Mareks?

[Nanny Linn]

Hello,

My beautiful Wyandott, Winnie has been sick going on 1 month. She's 5 years old.

We first noticed that she stumbled out of the coop door. Later on that day she was laying in the run with one of her legs stretched out.

We immediately separated her from the rest of the flock and put her in a dog crate. Her head drooped and she seemed REALLY sick.

I got on line and attributed her symptoms to Mareks, fully expecting her to be dead in the morning.
Well as I said it's been nearly a month. She eats like a pig, drinks normally, and flaps her wings all the time. I read that Mareks usually cause bad diarrhea, and at first this was the case, but now she has normal poops. The ONLY thing wrong is that she can't walk, and seems to be paralyzed in at least one leg.

Initially I researched and found a vet who would euthinize her, so I've prepared myself, and truly this is no way for a chicken to live, but I just need to find some clarity in the situation.

I suppose my question is twofold.
Does she have Mareks? If so, can she get better?

Thanks,
Linn

 

[chickens really]

Sorry....But no....She will not get better if it is Mereks?....If it was me, I would put her down..I would then get her body tested to see if all your other birds are at risk? Could be her age too...?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello,

My beautiful Wyandott, Winnie has been sick going on 1 month. She's 5 years old.

We first noticed that she stumbled out of the coop door. Later on that day she was laying in the run with one of her legs stretched out.

We immediately separated her from the rest of the flock and put her in a dog crate. Her head drooped and she seemed REALLY sick.

I got on line and attributed her symptoms to Mareks, fully expecting her to be dead in the morning.
Well as I said it's been nearly a month. She eats like a pig, drinks normally, and flaps her wings all the time. I read that Mareks usually cause bad diarrhea, and at first this was the case, but now she has normal poops. The ONLY thing wrong is that she can't walk, and seems to be paralyzed in at least one leg.

Initially I researched and found a vet who would euthinize her, so I've prepared myself, and truly this is no way for a chicken to live, but I just need to find some clarity in the situation.

I suppose my question is twofold.
Does she have Mareks? If so, can she get better?

Thanks,
Linn

Can you post some photos of how she is laying down or a video would be helpful.

Does she still lay eggs?
How does her abdomen feel? Hard, soft, squishy, fluid filled, etc.?
What does her poop look like?
At 5yrs old she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, Salpingitis, tumors or cancer.
These disorders can impact the function of the legs.

It's always possible it could be Marek's, but generally is it seen in younger chickens, not adults. If you have added any new chickens recently to your flock, then the possibility would be higher.

Sometimes leg issues can develop when their is a deficiency in B vitamins. You can crush a human B-Complex vitamin and add it to her food to see if there is any improvement.

 

[Nanny Linn]

Thank you for responding.

To answer your questions:

She hasn’t laid any eggs, but then again she wasn’t laying very many, if any, before she became ill.
Her abdomen feels normal.
Her poop started out to be very runny, but is now normal.

I put Vitamin B in her food this morning as you suggested.
I’ve also been feeding her Hemp seed, yogurt, blueberries, an occasional scrambled egg, and putting a bit of apple cider vinegar in her water.
Supplementing with her usual organic chicken food. Again she has a very, very, good appetite.

I’ll look up the other ailments that you listed as possible culprits.

 

[Nanny Linn]

Oh, and no new chickens to the flock.