Need a vet to diagnose disease.

[oegbantamsftw]

The Hens name was cookie because she was sweet and tough one. We are talking full grown hen my best layer of four hens and a momma of three month old cockerel at the time. Sept/2013. It took her weeks to go down early symptoms were lob sidedness, 1-2 weeks in progression still completely still and away from the rest of the birds. Unable to peck for food till more time pass and laying on ground feet completely stiff at this point neck started to curl back and twist. After she couldn't eat she began losing weight and water i had school and could be there for her to give her water and food more reason to hate myself and school. My other birds where not affected at all even the 3 month old seem unaffected but he was such a klutz. They have been living with each other for over 6 months my initial 4 birds not until almost a year this happened to her and only her. So symptoms weight loss ,feet and wing paralysis, and neck twisting stargazing position mentioned. Smelly feces I smell a lot of chicken poop that emitted odor was very distinct. Loss of motor skills and my best guess is Mareks or New Castle only one that cause paralysis and neck twisting. I dont know were to have taken the body for an autopsy we buried her instead of disturbing the body. In thee more months my cockerel is going to be rooster had to send to a farm or the city would have saved them from me and killed them which is obviously a better choice another reason I hate where I live screw this place I am going where me and my birds are accepted.

 

[CMV]

Sorry for your loss.

Newcastle is unlikely in that it is a reportable disease. You would be aware if that was a problem in your area because it would be on the news and posted in every local feed store. I am guessing your problem is likely Marek's. If that is the case then your whole flock is likely infected. You cannot let these birds be given away to unsuspecting hosts. You need to either keep a closed flock or destroy the flock yourself. Marek's is an insidious disease that shows very few signs of illness, but will significantly shorten the lifespan of infected birds, and spreads readily. You have a responsibility as a poultry keeper to limit diseases in the overall poultry population. Your bird showed some pretty clear signs of a larger problem. Do the responsible thing and deal with the issue yourself.

Sorry to sound harsh, but the realities of being a responsible poultry keeper are sometimes harsh. Good luck.

 

[oegbantamsftw]

Well all my birds are healthy and alive they might be carriers now but I did get them from a breeder and I dont know how just my full grown one hen and not the pullet or cockerel at the time got Mareks and they are supposedly more susceptible to Mareks. Also I am not sure if it came from the initial breeder he had handful dozens of oegs when I visited him he only had maybe a half a dozen birds left so.... or I brought with me from visiting other fowl a rooster my aunt has the dirty "pet" store and I would like to blame English sparrows, European Starlings, and Pigeons for the possibility of being carriers good scapegoat those three invasive and destructive species.

 

[CMV]

Any birds you get in the future you should look into having vaccinated against Marek's. It is pretty inexpensive and will protect the newer birds. If the older birds do indeed have Marek's then they will likely not live up to full potential, but there is nothing to be done about that now. You may never know where the Marek's came from originally, but it could have come from any of the species you mentioned.

 

[oegbantamsftw]

I visited them last week they are doing fine after three months all the birds the breeder has are fine he has 5 large hens 2 laying moulting hens feel sorry for them not having their feathers the breed dosent spend much time with his birds. He has a few barred rock roosters and other types couple of roosters and the other 3 hens American Game fowl. He has a little oeg bantam rose comb rooster and a poor little hen with her feet completely destroyed she cant dig the dirt or even walk right man oegs are tough probably because they have been exposed to so much abuse and bad care owners. Oh but my four little bantams oh how happy and fat and colorful they are They have their nice full grown feathers even my hen that could lay an egg had layed some eggs. My cockerel is separated from them in a cage I took him out to dust bathe and eat fresh grass and some bugs not just scratch which is all they have been feeding him. But the other were in a small coops by my standard and there seeming health conditions weren't terrible oh if they would let them out to get some grass bugs and bathe and switch the water more often I would be even more happy even the thought of them enjoying themselves makes me happy. Its been about six months and her symptoms developed over a max span of 4 weeks.