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

[jgoldy2]

I wrote this poem recientially to create awareness of a sickness that a few chickens are getting, currently there is no cure, so please spread it!


There have been hard times with your poultry,
But nothing like this having to see them suffer and
Knowing that they will likely die

Mightymax has felt it too just like Mer and Jgoldy2
This poem comes upon the lose of Mer’s chicken Wanda
Mightymax had it with Pear-Pear and Jgoldy2 with Pumpkin

On BYC we are here for each other, but when it strikes
Only a few know the pain but likely nobody knows how to treat it
The picture of Pumpkin shares the pain, and the little kwon treatment

So please spread this poem to make all aware of our pain
When the treatment comes I will be super proud of all the hard work
So please make this wish a reality

And here is a picture of Pumpkin a couple days before death

 

[seminolewind]

since the end of may or first of june. At her worst she could not stand and did not peck for food but I could put it in her mouth and she would eat it, Now she can stand, turn in a circle and now can go a little forward. She actively pecks for food but has no accuracy in her aim. She was so skinny but has started filling out as she's improved physically. I will try to get a weight tomorrow. I am hoping that since she does peck for food that if I continue to hold it in the same place and slightly guide her she could relearn her aim.

You're a very good chicken mommy!

I hope she keeps improving.

 

[jgoldy2]

You're a very good chicken mommy!     I hope she keeps improving.

I agree!! I hope she gets better!!

 

[ochochicas]

Update on my pullet. She is starting to "walk" around on her own a bit. She will still lay on the ground with her legs splayed out, but I think it is to relieve the pressure on her hips. At least she isn't getting worse. Her appetite is great and she just walked out of her cage on her own. When I take her outside she stands to eat grass, but gets tired after about 10 minutes and has to lay down again. I'm pretty sure now she was a back injury instead of Marek's, at least that is what I'm hoping. The rooster won't stay away from her. He has figured out she is in the house and will stand by the window trying to get to her. She starts screaming when she sees him coming. Poor girl. I have pics and a video but they won't load.

 

[lalaland]

ochochicas, glad to hear of the progress!

I have a little mishapen hen, about 18 months old, that has never done well. Blind in one eye, very poor feathering, always clumsy. She molted this fall and all her feathers have come in white (she was mostly brown and gold before molt. I often hand feed her because she is small and has trouble with vision.

Of course it is dark when I leave for work and dark when I come home, so I haven't really seen her since Sunday. Tonight she wasn't in the coop when I got home, found her snuggled in the hay under the coop. Perfectly warm although temps are below zero. Empty crop.

Brought her in to see if I could get her to eat, but she didn't want to eat, very weak with head falling forward, etc. Got a miniscule amount of canned cat food into her, a tiny bit of water, but she just isn't interested.

I'm a little sorry I brought her in because she isn't likely to make it through the night, and she is stressed by the noise, etc here. I have her in a dark corner with a towel over the kennel.

No idea of any symptoms other than there was some dried gunk on her blind eye - looked exactly like sleep in a person's eye - and possibly a little swelling in front of the nasal pasages, not sure. - she appeared fine on Sunday.

 

[seminolewind]

Lalaland, I hope your little one gets better

 

[ochochicas]

Me too, I hope she is feeling better in the morning. Maybe she was just cold and will perk up over night in the house. Winter time is so hard because of the weather and lack of daylight.

 

[lalaland]

thanks.
This mornng she looks no better although she had two normal droppings during the night. She is unsteady on her feet, won't eat, is doing the beak clacking thing . what little I got into her beak just ran out as she isn't swallowing. I looked her over carefully to make sure there weren't mites or something, and I was surprised at how much molting she has left to do - lots of feather casings left on feathers.

I can leave her sitting on a towel on the counter and walk away, she isnt moving. But when I got her back in the kennel she did fake grooming - amazing the lengths a chicken will go to to make it appear as they are fine. But her movements are off - tries to put her head under the wing but misses, acts like she is drunk, etc. I'm thinking it is that mareks thing where they miss their aim for eating?

If she is still here when I get home tonight, I will put her down. I'm gone too much right now to keep her fed even if I started force feeding.

this is about 1- weeks since the little rooster had mareks.

 

[lalaland]

well, Angelina is still here. When I got home last night, I could see she now has goopy eyes and facial swelling. never ever seen this, although I have certainly read about it on byc over the years.

I got out the vetrx, and put some on her nostrils and wiped her eyes with a diluted solution of it. pulled off some goopy covering her eyes. Got maybe 1/16th cup of a slurry of food and electrolytes in her, and let her be. She was a little restless during the night. I do not believe she is drinking water or eating anything on her own.

THis morning her eyes are watering, but were not sealed with goop. Facial swelling up a bit. I got almost 1/4 cup (she's banty sized) into her of the slurry, and towards the end she was actually swallowing on her own. Probably dehydrated, no food, plus whatever this roup thing is with her. I put some bacitracin on her eyes.

I'm going to bring in a larger kennel and see if I can get her a little more comfortable. I don't think she can really see and she keeps hitting the sides of the little kennel she is in. Plus, she is only standing up, not nesting - and I haven't seen her settle down so maybe a larger kennel with a good bed of hay.

She has had absolutely no droppings since overnight on Tuesday - so 24 hours no excrement. but nothing going in really yesterday.

I'm tempted to put a heat lamp on her. It is 60 degrees in my house, she could probably use a little warmth. At least she isn't outside in below 0.

suggestions anyone?

 

[jgoldy2]

well, Angelina is still here.  When I got home last night, I could see she now has goopy eyes and facial swelling.  never ever seen this, although I have certainly read about it on byc over the years.    

I got out the vetrx, and put some on her nostrils and wiped her eyes with a diluted solution of it.  pulled off some goopy covering her eyes.  Got maybe 1/16th cup of a slurry of food and electrolytes in her, and let her be.  She was a little restless during the night.  I do not believe she is drinking water or eating anything on her own.

THis morning her eyes are watering, but were not sealed with goop.  Facial swelling up a bit.  I got almost 1/4 cup (she's banty sized) into her of the slurry, and towards the end she was actually swallowing on her own.  Probably dehydrated, no food, plus whatever this roup thing is with her.  I put some bacitracin on her eyes.  

I'm going to bring in a larger kennel and see if I can get her a little more comfortable.  I don't think she can really see and she keeps hitting the sides of the little kennel she is in.  Plus, she is only standing up, not nesting - and I haven't seen her settle down so maybe a larger kennel with a good bed of hay. 

She has had absolutely no droppings since overnight on Tuesday - so 24 hours no excrement.  but nothing going in really yesterday.

I'm tempted to put a heat lamp on her.  It is 60 degrees in my house, she could probably use a little warmth.  At least she isn't outside in below 0.

suggestions anyone? 

It is below 0 where I live as well, keep her in a large dog crate and have the towel give her the rite amount of lighting.