Marek's question

[Laceyface]

Hey all, I just got the call from the vet that we have Marek's in our flock. It has killed two and a third is not so great. The first two died of tumors on their organs, this one I don't know. They are all three Buff Orpington girls. Our fourth Buff started limping a couple of days ago, but we thought she may have just cut herself or jumped down from something and landed wrong, she's our biggest. Have any of you ever seen Marek's manifest in a single limpy leg? When I wash her feet to clean them and apply BluKote she doesn't fuss like I'm hurting her. She also has a great appetite and is laying. I guess we'll just wait and see with these two. I've read that BOs are more susceptible than other breeds, which is a real bummer.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. Also, has anyone ever had a chicken go partially lame and then bounce back? Our sick one now is getting selenium, Vitamin E, a B complex, and a gourmet diet every day. With this diagnosis, I don't mind continuing this regimen if it could help.

Thank you!

 

[SarahGfa]

My Marek's bird went fully lame last year, legs and wings paralyzed. After 3 months of intensive care (she became a house chicken) she slowly got her wings back, then her legs, and is free ranging with the flock now. Good luck!

 

[SarahGfa]

i did a lot of physical therapy with my bird too, like making her perch on my fingers and moving her legs for her while shhe was in a sling. If your bird is in a stable condition you can try physicl therapy.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Have any of you ever seen Marek's manifest in a single limpy leg?

No. My flock has a completely different strain. However, a single unresponsive leg is pretty much "classic Marek's."

However, there are several different strains of Marek's, and most of them affect different parts of the chicken body. If your strain was causing organ shutdown, it probably (not definitely) isn't causing limpy legs. You may have a second strain of marek's, of course, but I'm more inclined to believe that this is not Marek's at all--if it is, you have very bad luck. Most likely, she just bruised herself jumping from a perch or something. When I have an older chicken limping around, my first thought is not Marek's.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Read this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Also, has anyone ever had a chicken go partially lame and then bounce back?

Yep. Had a cockerel with a broken leg, several hens that got their toes stepped one, a few chicks with curled toes, one older hen that couldn't be convinced to stay off the high perch (eventually, she stopped being able to get up there, and recovered soon after. The idiot.) and one case of Marek's that lasted around two months. She eventually recovered and became my best brooder. So yeah. it happens.