Needing advice re possible Mareks

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Katejc

Katejc

Songster
Sep 17, 2019
288
368
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Shuswap, British Columbia
So this is my pullet Beyonce. She is an awesome chicken. American game mix. Super tame, super sweet but she could also be put out in the wild and probably live for years. She’s a bad a**. A couple weeks ago, this showed up on her eye. It hasn’t changed, gotten better, gotten worse. Its just there. She also stumbles now and then. Apart from that, she is great. She eats, she drinks, she lays in -10 degree weather. She barely sleeps in the cold, she is constantly up “foraging”. I have my suspicions about what is wrong with her. I have 2 other birds in with her that are healthy. I have 4 more birds to integrate into this flock of 3.
The only good news, is that if it is mareks, they aren’t in their permanent coop yet and it is nowhere near their current home. Though it is near the compost where I dump their bedding.
The 4 that have yet to be integrated are nearby. Probably near enough that they have been exposed.
Has anyone experienced these symptoms? If it seems like Mareks, what should I do? How long before I start seeing worse symptoms? Will the other 2 get it?
50368757-23BA-474B-AEE8-A6B9C3F142B1.jpeg
 
I can’t seem to find your previous thread due to the recent changes in BYC, but didn’t we discuss the possibility of the 3rd eyelid being the problem with her eye? Mareks (the ocular form which only is seen in some Mareks cases,) usually causes a dulling of the colored iris and a pinpoint or irregular-shaped pupil.
 
Eggcessive said:
I can’t seem to find your previous thread due to the recent changes in BYC, but didn’t we discuss the possibility of the 3rd eyelid being the problem with her eye? Mareks (the ocular form which only is seen in some Mareks cases,) usually causes a dulling of the colored iris and a pinpoint or irregular-shaped pupil.
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Yeah I couldn’t find it either. I watched her blink and even filmed it in slow motion to confirm its not the 3rd eyelid unfortunately. Not sure if I mentioned the unsteadiness in that post?
 
Could the unsteadiness be due to vision issues as opposed to onset paralysis? Almost looks like a cataract... Is this in both eyes, or just one? Maybe see if you can check for vision loss. I think some have observed how well they are able to pick out feed from the ground and this may be a good start. Paralysis can be ruled out by seeing if she reacts to you pinching her toes while she is actively having symptoms.
 
Lizzy733 said:
Could the unsteadiness be due to vision issues as opposed to onset paralysis? Almost looks like a cataract... Is this in both eyes, or just one? Maybe see if you can check for vision loss. I think some have observed how well they are able to pick out feed from the ground and this may be a good start. Paralysis can be ruled out by seeing if she reacts to you pinching her toes while she is actively having symptoms.
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It could be. Its just one eye. Not sure if its her close or far sighted one. She seems totally fine apart from these 2 things. The eye has just put Mareks in my brain and the unsteadiness isn’t helping...
 
Katejc said:
It could be. Its just one eye. Not sure if its her close or far sighted one. She seems totally fine apart from these 2 things. The eye has just put Mareks in my brain and the unsteadiness isn’t helping...
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Agreed, the prospect of Marek's is terrifying. Seeing your former post, I wasn't aware you'd seen something similar in another hen. If you end up losing this one too, definitely send it off for an autopsy to be sure. Was the other cloudy eye hen related to this one? Vision defects can be hereditary, but if not then I would think you're dealing with something contagious.
 
Lizzy733 said:
Agreed, the prospect of Marek's is terrifying. Seeing your former post, I wasn't aware you'd seen something similar in another hen. If you end up losing this one too, definitely send it off for an autopsy to be sure. Was the other cloudy eye hen related to this one? Vision defects can be hereditary, but if not then I would think you're dealing with something contagious.
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Its the same hen. That post was made before I noticed the unsteadiness so it was just about the eye. But am I noticing the unsteadiness because I googled the eye cloudiness and read about Mareks? She has no other symptoms...yet...I just wish I knew. Especially since I have 2 other birds in with her and 4 more to integrate that currently live in my house.
 

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