One of 4 hens 7 months old is wasting away

[grannyjen]

Polish brahma mom and silkie dad. Moderate size compared to brood mates. Raised by momma and not tame. Last two weeks has been more docile when I feed everyone. Let me stoke her 4 days ago. Two days ago she was not interested in the food so I picked her up and was shocked to find her skin and bones brought her inside the house and started feeding her scrambled eggs twice a day. Today added yoghurt. She has access to layer feed and water. Very quiet. Not interested in any thing but the eggs walking around a bit. Eyes are bright. Can't see her comb. No parasites. No injuries. Others all fine. They are in an outside coop with straw and wood chip bedding. Free range. But not much of that due to snow. No respiratory symptoms. I did give them all warm oatmeal for a week until I read that wasn't good for them her sister is laying but just started. Poop looks normal. We have had some terrible experiences in the past two years with new chickens developing symptoms of maraks but nothing for almost a year. One chicken just suddenly died last winter after a week of slightly quieter behaviour. I thought it was the cold. she was a partridge silkie. I banked up the coop with straw bales this year. She is a bit brighter today as she pecked me. Two scrambled eggs a day doesn't seem to be enough. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[rebrascora]

As soon as I read the title which gives the age and wasting, I immediately thought Marek's. If your flock has a history of it, then that adds more weight to the likelihood and added to that she is part silkie which are more prone to Marek's. She is bright eyed and eating but losing weight... another Marek's indication..... Sadly it all adds up to probably being Marek's. I would give her a good quality vitamin supplement to support her immune system and continue with the egg and perhaps a little meat or fish too occasionally and maybe some chick crumb rather than layer feed.... she is not going to be laying eggs any time soon if she is skin and bone so the extra calcium in layer is not great for her. Maybe make a mash of the chick crumb and water or yoghurt and scrambled egg rather than just egg. A probiotic might be beneficial to support her digestive tract or ferment the chick crumb. It will be important to keep her warm because she has lost so much weight and if you can get her out on some grass in the sunshine when you get a warm day, I find that helps with Marek's birds, particularly if you can place them near other chickens without putting them at risk of being pecked.