Possible Marek's--can I put her back w/her flock?

[louieloui]

I believe my pullet, Maple (posted about her on this board earlier), has Marek's and she is currently in isolation in a tiny (for her) Rubbermaid tote. It was fine for the last couple of days when she wasn't standing a whole lot, but after giving her Hypericum (that I read about on here), she is up and about a lot more and understandably unhappy in her "hospital room." Can I put Maple back in w/her flock in the coop and run? She has been raised w/these chickens so I would assume that if she does indeed have Marek's, they've all been exposed already. Plus, she may not have Marek's--although I can't figure out what else it could be and am new to chickens, so I'm definitely not an expert.

 

[louieloui]

Anyone?

 

[seminolewind]

It depends. If she's older than 6-8 months, I would say yes. I've had 2 adults in 2 years that had all the symptoms of Marek's and no one else got it, I personally think there's a "latent" type that we don't know that much about yet, but seems to be poor immune system or stress related, and doesn't seem to spread.

 

[gryeyes]

I'm kind of in the same spot. I didn't know what the "injury" was that made my Matilda progressively lame on the left side, posted what I was doing with her and someone suggested Marek's. I read up on it, and decided that's what it was, because I THOUGHT she had also developed "grey eye." It turns out she had her eye closed all this time, and it was the lid I'd seen, not "grey eye." She's now got that eye half-way open, and she doesn't have "grey eye." But she's still paralyzed.

I'm thinking it may have been a botulism poisoning, but for the life of me, I can't figure out where she might have gotten into something with botulism in it.

From what I've read, if the bird recovers from Marek's Disease, it was a light case, and she might as well be returned to the flock.

Marek's is THE most common disease of poultry, and apparently we've got it and don't even know it, our birds are just resistant and/or carriers.

My Matilda is still paralyzed, but she's eating and drinking and has perked up a lot since I put her in a hutch out on the porch.

Wish I could be more informative. Wish I knew more about it myself!!

 

[louieloui]

Maple is only 16 wks. (give or take), so definitely not to the 6 mos. mark. I don't know if it's Marek's or something else, but I do know that since I've been giving her the Hypericum she went from dropping her wings/holding her legs up/crumpling w/one foot forward and one back, to almost running behind me as I let her out to roam the basement. When I brought her in 2-3 days ago she was lethargic, dizzy, and mainly just laid down. I was able to leave the top off of her "brooder" because she had no inclination to jump out. Now she's trying to escape by pushing the screen (that we had to put on top) up so she can get out.

I know this doesn't mean she's out of the woods, yet the fact that she's doing so well--and also me not wanting her to lose her place in the pecking order--makes me think she'd be okay to go back out to the coop. I'll check on her often, of course, and continue w/the Hypericum until she's fully recovered. Maple still has a bit of balance issues, however that is getting better as the hours go by.

 

[PurpleChicken]

If it's Mareks than your flock already has it. Mareks is usually caught months before the birds start showing symptoms.

 

[louieloui]

I went ahead and put her back in today, the other chickens acted completely normal and fine around her, and all seemed well. But when I went out there to give her her medicine tonight, she was all puffed up and acting lethargic/wobbly again. She was able to eat and drink just fine--again the other chickens let her do so w/out any bullying--yet she looked bad again. I decided to bring her in tonight and see how she is in the morning. I just have no idea what is causing the issues or what to do.