Possible Marek’s

[LMac17]

We got 14 new chicks in the mail 3 weeks ago. 1 died within 48 hours... lethargic and couldn’t stand. We thought it was trauma from shipping. Then last week another chick started losing use of her legs and eventually stopped moving around. I suspected Marek’s so we isolated her in a different box and I changed out the shavings and sanitized every inch of the bird habitat, including the waterer, food bowl, and brooder. Now I have a third chick that was lethargic and yesterday started losing balance (using her wings to catch herself as she walked). Her poo is a hunter green color and she has stayed in a corner of her new box for nearly 24 hours, getting up sporadically to hobble to food or water, which is placed close by. She seems to have a purplish looking swollen knot on her bottom area.

I have two other birds that have swollen purplish looking areas that are acting fine. What do I do to keep more birds from catching whatever this is?

 

[kellyhubb]

Mareks would take longer then 48 hours to cause the bird to die, plus most chicks from hatcheries are vaccinated against it. Have you tried using the chicken symptom checker tool? http://www.poultrydvm.com/views/symptoms.php

 

[Eggcessive]

Chicks are not vaccinated for Mareks unless you ask and pay for it. But chicks will never show symptoms of Mareks before 3 weeks old, and more commonly, they develop symptoms between 5 and 25 weeks. Have you used any Poultry NutriDrench or vitamins/electrolytes?

Can you post any pictures of the purple areas on the chicks? I would suspect a bad hatch or shipping stress in your chicks, but at 3 weeks, coccidiosis might be a problem. Coccidiosis symptoms are weakness, lethargy, poor appetite, runny poops with mucus or blood, and standing puffed up or hunched. Corid (amprollium) is the usual treatment, and you can get it at most feed stores. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid, or 1 1/2 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5-7 days. Vitamins can be given except when on Corid.

Make sure there is no pasty butt, and that vents are clean and clear. Are the purple areas swollen lower bellies?