poasible mareks, help!

[5cutechicks]

I'm terrified I messed up and now my flock of 20 are going to pay for my mistake. I have 3 silkies hens,1 roo and 1 polish/silkie hen and 2 polish that are all a little over one year old, we had 9 babies born at Easter and 4 born about 8 weeks ago. I don't know if my older chicks were vaccinated or not I got them at 2 different times from the same breeder. I was told to use medicated chick food until they were old enough to change feed and I did, never thought to ask if they were vaccinated,
my 13 new babies I've done the same way. I read about vaccinations and I must have mistakenly missed the whole mareks part so I didn't vaccinate! Now one of my youngest chicks stated to walk a bit funny and when I picked her up and put her down her left leg went more forward than the other. She was walking a bit funny when I tried to catch her in the chicken run so I posted a picture of her and asked for help on Sunday and I got a couple post that it could be mareks! I'm devastated, I have spent sooo much time reading about mareks I'm a little confused. I've separated her from the flock, I've given her some chicken vitamins, electrolytes, she eats good, poo is good. I take her out 2-3times a day to make sure she gets exercise because she's always been a busy chick! She seemed to walk fine but the more exercise she gets she seems to limp a bit, I also notice when I spread her left wing she doesn't pull it in with the same amount of strengths as the other but it doesn't drag and she is able to pull it in, she scratches herself with both feet, cleans under both wings and seems to stand fine, when she's been doing lots of walking she seems get tired her left leg tends to go forward more than the right. I have been monitoring all of my chickens really close the last few days so far everyone's fine as far as I can tell, I did catch several chickens jumping out there coop window and landing on the other chickens yesterday, a 3-4 foot jump and one baby was landed on and started to limp a bit? I have been trying to post a video of my chick running down the drive way for everyone to see so maybe someone could tell me if it looks like mareks, can't figure out how to post it! She's running just fine. (It's actually cute!) I didn't know if it could be an injury? My 1 polish hen is the "Chosen chicken" in pecking order and she is super fast and mean and pecks everyone, she's really mean and nasty to all of the chickens an spends time all by herself most of the time. ( she's also the mother to this baby chick, but my silkie hatches it) wondered if she may have hurt it? She pecks and pulls feather out of everyone! Also wondering if my other chickens were to get mareks if it would it show as leg problems like I'm having with my chick or or would it be tumors, optical issues. I didn't know if the leg being paralized was the type of mareks, I'm so worried I'm going to loose all of my dear sweet chickens. Any information is so appreciated and valued. I'm so upset this is all I can think about!

 

[boskelli1571]

Ok - deep breath, try to relax. From what you describe it doesn't sound like Mareks to me, but more of an injury. If your chick did indeed jump 4 feet it's highly likely that she damaged herself on landing.
Are all your other chicks doing well? I believe that Mareks would likely strike more than one chick - but I could easily be wrong.
Keep on as you are right now - keep her separate, encourage activity, but don't overdo. You can try adding some electrolyte solution to her water, it can't hurt. I'm afraid it's a 'wait & see' - you are doing ok so far. Don't beat yourself up about vaccinations, you know now so in future you can plan accordingly.
Please keep us posted,

 

[5cutechicks]

Thank you so much for your response, it made me feel so much better. So worried about all of my baby's. It's the not knowing that's driving me nuts. I spent an hour with my other chicks tonight again and everyone seems ok, so far. I pick them all up check there legs, toes, feet, and wings and everyone seems to be in strong working order. Hopefully it won't change! I spent a few more minutes with the sick chick and might have over did the exercise, I put her On a small hill in the yard to see how her balance was and she was able to walk (actually ran) down the hill, her left wing was hanging a little lower than it was earlier today and it was limping a little bit when I put her to bed. I did notice it is not able to stand on my arm like the others do? I'm not sure if this chick may have jumped out the window or was jumped on. Hoping its and injury, she doesn't feel warm anywhere? I gave her some apple cider/molasses mix for something yummy tonight but don't know if she drank it. She also stomps both of her feet sometimes??? Hoping it's not meraks! Thanks again!

 

[boskelli1571]

Thank you so much for your response, it made me feel so much better. So worried about all of my baby's. It's the not knowing that's driving me nuts. I spent an hour with my other chicks tonight again and everyone seems ok, so far. I pick them all up check there legs, toes, feet, and wings and everyone seems to be in strong working order. Hopefully it won't change! I spent a few more minutes with the sick chick and might have over did the exercise, I put her On a small hill in the yard to see how her balance was and she was able to walk (actually ran) down the hill, her left wing was hanging a little lower than it was earlier today and it was limping a little bit when I put her to bed. I did notice it is not able to stand on my arm like the others do? I'm not sure if this chick may have jumped out the window or was jumped on. Hoping its and injury, she doesn't feel warm anywhere? I gave her some apple cider/molasses mix for something yummy tonight but don't know if she drank it. She also stomps both of her feet sometimes??? Hoping it's not meraks! Thanks again!

Time will tell, she sounds feisty!