My babies are dropping weeks apart with the same symptoms, Help me identify the disease!!

[mandymcg05]

Here’s the video of Maverick. Any insight would be helpful.

 

[mandymcg05]

@Eggcessive @aart @Sonya9

 

[Sonya9]

Yeah it looks like Mareks to me. If it is Mareks and they are dying within a week it sounds like a very virulent strain. Many Mareks birds will live several weeks or longer if they can't walk but are provided with food water.

If they were my birds I would try to get a script for antiherpes meds. Realize while some strains can sweep through a flock killing birds of all ages, often it is the young adolescents that are affected and the older birds are spared. I don't see any benefit to culling the flock at this stage that won't make it just "go away".

On a side note if you buy vaccinated chicks in the future remember the vaccination does NOT provide complete immunity, they can still catch and spread the virus to other birds even though they don't show symptoms. In many ways a vaccinated bird carrying the virus is much more dangerous to other flocks since they can be healthy carriers of very deadly strains.

You mentioned the lady you bought them from sells "lots of animals". That is the exact type of environment that would let vaccinated birds spread really deadly viruses far and wide if she has some mixed in with her flock.

BTW your boys are very cute and polite.

 

[mandymcg05]

Yeah it looks like Mareks to me. If it is Mareks and they are dying within a week it sounds like a very virulent strain. Many Mareks birds will live several weeks or longer if they can't walk but are provided with food water.

If they were my birds I would try to get a script for antiherpes meds. Realize while some strains can sweep through a flock killing birds of all ages, often it is the young adolescents that are affected and the older birds are spared. I don't see any benefit to culling the flock at this stage that won't make it just "go away".

On a side note if you buy vaccinated chicks in the future remember the vaccination does NOT provide complete immunity, they can still catch and spread the virus to other birds even though they don't show symptoms. In many ways a vaccinated bird carrying the virus is much more dangerous to other flocks since they can be healthy carriers of very deadly strains.

You mentioned the lady you bought them from sells "lots of animals". That is the exact type of environment that would let vaccinated birds spread really deadly viruses far and wide if she has some mixed in with her flock.

BTW your boys are very cute and polite.

Dammit. I’ll send the video to my vet and see if he’ll give me meds without requiring a visit to the clinic. Thank you so much for your help and the comment on my boys. They are wild and he really wanted a root beer lol.

As for Maverick. Should I worry about him hurting himself. I know with my first one that passed, He quit eating and drinking and started to have lime green stool. This guy is still doing everything normal. Except getting out of the way of his poop. Poor guy.

 

[Araucana Nest]

Wishing you and your flock well ♥

 

[Sonya9]

Dammit. I’ll send the video to my vet and see if he’ll give me meds without requiring a visit to the clinic. Thank you so much for your help and the comment on my boys. They are wild and he really wanted a root beer lol.

As for Maverick. Should I worry about him hurting himself. I know with my first one that passed, He quit eating and drinking and started to have lime green stool. This guy is still doing everything normal. Except getting out of the way of his poop. Poor guy.

If he isn't an avian vet he likely won't know what he is looking at. The meds are pretty benign, so I don't see a reasonable vet giving you a hard time about it. I would just say several other chicken keepers have seen the video and believe it is likely mareks, and that generic antiherpes meds may be able to reverse the symptoms or stop it from progressing in other birds. Any decent caring vet will write a script for a dozen or so pills (which will last a long time as you just use a little bit of a pill).

At this stage I wouldn't worry about him hurting himself but if he starts eatng in an odd way (like he has a hard time controlling his head movements) I would probably give him dishes of wet mush so he can easily grab and swallow mouthfuls instead of trying to pick up individual pellets/pieces. Also Mareks birds usually drop a lot of weight very quickly and become very thin.

Instead of waiting for a bird to die can your vet do a blood draw and then send it off directly for an antigen test? It would be faster. Here is a thread on it:: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mareks-testing-in-living-birds.1206105/

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Personally I'd cull any symptomatic birds. Get them tested to be sure. Than cull any that show sign asap. The sick birds are shedding the virus. That's how we deal with Mareks here.

 

[nao57]

Have you considered botulism?
Some of their symptoms sound like a possibility. They need to drink plenty of water to flush it out of their system. It doesnt always help though.

I don't know if it is botulism but the approach of trying different feed, is worth a look.

Especially with you having several problems in a row, something ain't right.

If something is in the feed, that could explain it. Or in the water.

 

[Eggcessive]

It does look like Mareks unfortunately. I don’t see why you cannot try vitamins, but I would probably use 1/2 tablet daily of vitamin B complex in food instead of NutriDrench or something in the water, since electrolytes can give them diarrhea if used more than a day or two.

Have you tried using a chicken sling, chair or nest with him? It is a good way to get them upright and out of their droppings, as well as in front of food and water. Here are 4 pages of various homemade chicken slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[mandymcg05]

If he isn't an avian vet he likely won't know what he is looking at. The meds are pretty benign, so I don't see a reasonable vet giving you a hard time about it. I would just say several other chicken keepers have seen the video and believe it is likely mareks, and that generic antiherpes meds may be able to reverse the symptoms or stop it from progressing in other birds. Any decent caring vet will write a script for a dozen or so pills (which will last a long time as you just use a little bit of a pill).

At this stage I wouldn't worry about him hurting himself but if he starts eatng in an odd way (like he has a hard time controlling his head movements) I would probably give him dishes of wet mush so he can easily grab and swallow mouthfuls instead of trying to pick up individual pellets/pieces. Also Mareks birds usually drop a lot of weight very quickly and become very thin.

Instead of waiting for a bird to die can your vet do a blood draw and then send it off directly for an antigen test? It would be faster. Here is a thread on it:: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mareks-testing-in-living-birds.1206105/

He is the only avian vet around here. I trust his judgement and I don't think I see him giving me a hard time about it. I'm not sure what the cost of office call and labs would be. I'll chat with him and see.. Thanks again for the advice. I do appreciate it.