marek's? should I just cull?

domino7

Songster
11 Years
Jan 4, 2009
901
4
129
N.E. Ohio
I have a 16 week old Mille Fleur pullet that needs help. She was in with 3 other banties the same age. When I got home from work, she was laying in the corner of the coop. She didn't look bad, but didn't run away when I went in (unusual). When I picked her up, one of her wings was kind of limp, so I thought she had been injured somehow. I brought her into the house and am keeping her in a cage. She seemed to get worse the next day. She kept flopping over onto her back, and one of her feet was kind of crumpled up.


Now it's been 3 days, and it seems like she has some paralysis. I have been pulling her out and holding her while she takes 1 or 2 sips of water, and takes maybe 3 pecks at food ( starter crumbles). I've been doing this every 2 hours, or as often as I can. She seems very alert, but lethargic. She can't stand, and mostly her feet are held out in front of her. Her foot is not crumpled any more.

At first her poo was black, runny, and very foul smelling. In the last 2 days she has only pooed twice, and both have been pure white, runny, and not smelly.

After doing much internet research, it sounds like marek's. Most of the sites I ended up on said to cull. Does this sound like marek's, and if so, is that what should be done.

Sadly, I have to be away much of the day, so she will not be getting as much attention. Of course, if that's what it is, now I am worried about my other birds. I have about 25 chickens sharing the same coop, but it is divided into sections, with each having their own run.

Any help or info would be appreciated.
 
Cull that bird or all? I hate the thought that anyone would put down a bunch of birds due to one sick one. Maybe you could have the sick one looked at?
 
No, I just meant; should I cull the sick one? Does it even sound like marek's? I'm not really sure what's wrong with it. I'm not even sure if it is sick or injured. There are no outward signs of injury, or mites, or anything that I can see.
 
If you think it is Marek's I would continue to isolate her until she recovers. If she does survive, then she is immune to Marek's.

I've lost and saved birds from Marek's. It is the survivors you want to keep and please have hatchery or breeders (if they offer them) chicks, get them Marek vaccinated. Its worth the headache and losses but usually survivors are the strongest.

So all my hatchery bred chicks and Marek's survivors have done well since I enforced Marek vaccinations to all of them.

Wild birds and new birds from other places can pass on the Marek's. Take every precautions you can.
 
Quote:
That is another good one!
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