Ocular Marek's vs the other kind? Could be both?

[Lelilamom]

Three weeks ago I noticed one of my barnyard mixes with a closed eye. I figured she got dinged by another hen. I kept an eye on her (no pun intended) and after about 7 days, the eye was open, normal and she appeared to have full vision. Last week my bantam roo got the snot kicked out of him by one of my standards. The next day I noticed one of his eyes closed. Today, he was running around with the eye sometimes closed, sometimes open. It looks damaged, but not cloudy, and he doesn't appear to be able to see out of it. He was vaccinated for Marek's at the hatchery. 10 days ago one of my brahmas was doing the penguin squat. I found it curious since she hasn't laid an egg in 18 mos+. She was eating and walking around slowly. Normal poop. By Sunday before Thanksgiving, she was lying in the hay not moving but alert, one leg straight out. I suspected Marek's right away. I put her out of her misery when we processed our turkeys. She was vaccinated from the hatchery. I have two Wyandottes, one who has been having trouble walking for years - her claws are old and gnarly and one acting normal but has gross, green poo today. They were both vaccinated at the hatchery 7 years ago.

Tonight I go out in the coop to make sure everyone is accounted for and I find another one of my barnyard mixes sitting on the roosting bar with one eye closed. I gently pulled the lid down and it looks like she's got puss in the eye.

Coincidence? It seems really unlikely that I have six birds with Marek's symptoms for it not to be Marek's. So far only the Brahma succumbed and really, I don't know if she would have, but I didn't want to see her suffer. Can I have Ocular and Regular Marek's in the coop at the same time? Do they cross contaminate, meaning Ocular can spread and present as regular and vice versa? Now my eyes are itchy.

 

[ColtHandorf]

That doesn't appear to be Mareks.

 

[lilmillefleur]

This isn't ocular marek's; it's probably a respiratory infection. MG or coryza often has goop or bubbles in the eyes

 

[Lelilamom]

That doesn't appear to be Mareks.

This isn't ocular marek's; it's probably a respiratory infection. MG or coryza often has goop or bubbles in the eyes

I'm super shocked. Are you sure? What, if anything, can I do for MG or Coryza? My flock had a respiratory virus years and years ago, every chicken had it, and I treated them with mayo covered garlic. Eggs were inedible for two weeks, but they were cured.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

7 years is getting pretty old for chickens. While some make it into their teens a lot start getting cancers, reproductive issues, etc after about 4 years. Best guess is that your brahma had an "old age" ailment. The eye issues seem like an infection. If they were sick years ago, they still carry that virus and can become sick again in times of stress or if their immune systems are weak from something else. There are antibiotic ointments and eye sprays you can get if it looks like it's getting worse, but they might get over it on their own.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm super shocked. Are you sure? What, if anything, can I do for MG or Coryza? My flock had a respiratory virus years and years ago, every chicken had it, and I treated them with mayo covered garlic. Eggs were inedible for two weeks, but they were cured.

They weren't cured. They likely went into a type of remission.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I treated them with mayo covered garlic.

 

[texsuze]

Your symptomatic chicken can be tested for MG and MS, which would give confirmation about what might be taking place. Denagard (tiamulin) --off label-- is often cited for prophylactic treatment and for treating symptomatic birds with MG. I'm sure there is a "Denagard stickie" somewhere on BYC with details about dosage, timing, etc. or perhaps someone will respond with that info.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Your symptomatic chicken can be tested for MG and MS, which would give confirmation about what might be taking place. Denagard (tiamulin) --off label-- is often cited for prophylactic treatment and for treating symptomatic birds with MG. I'm sure there is a "Denagard stickie" somewhere on BYC with details about dosage, timing, etc. or perhaps someone will respond with that info.

I believe it is three mil. per US gallon. A small (like 0.1-0.3) can be given orally in extreme cases. They advise sweetening the water to counteract the bitterness of the medication. I personally wouldn't.

 

[Lelilamom]

Thanks for all the feedback friends. All chickens have recovered except one Wyandotte who is still acting normal, but has the gross green poo. Incidentally, she now sleeps in the hay with her clutchmate who has a bum leg.