Mareks

[Mylied]

I have a pullet that started limping maybe a month ago. I thought she hurt her leg. It progressively got worse and now she's in the classic mareks pose of one leg forward and back. She was raised and been with 8 other pullets, a turkey poult, and 2 peafowl. None of the others are showing any sign of illness or limping. If it's mareks and not something else, wouldn't at least 1 other show signs? Can peafowl get mareks? I have her isolated since she lost use of her legs. I plan on euthanizing. I can necropsy or if I can figure out where to send her, get it done. I'm mostly wondering if it could be something else since everyone else appears healthy. No one's been vaccinated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Mareks is mostly a disease of chickens, but there have been reports of turkeys infected with it in studies elsewhere in the world. But no turkey (or peafowl) cases in the US that I know about. You would need to have the necropsy done by your state vet poultry lab to test for the disease. At U of GA, they can do a blood serum test on a live bird for a low cost if you contact them. There are other causes of lameness in chickens. Testing is the only way to confirm it. Sorry about your chicken.

 

[Mylied]

So interestingly when I went to take a closer look at her eyes, she was standing (unsteadily). I hadn't seen her stand or walk for a couple days. No grey iris or weird pupil. But she does have white flakey looking stuff around her eyes. I saw mites too. So everyone will get a dust bath.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@Mylied did you end up euthanizing this bird? What was the outcome with Mareks? I've got a pullet that's been limping and I'm going to put her in a crate in hopes of isolation helping and it being an injury. I was making a thread asking how the Mareks lameness presented ~ if it was gradual and starting with a limp or if it was a fast and/or immediate inability to use the leg ~ and your thread was suggested and closely matches. Thank you for your time

 

[Mylied]

Yes, she never recovered. But I didn't necropsy. No one else in the pen has gotten sick.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I'm so sorry. Thank you for replying

 

[Mylied]

I'm so sorry. Thank you for replying

It was mareks. I've since lost 5 more birds, same symptoms. I sent one for a necropsy 3 weeks ago and got the results. Not only is it mareks, they also have mycoplasma synoviae, which affects the joints. I'm not sure where I went wrong since I don't get adult birds, rarely even bring in outside chicks, and mostly just hatch eggs for new birds. Feels like almost 10 years of chicken keeping got flushed down the drain and I don't know where it came from.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I am so sorry. I'm sure this is a difficult time for you. I believe Mareks can lie dormant and then show up whenever you least expect it. That is a bad combination of ailments. Chickens are so good at hiding whatever is going on and oftentimes we don't even realize there is a problem until it's too late. I'm so sorry. My heart aches for you. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Mylied]

I am so sorry. I'm sure this is a difficult time for you. I believe Mareks can lie dormant and then show up whenever you least expect it. That is a bad combination of ailments. Chickens are so good at hiding whatever is going on and oftentimes we don't even realize there is a problem until it's too late. I'm so sorry. My heart aches for you. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Thank you. How is your bird doing? I hope fully recovered.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Thank you. How is your bird doing? I hope fully recovered.

She's OK. Still has days where she limps but it's mostly if she's running. Strangely enough this pullet has spurs but she's definitely a pullet. She lays a beautiful olive colored egg with brown speckles. I worry about her long term quality of life with her leg being so stubborn. She on the larger side but I have larger. Hopefully keeping her weight down and confining her whenever it flares, she'll do OK. It's funny how she looks so mean but is sweet as sugar and very dependent on me. I believe she injured her leg on the ramp going out to the run