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

[JeanR]

It may be "suvival of the fittest". Not all chickens play the one who decides who shall recover from sickness or injury, but most DO. Sick birds need to be separated for a chance at their recovery. Starts with baby chicks, who sometimes "do not like" one of their mates and even kill it! It is up to us to protect them, feed them well, and keep them safe from predators. Love them all! Good luck

 

[leedyfeathers]

Cute!  What are those 2 chicks in the 3rd picture?

Ive been here before and had chickens diagnosed with LL however A lot of things pointed to Mark's as the culprit. I had instructions to clean and keep things clean I also changed who I got feed from and the food. I have kept up with cleaning and sofar have only done two major cleans with the activated oxine. If I see poop thats a sign of problems I clean water bowls again food bowls and normally spray the ground with bleach or vinagar and water under bowls.
I also started hatching my own chicks from my eight hens that were survivors of LL. I have five of them about five months old now. No kind of vacation and soon as they were dry they were in a sectioned off coop with other hens. In same pen area as well but sectioned off and covered. I now have eight more new arrivals the four have been moved in with other bunch. Everyone is good all have done well even with heat stress and one chick who we named happy feet its the smallest ever it came from a tinny egg. It has issues and ic it survives ill be tickled. Ill have another round here soon. Hopefully from my sister-in-laws bunch but I had a spike in heat of 109... it was during these really bad heat waves our little window units dont put enough cool air to keep it level.
I have not had any relapsing yet despite problems. Maybe I have that break before the storm .. ill take it!
Here's my babies..

the one looking at camera is happy feet she is no more than a skinny galfball size.

My teens.. I will have to dig up pictures of the two boys

 

[leedyfeathers]

My big boys

 

[Peep-Chicken]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1010665/misshaped-pupil-mareks

Please help, is this Mareks?

 

[proud-armywife]

I am pretty sure I have a chicken with mareks she started out a little bit off balance and quickly went downhill. Her one leg seems paralyzed and she is unable to stand at all she lays in the cage all day. I brought her home about a month ago and I am devastated . I am treating for cocci just in case and I am pretty sure they don't have worms... I use a multi wormer on a regular basis I'm terrified and angry with myself .. Afraid of my other babies getting sick, mad because what I had wasn't enough and I had to have 2 more... Do I cull her? How long do I wait.. 1 week? Will my other birds die? This keeps me up at night... I'm scared I wish I knew what to do... I have read through many posts not all-there is a lot! Lol I never thought chickens would be what would keep me up all night!

 

[alibabba]

all of my flock are gaping/panting at night. It is hot and muggy, and definitely heat related here. maybe 80 in the coop. The ee's especially seem vulnerable to the heat.

I have two hens gurgling with their breathing. THey are both between 5-6 years old, so I am doubtful it is mareks, even though they have been exposed, obviously. Don't know if it is the weather - it has been hazy with smoke from canadian wildfires for days now.

I think everyone is holding their own for now. I think it has been about two months since I've had to cull anyone for mareks. I have some two year olds that seem mighty skinny, but have almost softball sized crops at night, so they are surely eating.

its been the worst spring for broodies, there has been a broody hen or two in lockup for almost 3 months straight now. The sad thing is that with mareks in my flock, I can't let them hatch unless I have room for the chicks to be added to the flock, since I can't sell or give away the babies.

why not? if you are honest. I have Marek's and would be willing to take "possibly exposed" babies, or buy her some vaccinated day olds? ...plus, there are always the "raising to eat"...and Marek's exposure doesn't matter.

 

[seminolewind]

I am pretty sure I have a chicken with mareks she started out a little bit off balance and quickly went downhill. Her one leg seems paralyzed and she is unable to stand at all she lays in the cage all day. I brought her home about a month ago and I am devastated . I am treating for cocci just in case and I am pretty sure they don't have worms... I use a multi wormer on a regular basis I'm terrified and angry with myself .. Afraid of my other babies getting sick, mad because what I had wasn't enough and I had to have 2 more... Do I cull her? How long do I wait.. 1 week? Will my other birds die? This keeps me up at night... I'm scared I wish I knew what to do... I have read through many posts not all-there is a lot! Lol I never thought chickens would be what would keep me up all night!

If you have Marek's, you can't make it go away. You can assume all of them are exposed, culling isn't going to change anything, unless you want to end suffering. All your birds won't die. You can't really tell which ones will. but if they get over a year old, there's a better chance they'll survive. I know it's keeping you awake, but there's not really anything you can do about the past, and from now on new chicks will have to be vaccinated day 1 and quarantined for at least 3 weeks.

With the one that can't stand, I would try a multi B vitamin, animal or human, I would also make sure she's not dehydrated because they can be too weak to move if she is.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: I hope they all stay healthy! So cute!!!

 

[alibabba]

Enteritis is one of those things like coccidiosis except it's higher up in the small intestine and can be caused by cocci, e.coli, clostridium, and any damage. That's why I've been treating with amoxicillin and sulfadimethoxine for 7 days for those who are not real thrifty, or look bad like standing separate with eyes closed. They can also carry enteritis sub clinically where there are no obvious symptoms except wasting or just not having robust behavior. I have also treated with Tylan and sulfaDIMETHoxine. My last one wasted to the point where she could not walk and was laying flat on the ground.

yep. treating for cocci isn't a done thing, unless people check further into why. Even if feeding medicated food, Cocci is a def. possibility...and then the secondary bacterial infection that can follow because the intestinal wall is damaged. I know nothing, but now I know the look....and that sounds like it. Hiding, nibbling here and there, but not filling up...walking slowly and waddly because their bellies hurt...

I managed to save a few by treating immediately when I saw this.... This was not Marek's in my case, in these chicks, yet.

 

[proud-armywife]

If you have Marek's, you can't make it go away.  You can assume all of them are exposed, culling isn't going to change anything, unless you want to end suffering.  All your birds won't die.  You can't really tell which ones will.  but if they get over a year old, there's a better chance they'll survive.  I know it's keeping you awake, but there's not really anything you can do about the past, and from now on new chicks will have to be vaccinated day 1 and quarantined for at least 3 weeks. 

With the one that can't stand, I would try a multi B vitamin, animal or human, I would also make sure she's not dehydrated because they can be too weak to move if she is.

You have no idea how grateful I am for your response . I do have water and food within reach... i have been giving her eggs and cheese , nutradrench, yogurt, I have a heat light on top of the cage she is in a room that is pretty well air conditioned... (Living room I want to keep a close eye on her) will she be paralyzed for life? It's just so sad ... She isn't pooing on herself which is good... Thank you for any advice I am so grateful