One month old with nerve disorder symptoms...contagious?

[kristenm1975]

My Sicilian Buttercup was purchased from the local feed store, was not vaccinated, but was given medicated feed. She was in with 4 other chicks of the same age, one from the same feed store purchased at the same time. Last week she wouldn't get up when I reached in hold her, and just flopped over when I tried to stand her up. She put out her wings to balance herself, but just ended up backing up into a corner where she tipped over again.

I got her out and separated from her brooder-mates, and gave her a more thorough exam. She had a sharp little breastbone sticking out, so I concluded that she was under-nourished. I gave her several droppers full of water mixed with an Emergen-C multivitamin drink, as well as baby rice cereal mixed with yogurt and water. She didn't poop for two days with all that going in several times a day, but did develop a little white crust around her vent. I made sure it remained clear and she began after 4 days to make regular poops.

She is under a heat lamp, and as begun to make steady progress in her ability to move around on her own. She is still shaky and doesn't seem able to walk properly, but can get her own food and water now. I've been putting hypericum homeopathic tablets in her water, dissolved, in case she has Marek's disease.

My question is, now that she appears to be holding steady, is it possible for her to return to her brooder with the others? I think chickens do better with company and I can't keep her in the house much longer. Suggestions? None of the others are showing any symptoms of what she has.

Thank you!

 

[THough1956]

I would say put her back in with the others, anything she had, the others were already exposed to anyway.

 

[kristenm1975]

Thanks for the thought. I think she'd be happier there, for sure.

 

[dab045]

How is she doing? I have a bantam 7 weeks old that started not using her legs and she seems very nourished but is off balance like you described yours. I ordered hypercum over the weekend and cant wait to start her on it. She is in my bathroom eating and drinking it appears but she just lays there. The others she was with since babies are doing great.

 

[dab045]

How is she doing? I have a bantam 7 weeks old that started not using her legs and she seems very nourished but is off balance like you described yours. I ordered hypercum over the weekend and cant wait to start her on it. She is in my bathroom eating and drinking it appears but she just lays there. The others she was with since babies are doing great. She has been this way I guess maybe 5 days now

 

[THough1956]

Unfortunatley it sounds like Mareks to me.

 

[kristenm1975]

I thought Marek's was something that they didn't get at this young an age. And isn't it odd that none of her brooder-mates have it? I was under the impression that it's contagious.

She's doing fine, seems to be improving or at the least, maintaining. Normal poops, eating and drinking on her own, just not getting much better on her ability to stand and move around smoothly. Her toes curl up at the ends when she's trying to stand, so she doesn't have her balance. Her tail points at the floor all the time and her wings seem to droop. She is able to groom herself though, and does so often. She shakes her head quite a bit, I'm not sure why. She also seems to be losing more feathers than I would have thought normal for a young bird. The others aren't losing any. She's lost a couple of the long new ones. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[kristenm1975]

Any more opinions on integrating the flock? Or whether this is Marek's?

Thank you!

 

[babsbag]

If it is Marek's then it is contagious. It is spread through feather follicles and dander so her brooder mates have already been exposed. It can be carried in the wind even between farms. It is typically seen at about 5 weeks, but can be later. Mine was about 8 months. They can be vaccinated at 1 day of age, but that is not what the medicated feed is for. The feed is for Cocci, there is also a vaccine for that (I think).

There are so many was that it manifest itself. Eye problem, lack of balance, internal tumors, paralyzed leg, wry neck, and more. Some birds recover and some die, some never show any symptoms. A bird can be a carrier and never appear sick. If you search on BYC for Hypercium you will find a thread where someone used that to threat it with good results. It did not work for mine. It might depend on the stage and type. IDK. But it is always worth trying (IMO)

You can buy the vaccine and give it to older birds. There is some opinions that it may stop tumor growth even in older birds. My vaccine order should be here this week.

I hope this in not what you have in your flock. It is a horrid thing to deal with. I have lost 3 out of 9, 1 confirmed Marek's and one I am waiting to hear. I also noticed another hen with the grey iris which is also a sign.

Good luck. I hope she goes on to live a long life.

 

[kristenm1975]

Thank you babsbag. I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you've been having with yours. Where did you order your Marek's vaccines from? It may be a wise thing for me to do also. Then perhaps I can at least integrate the girls again. I hate seeing the sick little one all alone. I'm sure that's not good for her either.

Good luck with your flock!