope it works out for you.

I'm so sorry to hear that, as Marek's can be devastating. It's good news she is improving though, they CAN survive it, but it's a fight!