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

[hogster160]

Deb, did I ever ask you if you tried an antibiotic?  If I haven't, sorry, but maybe it might be something to try?  there are some respiratory diseases that don't always present with the classic symptoms and also there can be underlying issues from....whatever, that may in fact respond to an antibiotic.  I'm not a Vet and don't have all the answers, but I will tell you this....In my experiences, sometimes an antibiotic does what nothing else will do.  I know others will say you shouldn't do this.  Hey with a healthy chicken...I agree!  Why add things into the mix you don't need.  Deb...let's face it, lol, you wouldn't be here if there wasn't something going on with yours.  I would do it and have on many an occasions.  You can tell by day 3-4 whether or not it is working or just a waste. 

I have severe back problems...for whatever reason when it acts up and lays me low, a short course of antibiotic will set it right.  Don't ask...I can't tell you why and neither can my doctors.  It just is.  Is there an underlying infection?  Not that they can find and they've been checking me now for over 28 years.  Mind over matter?  Maybe...so tell your bird you are giving her something to 'cure' her, lol.  Sounds nuts, believe me, I know, but it doesn't change the affects or the results in the end.  Just remember...they 'practise' medicine.  The closest I could come to an explaination would be this...when my back acts up, there is a lot of pain and inflamation.  The body sends white cells to fight this as well as brain chemicals.  Maybe somehow the antibiotic neutralizes some of these affects.  No clue and seriously?  I don't need one as it works for me.  Will it work for your girl?  Again, no clue until it's tried.

I know i have something going on, just what lol. No, I have not tried an antibiotic. Never really thought about it since no one else was showing any symptoms. She's not feverish that I can tell, she has good appetite now, didn't 3 weeks ago tho, she's not lethargic, but she does get lethargic if She doesn't get her vit b. I suppose I could try on. Which do you suggest? Dosage? Toss her eggs? I'm willing.

As far as your back goes, go to a chiropractor! Find a good one, I,ve gone to them for years! Love him! Cut out processed food, make things at home ( no box foods) and eat "live food". Fruits veggies in the raw state. No whites, flour, rice potatoes noodles. No fried foods. Cleanse your body. We put lots in our bodies that they can't break down normally anymore, gmo has change all of our foods. All kinds of crap (excuse the word) gets stored in our bodies, sometimes where we really don't need it stored. And it causes problems. And lastly, move and stretch. Move it or lose it. Ofc this advice is given presuming you have no ruptured disc etc. since you have been seen by drs for it for so long. But please use common sense and talk with your drs lol.

Deb

 

[hogster160]

I'm getting discouraged with Penny.  She really is no better than the day I took her in.  Of course, the morning after I took her to the vet, she got really bad, then improved (so maybe that's a big positive).  

Her last steroid was Thursday.  I decided not to keep giving them too her because really, I guess i'm not sure.  

I gave her a bath tonight, pretty much her whole body vs just washing her tail end.  She was getting pretty smelly.  I took her outside for a bit and realized she was holding her wings way open to dry and I thought that might stress her so I blow dried her a bit and we went back outside and then I thought she was cold (doubtful tho, it's nice out).  Anyhow, she's been sleeping ever since mostly, even has her head tucked back into her feathers and looks to be breathing pretty heavy.  I feel like I shouldn't have given her a bath.  I've not seen her sleep like this since she's been inside.  

Continuing with the super b.  My chickens don't like treats.  She only gets her food and mealworms.  They are stubborn about treats.  What should I be supplementing with?  Since she isn't getting grass and stuff outside.  

Hogster Deb - I saw your video, I think Penny is not walking as well as your ee.  which bird died from the dog?  so much to keep up with!   

I'm worried about her breathing.  going to look that up.  

I want to say that was after 2-3 weeks on the super vit b. she really only took a few steps at a time. Now she will walk more, but when she stops walking she sits on her hunches. She doesn't scratch like the rest of the chickens, she sits and uses her beak to scratch nor her feet. My dogs got one of my black astrolorps, the head hen. The others are now fighting for lead hen. And the turkey hen thinks she has a good shot at it.

Just as a suggestion, you might want to start a journal. Record all info, dates, meds, therapy, and any results you saw, even if it was no result. Also weigh her and record that, maybe 3 xs per week. Just makes it easier to have it all there on paper.

Deb

 

[Haunted55]

I know i have something going on, just what lol. No, I have not tried an antibiotic. Never really thought about it since no one else was showing any symptoms. She's not feverish that I can tell, she has good appetite now, didn't 3 weeks ago tho, she's not lethargic, but she does get lethargic if She doesn't get her vit b. I suppose I could try on. Which do you suggest? Dosage? Toss her eggs? I'm willing.

As far as your back goes, go to a chiropractor! Find a good one, I,ve gone to them for years! Love him! Cut out processed food, make things at home ( no box foods) and eat "live food". Fruits veggies in the raw state. No whites, flour, rice potatoes noodles. No fried foods. Cleanse your body. We put lots in our bodies that they can't break down normally anymore, gmo has change all of our foods. All kinds of crap (excuse the word) gets stored in our bodies, sometimes where we really don't need it stored. And it causes problems. And lastly, move and stretch. Move it or lose it. Ofc this advice is given presuming you have no ruptured disc etc. since you have been seen by drs for it for so long. But please use common sense and talk with your drs lol.

Deb

My first choice for antibiotic is Duramycin-10. 1/2 tbls. per gallon of water. 21 day discard from last dose. Some people do not throw the eggs away for the full 21 days. You probably already know that the reason it is recommended is there could be traces of the antibiotic in the eggs. Common sense has to rule here...if you know you or someone else is allergic to the cycline drugs..oh yeah, lose them.

