Production red not acting right or preening herself ::::UPDATED::::

[LindsayB]

ugh...You have me scared now...

I will research it. Thanks for bringing it up though, I would have never thought about it.

 

[MotherJean]

The thing is, I don't think Marek's can be diagnosed positively except after death - sort of like Alzheimer's - you see the symptoms and you're pretty sure you know what it is, but can't prove it until and autopsy is performed. If you suspect Marek's, it is suggested that the entire flock (including the sick bird) be vaccinated. Apparently the vaccine given even after a bird has been infected can work to minimize the damage of the disease. I'm pretty sure vaccinations are mentioned in the treatment section of those authoritative articles. You would also need to vaccinate and take some precautions with any new birds you add to your flock if Marek's is present. I don't mean to worry you unnecessarily, but I thought it was important to suggest the possibility of Marek's because it can effect more than just this PR.

 

[LindsayB]

So you can vaccinated older birds? Everything I have read says that Marek's show up in birds as early as 6-12 weeks. She has been like this since day one. Once her feathers started coming in she never took care of them. Can it start in day old chicks? Sorry I'm asking so many questions! lol!

 

[MotherJean]

One of those authorities says Marek's usually strikes between 5 and 25 weeks of age, but another says that they can contract Marek's as early as 3 weeks. Day-old chicks that are vaccinated for Marek's require about 2 weeks to gain immunity. It is recommended that they be isolated from older birds in your flock during that time. Dr. Brown at First State Veterinary Supply says:

"If a bird that has not been vaccinated for Mareks Disease comes down with the obvious symptoms of Mareks it may be of value to vaccinate anyway. There is some research to show that some birds may recover after vaccination. This would possibly work on birds whether or not they were vaccinated before. Some research has suggested that re-vaccination 4 to 6 weeks after the initial vaccination was of value in preventing new cases of Mareks disease in high risk areas. It is important to keep in mind that birds that have been infected are shedding this virus at a very heavy rate from their follicles and it would be of value to keep feathers about your coop cleaned up. Regular spraying with Oxine will go a long way in keeping this disease as well as other diseases under control."

If you don't read through any of those other articles, do read the one from Dr. Brown at post #9 at the link I gave you. It is very informative.

 

[LindsayB]

Okay..It just stopped raining here so I decided to go out and see if the girls wanted some yogurt. they bailed out of the coop and the production red was the last one out. She did run out flapping her wings but then tripped on the ramp and fell face first in the dirt. About 2 feet up. Now she is not really wanting to walk and keeps sitting down...Do you think she hurt her legs when she fell, or is this really Marek's and its just taking its toll on her???

 

[MotherJean]

That's certainly not a good sign. You might be better off isolating her, not because of the possible infection, but for her own protection. In her condition she may not be able to compete for adequate food and water and she'll be vulnerable to being run down and picked at by the other hens. Even if it's just putting her in a dog crate for awhile, at least you'll make her a bit more comfortable and be able to more closely observe her - see how well she's eating, drinking, and what her poo looks like. Might be some more clues there.

 

[MalMom]

What happened to the chicken?

 

[CluckinghamPal]

sounds like one of ours - and the tripping and not really flying is because she is blind in one eye and has impaired vision in the other.