Pretty sure it's Marek's disease...

[Wonderling]

Here a picture from last week of my handsome boy, Glasspoole:

My almost-6th month old Australorp/Mystery-mix-breed cockerel (pictured above) seemed sore on one leg yesterday so we moved him into the small section on the coop so he could recover from what I assumed was a pulled muscle since I couldn't find any break. Today he's having issues with his other leg as well, so now I'm pretty sure it's Marek's disease. This year is the first time I've ever hatched eggs and you guessed it, I didn't vaccinate which I'm now kicking myself for. Honestly though it would have been so expensive to buy a 1,000 dose bottle for each batch of 2-4 chicks I hatched which is what made me decide against it.

Here's my question...do I just put him down? I'm guessing yes...it's just so disheartening.

I have 4 other chicks (2 pullets/2 cockerels) that are still a month or two younger than him who are fine...for now. From what I'm reading they'll either show signs and need to be put down or they'll be carriers. Crossing my fingers that they just end up as carriers but only time will tell.

Anyone else gone through a similar experience? I think I'm just really feeling bad because I know this is my fault but at the time I thought it was a calculated risk. Since this was all very new I didn't really have the experience to realize the actual risk I was taking. Though this is heart wrenching I'm trying to accept it as a painful learning experience but I could really use a comment or two letting me know I'm not the only one who's made this kind of error and recovered their chicken keeping spirit.

All future plans are: either aim to hatch 15 or more at a time and vaccinate, or simply buy from a hatchery and have them already vaccinated. Thus the cost is approximately the same.

Update: Going to give him vitamins and keep an eye on him for a couple days to see if his condition improves. Future updates will be in the comments.

 

[Shadrach]

Marek's disease really isn't something one should assume.
You shouldn't be thinking about replacing any of your flock until you are certain what you are dealing with.
If you have Marek's disease in your flock that's your chicken keeping over regarding new additions.
So, before killing any chickens I would wait and see what happens to the one you think is showing symptoms and in the event it dies get a necropsy done. Then think about what to do.

 

[azygous]

But isn't it better to get him away from the others? It might be another disease that can be passed on slowly to other chickens in the flock, and quarantining might stop some of that. Also, what about pecking? The other birds might see him as weak and easy to bully. Quarantine is not just to make sure he doesn't give the other chickens a disease, it's for his own safety as well. I'd never leave a sick chicken in with other chickens, at the very least for fear of the sick chicken being bullied. Chickens aren't exactly compassionate (but they make up for it by being cute!)

You raise some very valid concerns. They need to be taken into consideration, absolutely. However, unless he's showing visible symptoms of a respiratory infection and if the others aren't picking on him, chickens recover so much quicker when left with the flock. Many of us never remove a sick or injured chicken from the flock unless it's absolutely necessary, and we return that chicken as soon as is practical.

Some of the concerns you've raised are the reasons a lot of chicken keepers have constructed a segregation pen inside their runs. This is one way of keeping a recovering chicken safe while still allowing it to be part of its flock.

 

[azygous]

Has a chicken from your flock been previously diagnosed with Marek's? Usually a necropsy will give you this information.

Marek's isn't the only thing that can cause lameness. A CRD can cause inflammation of the legs. It's treatable with an antibiotic. Exposure to petroleum distillates, such as motor oil or transmission fluid, can cause lameness. Vitamin E and B complex treatment often can repair the damage.

There's scaly leg mite that can cause pain and the chicken will favor its affected legs. A nasty bruise between the toes can cause enough pain the chicken won't feel like walking. Aspirin can alleviate the pain so the chicken will walk again.

I think culling is premature.

 

[azygous]

No need to quarantine him. If this roo has Marek's the entire flock has it, too. But, it's premature to conclude it's Marek's.

Bruises on chicken legs and feet appear as very faint greenish spots. Look at the webbing between the toes for these signs of bruising. A stubbed toe is every bit as painful to a chicken as it is to humans.

Also examine his toes for broken talons or hangnails which can be very painful. Look at the bottoms of his feet if you haven't already done so. Bumblefoot can cripple a chicken. Look for dark scabs. If any of his scales aren't perfectly smooth and flush with the leg, scaly leg mites could be getting a running start at him.

Try giving him one whole baby aspirin (81 grain) If he has an injury, that might clue you to it by relieving the pain enough so he feels like standing and walking.

 

[Peepsi]

Ah, poor guy! Don't cull him yet. Like everyone else said, you don't know if it's Marek's yet. Quaratine him, watch his symptoms, consider other diseases or problems, and treat. If he dies, then definitely send his body to your state's Animal Health Lab or Veterinarian Diagnostics lab at the Oregon State University to have a professional look at what the cause of death was.

 

[microchick]

I agree, not time to throw the baby out with the bath water, at least not yet.

My experience with Marek's disease is that the limp goes to the dragging of toes better known as knuckling under very rapidly. I once lost an 8 week old pullet in less than a week from first limp to second leg involvement and full 'scissor' stance and having to be culled. If this is Marek's I think it will progress and you will know for sure if it is MD.

I went back and reread your original post. 10 months old. Makes me go Hmmmmmmm. Marek's usually hits younger birds. BUT I've seen it hit cockerels when they hit sexual maturity and start exhibiting that testosterone flush that the boys get when they start experiencing breeding stress. I've lost a lot of cockerels to MD at one year of age thanks to that. Roosters can make their own stress, I've learned.

I wouldn't panic yet. Keep a watchful eye on your boy and keep us informed. You've been given some excellent advice so far.

 

[Lelilamom]

What makes you think it's definitely Marek's? If he pulled a muscle and was favoring the leg, he could have pulled the muscle in the other leg. Out of curiosity, what does hatching chicks have to do with Mareks? Perhaps I'm a bit naive and not a little uneducated but farms have been hatching chicks for generations without vaccinating and haven't had Marek's wiping out their flocks. Is Marek's so prevalent that our flocks are in danger from every unvaccinated bird?

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Have you thought about it being a possible vitamin b deficiency?

 

[Wonderling]

But isn't it better to get him away from the others? It might be another disease that can be passed on slowly to other chickens in the flock, and quarantining might stop some of that. Also, what about pecking? The other birds might see him as weak and easy to bully. Quarantine is not just to make sure he doesn't give the other chickens a disease, it's for his own safety as well. I'd never leave a sick chicken in with other chickens, at the very least for fear of the sick chicken being bullied. Chickens aren't exactly compassionate (but they make up for it by being cute!)

I moved him into a smaller section of the coop that has wire between the rest of the coop so he can see the flock but not join them. The pullets have been coming in to check on him ever other hour or so it's quite sweet.

Human vitamin B complex is very good to use, or a chicken vitamin with riboflavin listed on the label (Poultry NutriDrench does not have it.) Could he have hurt his back rough housing with another cockerel or in some other way? Are you feeding him a complete chicken feed? Vitamins and minerals are very important in bone growth.

I gave him NutriDrench but I'll see if I can find something with riboflavin. I don't think he'd have been rough housing, he's quite a bit bigger than the other cockerels and generally ignores them for the most part other than telling them to get out of his way. They get a medicated chick feed, I'll look at the percentages on the label.