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

[Sonya9]

Isn't it strange when we end up actually happy that someone has a broken leg, LOL.

I hate to be a debbie downer but ....

I had a beautiful year old bantam hen that hurt her leg, it was JUST that leg and she could stand up fine on the other one (no signs of Mareks).

However after being crated for 2-3 weeks to let her hurt leg heal the stress must have gotten to her, she lost the ability to stand and died in 2-3 days from Marek's like symptoms. I do think it started as an injury but she became stressed/depressed due to the confinement and then Mareks took hold.

 

[lalaland]

but in this case the crate can be in the coop or run = at least some of the time, and she could even have a crate buddy maybe....if the buddy was calm enough. I guess with slings though you have to watch /oversee them so they don't get tangled up. Seminolewind, you are in for a good long nursing spell! but how great to have something you feel like you
can do - not such an invisible enemy that we are flailing at!

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
OMG! You are a Debbie downer this morning. Go have a few cups of coffee and come back as Sonya

Lalaland, you;'re right , anything is better than fighting "the ghost".

I had a BR that was in a sling for 6 weeks and healed. I had JG that had one and I think the stress caused her to go down hill. That one was 2 years old and a week later I had 10 chicks get paralysis one by one. That JG had also lost her depth perception , so , Marek's may have been the reason.

 

[jgoldy2]

It felt like if there's a break it was high up. So we went to the vet. He's very nice and only charges me for a visit and that's it. He said it's very broke. He splinted it by folding the leg up to the body and wrapped it onto the side of her body. He said 4 weeks like that and some weeks after that because of the way the leg is positioned. She's drinking a lot. I just hope she eats well. I made her an egg. It's a good feeling to feel it's not Marek's-for once.

A chicken that I used to have broke her leg and had it amputated, she lived for a few more years be for she had to go, she actually layed a small egg every other week

 

[jgoldy2]

This is the patient, Lucille.
I can't believe I have a vet that sees chickens!

Is she your advater or related to your advatar?

 

[shabbychick23]

I have reached a point where I need input from those of you who are also facing this problem.  I have 4 Marek's hens left and one is suffering from severe prolapse and her keel bone is extremely prominent.  These girls eat as if there's no tomorrow and will never be anything except what they are due to the disease.  I have some of their offspring hatched and at the 4 month age.  One roo from this group just died a few days ago showing the leg paralysis and constant eating.  No cocci, no respiratory issues, happy until he was no more.   The others in this group are normal sized and very healthy so I guess there is merit to raising for immunity.  I guess what I need to know is if it is worth it in the end, or should I just say goodbye and cull the poor girls left.  I know this has to be a personal choice but I would really like some input.

It would be easy to cull the ones affected, but then what?  Replace them?  Okay, but how long do they have to stay apart even if they're vaccinated for Marek's?  6 months?  A year?  What about my original flock of layers and roo?  They will be 2 years old in April.    Do they go as well?  They never had any symptoms of Marek's, but have been living with these survivors for months now.  A lot of questions that I hope some of you can help me work through.

I recently went through this mine tested positive at 8 months old my entire flock has been affected 27 birds slowly but surely became even urologic are broke out with some kind of other disease upper respiratory my question will I ever be able to have chickens on my acreage do you burn the coop do you destroy it do you bleach it I truly am sorry for your loss it is devastating

 

[seminolewind]

Goldy , she's the avatar's sister.

 

[jgoldy2]

Goldy , she's the avatar's sister.

Oh, that was what I thought, and I was shy about it but my nickname is Rubber.

 

[Nambroth]

So glad it was a 'fixable' injury! Whew. I hope she heals quickly, and with no complications.

 

[seminolewind]

Now if I could just get her to keep facing the same direction. She must be pivoting on the one foot. Hmmm.