Not an Emergency...Marek's in the Flock

[seminolewind]

my husband's best friend died when he was 35 from a virus that attacked his heart and caused an arrhythmia. they were talking about putting him on a pacemaker but hadn't done it yet when one morning he went into cardiac arrest.

I've known 3 people in my life that had a virus that attacked the heart. They all survived it. But it's rare to hear that a virus did it.

 

[seminolewind]

Okay...SO I got the results back from Texas A&M and she is negative for Mareks (!!!!!) what else could this be? I am thrilled, of course, but puzzled, too. I have been giving her vitamins...what else can cause partial leg paralysis?

I'm very happy for you! It's nice to hear good news for a change.You think it might be an injury?

 

[pysankigirl]

I'm very happy for you! It's nice to hear good news for a change.You think it might be an injury?

I am honestly clueless. I have no idea what could be wrong. I am going to try her out on some antibiotic...cant hurt, right? but I am really rather stumped.

 

[Haunted55]

I am honestly clueless. I have no idea what could be wrong. I am going to try her out on some antibiotic...cant hurt, right? but I am really rather stumped.

Could you please list all of the symptoms again. Things may have changed from the first time and I'm curious. Everything, even something you may not think of as being a 'symptom' or important. It's the little things that point the way.

I still say it's a vitamin deficiency, most probably B2 or riboflavin which causes a 'curled-toe paralysis' I don't think an antibiotic will help her unless there is something new going on. I think you should have her on a Super B Complex vitamin mixed with her water. 1/2 a human pill, crushed and added to 1/2 gallon of water. 3-4 days with this and then 1/4 pill to half gallon of water. Get her into the sunshine for an hour a day as well. She needs the vitamin D. Also the heat will help with any pain she may be having. I still think she needs a good probiotic as well. Something may be going on in her 'stomach' keeping her from being able to metabolize the B's properly. The probiotic may straighten this out.

The longer this goes on, the less chance of her coming back completely. It's just like a human with Sciatica, if you've ever had it, you know what this is like and how painful it can be.

 

[pysankigirl]

Her only symptoms are the curling up feet. otherwise she seems healthy. she can sort of straighten them out by placing them on the floor repeatedly until they sortof peel out right...if that makes any sense...but you can tell that it isnt her muscles that are opening her toes...she is using the floor to help open them up?

I will try the human b vitamins and put her out on the deck this afternoon when I get home! I think I have some of those probiotic packets...

 

[Haunted55]

interesting.

I think I have an 11 week old chicken with Mareks. She fits the (nerve type) symptoms. I lost a cockerel last week that got caught in the rain. when I found him he was very weak and passed after I brought him into the house to warm him up. I honestly didn't understand why he wouldn't have gotten under cover, but now I suspect maybe he couldn't? this group of chicks got hit HARD with cocci when they were younger. I lost almost half of them despite medicating with Corrid. now I am wondering...

Only the one breed is getting hit. the others aren't so far. None of my chickens are vaccinated so I have ordered the vaccine because it cant hurt. This thread feels like a support group. I may need it.

I have not had a necropsy done yet to confirm. She is still alive and in my bathtub currently eating and drinking fine. Her right foot is curled up and she cant walk. I am watching the others in the coop she was in...I hatched out these birds. so did they get it from my adult flock? I have broodies with babies. wondering if they will live. I am crushed.

I've been thinking about this quite a bit this morning....The rooster you lost, was he by any chance from the same place your hen came from? Private sale? Hatchery? It matters...if he is from the same group of birds as your hen, it goes back to what I said about something blocking vitamin absorbtion or feed that isn't providing the right nutrients. If the roo wasn't from the same place, then you need to look at what you are feeding your birds. Check for recalls on your feed and make sure it's 'good', no mold or clumps in the bag when you open it.

You also said if she is up on the foot she can open it and make it 'work' after a while. I would try wrapping it so that it stays open. Chickens are resillient and if there is even the slightest chance to come back to normal, they will find it. It's up to you to give her every chance there is. Having no idea how long this has been going on, I really don't know how much damage has been done. If she can still make the foot work, it gives me hope she'll make a recovery. 100%? No clue but I still think if you can get the vitamins into her she'll be able to go on and breed and give you the chicks you wanted. You may want to think about adding a show or game bird food to what you are already feeding all of them. A 2 regular feed to 1 game/show feed mix.

 

[pysankigirl]

I hatched them out myself but the eggs were from the same place and they are the same breed so they could be full brother and sister for all I know. They both were my top picks from the group (of 14 that hatched and didn't succomb to coccidia) for confirmation...which I thought was kind of interesting. (criteria: no side sprigs and even comb spacing, Body good size and shape, good 5th toe development and placement, similarly colored) so you are right...it could be a genetic issue. if she responds to the probiotic and/or B vitamins, perhaps a predisposition to malabsorbtion? if so, I might need to face the fact that it would be irresponsible to breed her no matter how pretty she is.

I put her on the antibiotics last night so by tonight I should be seeing some improvement if it is a viral thing. if not, I will try the probiotics/vitamins tonight.

honestly, I am not a breeder so these chickens are just for my own pleasure. And she is such a sweetheart. I am so glad y'all convinced me not to send her off for necropsy, expecially since it wasn't Mareks. I would have been so upset if I had killed her for nothing.

 

[casportpony]

Antibiotics work on bacteria that are sensitive to that antibiotic, so if it's a bacteria that's resistant to the antibiotic, or a virus, it won't work. If it's fungal, antibiotics could make it worse.

-Kathy

 

[Haunted55]

I hatched them out myself but the eggs were from the same place and they are the same breed so they could be full brother and sister for all I know. They both were my top picks from the group (of 14 that hatched and didn't succomb to coccidia) for confirmation...which I thought was kind of interesting. (criteria: no side sprigs and even comb spacing, Body good size and shape, good 5th toe development and placement, similarly colored) so you are right...it could be a genetic issue. if she responds to the probiotic and/or B vitamins, perhaps a predisposition to malabsorbtion? if so, I might need to face the fact that it would be irresponsible to breed her no matter how pretty she is.

I put her on the antibiotics last night so by tonight I should be seeing some improvement if it is a viral thing. if not, I will try the probiotics/vitamins tonight.

honestly, I am not a breeder so these chickens are just for my own pleasure. And she is such a sweetheart. I am so glad y'all convinced me not to send her off for necropsy, expecially since it wasn't Mareks. I would have been so upset if I had killed her for nothing.

There is no reason why she can't be used for breeding. If as you said these birds are for your enjoyment, you will still be able to have offspring with her markings, etc.. Just make sure the roo you put her with has attributes to offset her problems. Sometimes people who are selling eggs or birds lose sight of the fact that you have to introduce 'new' blood to the line. The birds will start to become smaller and show more inherent problems as time goes by, if the same breeding stock is used. If you have another roo from this batch I would try to get some eggs from them. Then mix them with another or other breeds to strengthen the offspring. You can later take these hybrids and mate them back to the 'pure' bred ones to get more of a pure chick.

Antibiotics work on bacteria that are sensitive to that antibiotic, so if it's a bacteria that's resistant to the antibiotic, or a virus, it won't work. If it's fungal, antibiotics could make it worse.

-Kathy

I agree Casportpony...I don't see any indication for this bird to be on antibiotics at all and it could be making things worse. Some antibiotics actually block nutrients from the food while it is being given. If this were me, I would not be giving anything but the vitamins and probiotics right now.

 

[pysankigirl]

good to know...I will get her started on that asap.
I just wanted to do SOMETHING and one of the alternatives on your list was MS and I had the Denagard...so...