Thanks for the info on the food stuff and the back. Unfortunately, I've been to quite a few of them as well. It's been almost 30 yrs now and I'm still going and refuse to give in. I can offer you a couple of my secrets as well....one is apples. I eat them often and also give them to my animals regularly. Apples help clean the metals out of our systems as does broccoli and the other dark leafy vegetables. Another is turmeric. Yep, the spice. Turmeric has shown itself to aid in the cleaning of the blood, both red and lymphatic. I use it in cooking and I also have found capsules of it that I take when I'm feeling crappy. Lot's of good vitamins in it and sprinkled on eggs or even mixed into a casserole, it's not readily broken down with cooking temps..

 

[Haunted55]

Okay...a bit of an update. This year's chicks are fast coming to the age they will start earning their keep. I also have my Control Group #1 who have developed into great layers and wonderful birds. I have had no Marek's deaths in a while now. [Knocking on wood!] It's coming to the time a decision has to be made for the #1 group and all of my new birds. I have done a lot of reading on the breeding for resistance but to be honest, it just doesn't give you much in the day to day workings of this. Like, are you supposed to keep these birds away from everyone else forever? Do you throw them into the mix after you have hatched your next control group? Haven't found much in the way of that kind of information. Sooo, what I have in my feeble brain now is to integrate this first group as well as the new layers, that were not meant for breeding, into the remains of the original and last year's Marek's survivors. I look at it this way...either a bomb is going to go off in my face or everything is going to work out. I have no idea which at this point.

Since there have been no deaths with this year's new chicks I can directly relate to Marek's, I am hoping for a smooth transition. Then I woke up! Lol! No, really, other than the cocci and the cannibalism, nothing to make me think it will not work. I am still going to continue with the direct line breeding with the second Control Group and keep them and subsequent hatches separated out from the rest until I have a viable hatched group from them, right up to the 8th generation. [I am thinking that somewhere in there, I am going to have to introduce some new blood somehow.] By then, all of the original birds and probably most of the survivors will be gone and I will have a flock of resistant or immune birds. At least to what is here. Funny thing I've found as well...the birds hatched here do not have any problems with the coccidia that is in the ground. New birds...big time! With them, it's almost a garanteed 25-30% mortality rate, no matter what dosings they are given. So with all the new blood brought in this year and their continuing survival, I don't see me buying more birds for a long time.

Now I am not so foolish to believe that what happened last Summer could not happen again. It could, if the right factors come into play. I will continue with the best biosecurity I can do and make sure I also don't 'give the gift' to anyone else. Complacency has no place on a Marek's farm.

If anyone does have experience with this breeding for resistance, please, any ideas would be more than welcomed! I've read and been told that by the 8th generation you can consider your flock Marek's free. Lol, now that's an interesting concept and I still haven't wrapped my head around it yet. In my mind, the birds will be Marek's free as they will be immune to what has been here, but are they any good for anyone else?

 

[schnebbles]

Haunted, of course I don't have any advice for you, lol! You are taking on a lot! It sure sucks to have such a disease out there that is so dangerous and contagious to chickens. Very scary indeed.

I'll write down what I do for Penny. Today, she's sleeping, still....head tucked in again. Wakes up maybe for a few bites of food (just a few bites too, I'm very worried about this too), then wants to close her eyes. Took a little drink too. Wakes up to preen a feather then back to head tucked in. Should I sit her outside on our deck? or put her in the chicken run where they can't get to her? the others are in the yard. Would the sun and outside environment help her? I feel that I really must have stressed her with the bath.

I have made the B water stronger. I crushed up a bit of a pill and put that part in her little amount of water. I want her to have more than 1 pill per gallon. Before, she was getting more than that when I was dissolving a 500mg b12 into her cup. I'm getting very sad

I'm thinking she should maybe go outside. I guess if she does have mareks, the others have already been exposed so it's not going to hurt. Plus I've had her out a couple other times for a few minutes.

I tried another steroid last night in the antibiotic but I think the antibiotic is old, I threw it out. She didn't get much of it. It was clavamox and it had turned thinner and yellower. I could put duramycin in her water but I don't think that's really what she needs. I'm just not sure.

I can't really get her to eat mealworms now either, I don't want her starving to death. I'll put her down before I'd let that happen.

ETA: won't drink now either, just sleeps. crying has begun

 

[seminolewind]

I'm sorry , Schnebbles. If she's not eating or drinking, there's not much you can do.

I did have just one Polish pullet that was put in the garage in a cage because she had paralysis and was vaccinated at a day old and 3 weeks. She ended up in my bedroom, but she always ate and drank. My husband and I started giving her some opportunities to walk on the patio. She got better and went out with the flock. It took 6 weeks in all.

 

[schnebbles]

she just died. I was holding her and had her lying by me on the bed a while before Now to decide on necropsy, husband mad at me about considering that.

 

[casportpony]

she just died. I was holding her and had her lying by me on the bed a while before Now to decide on necropsy, husband mad at me about considering that.

Sorry for your loss...

-Kathy

 

[Haunted55]

she just died. I was holding her and had her lying by me on the bed a while before Now to decide on necropsy, husband mad at me about considering that.

He may be mad now, but how is he going to feel if this keeps on happening with no explanation? Yes, they cost money that could be spent on other things, but this is needed as well. You need answers so it can be put to rest. Understanding goes a long way to help with the healing.

I am so very sorry it didn't work out. It's an awful thing to work so hard and not see the results we expect and want. Sometimes no matter what we do though, it's just not meant to be. I don't have the answers as to why, I wish I did.

 

[casportpony]

If you live in the US, many States, like California, offer a free or low cost service. Where do you live?

-Kathy