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

[mygalmyra]

Schnebbles, I'm a newbie here and also struggling with Merek's and my only silkie, Frizzle. I thought she was halfway to heaven yesterday, but this morning she popped up and squawked for grub. She drank a quarter cup of water with meds in it and ate some crumble. I'm giving her st. john's wart and polyvitamin-B baby formula, both over the counter. She's perkier today, calls when I come in the room, and this is encouraging. Still paralyzed, but today she managed to stand on her wobbly legs and that is an improvement. I share your fury w/this mysterious destroyer, and yet am hopeful, with the spunk this little 6 month old hen is showing. She was really bad off before I discovered both these remedies - might you have time to give them a whirl? So hoping for healing for your chicks and you.

 

[schnebbles]

Fury is the perfect word! I get so mad, it's not fair - I know things aren't always fair but geez.

I tried sjw on my last one, my chickens always get vitamins and Super B complex in their water. I've been really encouraged before too, even 2 nights ago my Priscilla was walking all around, checking everything out then wham...down they go. Same thing happened with my last cochin, up walking around and I was so happy, then wham...

It's soooo frustrating and upsetting.

This girl now is not moving at all, I gave her some sugar water today, it didn't help. I even put poultry drench in it and tube fed it so she got plenty. I do have the poly vitamins. Maybe I should give her a few drops. I just feel at this point, I'm stressing her out doing anything.

I know some birds seem to pull through but I've not been lucky enough to have it happen here.

I hope Frizzle recovers! I like the name

 

[saltandpepper2]

HEY! ready to get that blood tested for my chickens! I'm sorry to be a bother, but would anyone be able to give my a "how to" on retrieving, and sending the blood samples? I would really appreciate if you could tell me where to draw the blood, and how to preserve it for the shipping etc, the sooner the better! thanks so much for helping!

 

[schnebbles]

I don't know about blood.

I had my Priscilla put down today. She wasn't going to get better. I'm just soooo mad at this disease. 4 of my 8 chickens have been taken.

 

[seminolewind]

It's all very frustrating. I just got home and my limpy roo is a wobbly limpy roo now. But odd, he's still got nice weight on him! I'm going to lose him, which will bring me to the point that I'm not doing anymore breeding for resistance. 2/2 didn't work. I have one more 6-8 week old chick to go.

S&P, I would think there's some chicken anatomy pics that show where the veins are. I know there are some you can see in the under wing.
A vet may be willing to draw it for you. You can call Texas A&M and ask them what tubes to use. Maybe the vet will put some blood in one for you. Then I think it needs to be sent on ice.

 

[seminolewind]

Schnebbles, I'm sorry you are losing birds too.

 

[Nambroth]

HEY! ready to get that blood tested for my chickens! I'm sorry to be a bother, but would anyone be able to give my a "how to" on retrieving, and sending the blood samples? I would really appreciate if you could tell me where to draw the blood, and how to preserve it for the shipping etc, the sooner the better! thanks so much for helping!

You need to call the lab that you are having the blood sent to and see what size vial and how much blood they need. Then do the draw-- either yourself if you are comfortable, or a vet can do it, and the vial(s) of blood must be sent as medical samples, usually in a chilled, insulated carton, overnight service to the destination.

The best place to draw blood on poultry is under the wing.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0023.html

You really must check before doing this on exactly what the lab needs, though!!

 

[schnebbles]

Thanks Seminole. I'm very sorry your guy has gotten worse. At this point, I don't blame you for not wanting to breed for resistance. You've been through so much, my loss doesn't compare. I guess on my scale of 4 out of 8 are gone from it, maybe, but you've lost many more birds.

Priscilla hadn't lost weight either until I brought her in. She was a really good weight.

Have you brought any birds in from outside who were vaccinated as day olds? That's my plan, when I find someone who is hatching faverolles. It's about all I can do at this point. I just hope my 2 boys get along. They are pretty much in the coop 24/7 with this darn cold weather. They seem to be doing ok.

I am having trouble getting over how awful this disease is. I am so mad that it's taken my babies. And of course, upset.

 

[BigECarter]

My husband texted me yesterday that our cockerel is also limping. His poops have never looked great. Hoping it's bumble foot but I don't have high hopes. If I lose him, that will be 7 of 9, all supposedly vaccinated for Marek's. That's a rather abysmal percentage.

On the plus side, my two surviving hens are both laying. First egg Thanksgiving day. The 9 chicks will be eight weeks old this weekend. One bout of cocci, despite the vaccine. That was the buff. DH noticed that she was withdrawn Tuesday but seemed fine yesterday. Wouldn't be surprised if we lose her. Hopefully that will be it - they have the better Marek's vaccine, separated until 4 weeks.

 

[schnebbles]

BigE - I'm sorry. 7 out of 9 is horrible. How old were/are they? Mine are about 9 months, my first deaths started at 6 months.