Marek's or ?

[hockeypoc]

I have a chicken that appears to have a paralyzed foot with curled toes. It is about 6 months old. I purchased it about 2-3 months ago from someone who was caught keeping a flock of 6 against a neighborhood covenance. She hobbles around on the curled toes. There are no other symptoms best I can tell. She's eating, pooping normal, and alert. I think she started hiding in the chicken coop about 2 weeks ago. I should have looked more closely then. Now that I see her foot, I fear it is Marek's. I am watching my other chickens closely. So far there are no other signs in my flock of about 20.

If it's Marek's, how long do I have to wait before I know we're in the clear? Weeks? Months?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm not sure personally, but it spreads so fast and easily that I feel at the latwst, 6 months would tell you if you either had mareks or a possible flock that was all asymptomatic

 

[Eggcessive]

It’s hard to know for sure, but Mareks could be a possibility. I would give her some vitamin B complex 1/2 tablet daily for a week or two to see if it helps, in case of a riboflavin deficiency. There is a blood test that you can collect yourself and get tested for Mareks thru RAL lab if you contact them:
http://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf
If you should lose her or put her down (if the B complex does not help,) get a necropsy to rule out Mareks. An injury with nerve damage could also be a possibility, but at her age, Mareks is possible.

 

[hockeypoc]

Thanks for the tip on where I could have her blood tested. That's a huge help.

 

[Skyler vaughan]

It’s hard to know for sure, but Mareks could be a possibility. I would give her some vitamin B complex 1/2 tablet daily for a week or two to see if it helps, in case of a riboflavin deficiency. There is a blood test that you can collect yourself and get tested for Mareks thru RAL lab if you contact them:
http://www.vetdna.com/application/forms/aviansubmittalform.pdf
If you should lose her or put her down (if the B complex does not help,) get a necropsy to rule out Mareks. An injury with nerve damage could also be a possibility, but at her age, Mareks is possible.

There's a small possibility it could be curly toe? Which usually happens with chicks but there are some cases with chickens, you have to basically make them some cardboard shoes for the bottoms of their feet.
Also ask the previous owner if they know that she's been vaccinated against mareks, and if not ask them where they got the hen. Did they have her as a chick? Or was she bought as a hen?

 

[hockeypoc]

She bought them as chicks from Tractor Supply. I called Tractor Supply, and they don't require their chicks to be vaccinated for Marek's. I'm working on giving her vitamins, thought it seems pretty unlikely that it's a vitamin deficiency.

 

[NinaJoy]

She bought them as chicks from Tractor Supply. I called Tractor Supply, and they don't require their chicks to be vaccinated for Marek's. I'm working on giving her vitamins, thought it seems pretty unlikely that it's a vitamin deficiency.

I'm glad I saw Tractor Supply doesn't vaccinate. I won't be going there! I'm not sure if you have a Wilco near you but they DO vaccinate.

I'm in the same shoes as you. Have a pullet who turned 6-months on or about Dec 22nd and on the 27th started limping.
We've had Marek's (I think, never had formal testing) run through our very first flock and this is our second.
First time we bought locally from someone on Facebook, I had no idea about vaccinations.
Second time we bought from Wilco because they do vaccinate so though my girl is vaccinated, the limping has me nervous having been down the Marek's road of terror before.

I'd separate the limping bird from your flock immediately.

I too am scanning the internet and articles concerning Marek's and the progression - here is one article I found which you may benefit from: https://cluckin.net/mareks-disease-in-chickens-and-what-to-do-about-it.html#mcetoc_1eb1of0pmi