Mareks?

[Cathy Henny]

Two days ago a chicken of ours was being social, running jumping and even letting us feed him out of our hands. A day layer we brought him into the house because he fell over onto the back of our legs. He was trying to stand, using his legs fine. He was eating large pieces of cracker, drinking water but still falling over. After a good night sleep in our house we awake to him finding his way out of the box and laying in the middle of our floor. the day before he was turning his head the opposite way and sleeping. after we found him in our floor he didn't even try to move his legs or his neck. I've checked the symptoms of Mareks and several apply to him. we think he might have mareks but we also think this could be a simply hip problem. he was bred with a Bantam and a Bard Plymouth Rock. (the rooster being the bard rock) we have has one other problem in the past with a bird with a hip problem but we did not breed him.

Please help us !

 

[boskelli1571]

Two days ago a chicken of ours was being social, running jumping and even letting us feed him out of our hands. A day layer we brought him into the house because he fell over onto the back of our legs. He was trying to stand, using his legs fine. He was eating large pieces of cracker, drinking water but still falling over. After a good night sleep in our house we awake to him finding his way out of the box and laying in the middle of our floor. the day before he was turning his head the opposite way and sleeping. after we found him in our floor he didn't even try to move his legs or his neck. I've checked the symptoms of Mareks and several apply to him. we think he might have mareks but we also think this could be a simply hip problem. he was bred with a Bantam and a Bard Plymouth Rock. (the rooster being the bard rock) we have has one other problem in the past with a bird with a hip problem but we did not breed him.

Please help us !

Can you get a video of him? It's hard to visualize what you are describing.
Yes, it could be Mareks but it could be neurological too or as you say a leg problem.
How old is he?

 

[Cathy Henny]

Can you get a video of him? It's hard to visualize what you are describing.
Yes, it could be Mareks but it could be neurological too or as you say a leg problem.
How old is he?

he was hatched on the 4th of July. theres not much happening a video would not be necessary. current;l

Can you get a video of him? It's hard to visualize what you are describing.
Yes, it could be Mareks but it could be neurological too or as you say a leg problem.
How old is he?

he was hatched on July 4th of this year. he isn't doing much so a video wouldn't be necessary. he is just laying with his legs out not putting any effort into standing. if you pick him up he easily grasps your art or finger with his toes. we are giving him electrolytes and have been feeding him egg layer.

 

[boskelli1571]

he was hatched on the 4th of July. theres not much happening a video would not be necessary. current;l

he was hatched on July 4th of this year. he isn't doing much so a video wouldn't be necessary. he is just laying with his legs out not putting any effort into standing. if you pick him up he easily grasps your art or finger with his toes. we are giving him electrolytes and have been feeding him egg layer.

pm'd you

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your cockerel. He does sound like he could possibly have Mareks disease. Do you have other roosters who may have hurt him? If you should lose him at some point, the best way to know whether or not it was Mareks is to get a necropsy performed by your state vet pathologist. They would look at the organs and can also do tissue testing (histology) to confirm it. Hopefully it is not Mareks.

At this point, I would continue to feed and water him, and give the vitamin/electrolytes for a few days. Sometimes a lame chicken can be placed in a chicken sling for periods throughout the day to get them upright and in front of food and water. Take him out for rest and at night to sleep. Some chickens fight slings, and may not tolerate them. Here is some reading about Mareks and some info about chicken slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/