Marek's? Vaccinated yet leg & now breathing issues

[kcocat]

This is a seabright pullet born 6/6, we got her from a well regarded, responsible chicken lady who sources her chicks from a hatchery that vaccinates all chicks for mareks. 3 days ago she had a limp & curled up toes on the right, that then progressed to walking on the knuckle & dragging the whole foot. She was otherwise bright, eating & drinking. We added extra B vites to the water that eve just in case it was nutrient related. The next day the foot looked flaccid (not curled anymore just limp) & so we had the vet take a look. The vet also thought the chicken looked bright & she was eating & drinking, etc. Vet also thought either vite b or mechanical injury from jumping or flying (she jumps & flies a lot). We separated her in a smaller cage but still in the enclosure with other chickens as she's super distressed when alone & they were raised together. Today she's starting to look like she's withering & is now breathing funny. It's hot, about 78-81,but it has been for a few weeks & they're in a super shady area with a breeze. I don't think it's the heat as this breathing looks much more labored. I'm thinking it probably is nerve form Marek's despite being vaccinated. I've attached a short video. Anyone have any thoughts, ideas or similar experience??

 

[Kiki]

I am sorry.
The vaccine doesn't prevent the disease...it helps to lesson some of the symptoms.

I would continue to offer vitamins supplements to see if she does improve.

 

[Eggcessive]

Seabrights are very susceptible to Mareks as far as I have heard here on BYC. Chicks who are vaccinated for Mareks must be kept free of any exposure for at least 2 weeks to achieve full immunity. If you breeder had ever had a case of it the chick may have been exposed before it was safe. At what age did the chick come to you? I haven’t seen Mareks before, but many articles say that it is common all over the world. It can be spread by wild birds as well. About all you can do is wait and see if the chicken gets better. I hope so, but it does sound like Mareks. If you lose it, get a necropsy by your state vet who can also test it for Mareks. If you haven’t seen it, this is a good article on Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[kcocat]

We brought her home, along with 6 other girls of different breeds, when she was about 5 weeks old. They'd all been raised together with about 30 others of mixed breeds. Wild birds are definitely a challenge where we are as there are many. Two of our others are silkies, the same age as her and they often would hang out as a trio, so if it's Marek's that's also worrisome as supposedly Silkies and Seabrights are the most susceptible (sigh...). At this point I'm feeling pretty sure it is Mareks. We're definitely keeping a close eye on all of them now and also bumping up the vitamins as well just to be safe....

 

[Eggcessive]

There are many other people here on BYC that have experience with Mareks, and they have some chickens who seem immune to the disease. But all chickens in a Mareks flock, whether they show symptoms or not, are carriers of the disease.

 

[kcocat]

Update: Well the seabright did die, and now we also lost a silkie of the same age. We have another silkie who was double her size yet same birthdate (we were wondering if it might turn out to be a rooster because of the size difference) but now I wonder if maybe this little one that died might have been sickly and not really growing so much or something. Anyways, the silkie was tippy yesterday late afternoon - kinda listing around & falling over now and then like a drunken sailor so I became suspicious. This morning she was still "in bed" (they all squeeze into a corner and don't go up on the roosts yet) and she looked dead. I went to pick her up and she made a tiny "peeeep", you could tell she was just miserable & she couldn't walk at all and was very weak. I was too wimpy to wring her neck myself, so luckily a contractor who was here helping on a project did it for me. I watched and think I can do it next time if needed. (

knock-on-wood the other girls seem fine. Hopefully they all do okay and make to egg laying age, as some sources say it's much less likely to affect them when they pass that benchmark....?

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

I'm sorry to hear you lost the sebright and a silkie. It does look like Marek's and the second bird with deteriorating symptoms adds weight to that diagnosis. I take it you didn't get a necropsy on either of them. Not easy to euthanize a sick bird you care for, I know! Pleased the contractor was able to help you out with it.
Whilst adolescent outbreaks are most common it can flare up in later life but there are generally less stressors to trigger it. I get the odd older bird have an outbreak at moult or when I have to confine them, to the coop for long periods etc. I have a milder strain of the disease, so some birds survive an initial outbreak but might have a second or third more severe one in later life. If you don't have any birds surviving an initial attack then you may not have problems with older birds having an outbreak, if that makes sense. I find that I will have months or even a year between outbreaks and just when you think you might be clear of it, another one pops up with symptoms. Keeping your flock as happy and stress free as possible and good nutrition are the key to reducing the chance of an outbreak.

 

[Kiki]

I am sorry for your loss.
Thanks for updating the thread.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[kcocat]

Thanks for your thoughts and information Rebrascora. I'm sure hoping the other gals will do just fine, but guess we can only wait and see.

Hi

I'm sorry to hear you lost the sebright and a silkie. It does look like Marek's and the second bird with deteriorating symptoms adds weight to that diagnosis. I take it you didn't get a necropsy on either of them. Not easy to euthanize a sick bird you care for, I know! Pleased the contractor was able to help you out with it.
Whilst adolescent outbreaks are most common it can flare up in later life but there are generally less stressors to trigger it. I get the odd older bird have an outbreak at moult or when I have to confine them, to the coop for long periods etc. I have a milder strain of the disease, so some birds survive an initial outbreak but might have a second or third more severe one in later life. If you don't have any birds surviving an initial attack then you may not have problems with older birds having an outbreak, if that makes sense. I find that I will have months or even a year between outbreaks and just when you think you might be clear of it, another one pops up with symptoms. Keeping your flock as happy and stress free as possible and good nutrition are the key to reducing the chance of an outbreak.