Please tell me it's not MAREKS!!!!! HELP!!!

[steffpeck]

I just went out to check on my chicks (they are almost 7 weeks old) and one of them seemed to be laying with her right leg in a weird position, it was straight forward underneath her and out to the side a bit and her toes look to be curling in towards each other a little bit. I picked her up and her feet felt a little cool. When I put her down she took a step or two and then laid down. We did get her to walk a little bit, but it looks like she is limping. What can I do for her?? She is my only Blue Wheaten Ameraucana and I REALLY want her to be ok. Please help me!!!!!

 

[steffpeck]

After doing searches for injured feet/legs several threads pulled up mentioning Mareks. I found a picture of a chicken with Mareks laying just like my pullet. I also have 2 others that have head tremors that I have never been able to figure out, but I did read that tremors can be a sympton of Mareks. I know nothing about Mareks, someone please help me!!!! Thanks!!

Steff

 

[speckledhen]

Steff, I dont know that much about it. CarriBrown does know quite a bit; she's had to deal with it herself. She'll probably come along soon or you could PM her.

 

[chickenzoo]

Mareks is naturally occurring in our enviroment. It is along the same lines as Herpes virus. Their is no cure for Mareks and tumors can develop to threaten the life of the bird or an ocular version that affects the eyes.. Birds die more so from secondary infections etc. from their compromised immune system. Mareks is spread from the feather dander of the infected bird which can shed on to your clothes, skin etc. and affect other birds, so handling them should be done after working with your other birds. Once a bird has Mareks they become a carrier and if they survive they can pass it on to other non-vaccinated birds. Some birds are naturally immune to Mareks, others are not. Their is a Vaccine you can treat your other birds that are not ill, it is only around $10 for a very large bottle. Vaccine does not prevent them from getting the virus but often from developing the tumors that lead to them dieing. As for your sick bird, vitamin deficiencies can cause paralysis's too, so I'd start there. I'd use the Poly - vi - sol vitamins, Vit E, perhaps some predisone to help w/ swelling if you can get some. I'd treat it for a little while and see if that helps. I would defiantly separate her from your others and only handle her after your other birds. If it is Mareks you have a hard choice to make. You can try supportive care and see if she pulls through and in the meantime
Vaccinate all your birds, or cull her and not take a chance, but I'd still vaccinate too. Their is a lot of conflicting info on this subject, do your reserch, talk to your vet, Fort Dodge that makes the vaccines, your state Ag. department and your vet if possible. I hope it is not Mareks and wish you all the best.

 

[steffpeck]

Thanks chickenzoo. It is ok to immunize them even though they are older (7 weeks)??

One other question I have, if she has Mareks, and she pulls through, will she still be able to be used for breeding, or is it something that they can pass on making it a bad choice to breed her??

 

[chickenzoo]

If she has Mareks I don't know about the breeding. I can't remember if it can pass into the egg. If not, and all your other birds are vacc and you put the eggs in a bator, perhaps, but your roo could possibly still be at risk...honestly I don't know. I would talk to one of the organizations suggested in my other response. As far as vacc other birds, they say to vacc. day olds because that is the best way to know they have never been exposed to it. However, when I talked to Fort Dodge they said it would not hurt to vacc even adult birds although they could not guarantee it's effectiveness in that situation. The chicks that had not been outside yet would have the best chance of not getting infected.