Rooster balance problems - how big is the chance of Marek's?

[Eggcessive]

You may want to read the paragraph under diagnosis in this article:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/coccidiosis/overview-of-coccidiosis-in-poultry

Here are some more good articles:
https://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/201392.pdf

https://www.farmhealthonline.com/US/disease-management/poultry-diseases/coccidiosis-in-poultry/

http://www.poultryhub.org/health/disease/types-of-disease/coccidiosis/

 

[5GodsDown]

In the USA, it's considered 'normal' for adult chickens to have some coccidia, and our problems are with chicks exposed to too many oocysts at one time, overwhelming their ability to develop the partial immunity that protects them from actual illness.
Things may certainly be different where you live, I don't know. Here, the parasite is in the soil many places, unavoidable unless the birds never get outside.
I agree that Phil doesn't seem to manage coccidia very well, or at all.
Mary

You are absolutely right and I don't believe the soil in coops would be any different here in Europe, but I've had fecal tests done before where the conclusion simply was "nothing wrong", so I think they only raise the alarm if it's above average. In any case, the poultry vet advised me to treat all of them. 'If one is sick, treat all of them' seems to be the general rule here in BE/NL, maybe because the pieces of land we keep them on are generally smaler, or maybe it's not necessary at all, but I'll follow the vet's advice.

 

[Folly's place]

It also makes sense, because if Phil can't manage coccidia, or is eating more contaminated soil or something, clearing the flock will help him.
You have been the best for poor Phil!
Mary

 

[5GodsDown]

Unfortunately Phil has passed away overnight. It's a shock after the progress he has been making, I was almost certain he would manage to come through. It's such a shame, but I think both he and I tried our bests. He was my first rooster and managed to set the bar high for future additions to the flock. I will miss him very much. I will likely bring him in for necropsy, I will call the vet later today as I don't really feel like it now. He is safely lying in the shed, we have a few degrees above freezing temperature.

I'm really sad, but we did the best we could. Thank you all very much for the support and help. The only positive side is that there's now a spot available again for an unwanted rooster looking for a new home like Phil, but not before we find out what Phil suffered from. I will share and translate the results once they're in, but I don't know how long that could take.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm so sorry!
Mary

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh, no. So sorry to hear about your loss of Phil. It seemed like he was getting better, and you had worked so hard for him. Is there a lab where the vet could send specimens for Mareks testing? Let us know if the necropsy gives you any answers.

 

[5GodsDown]

Oh, no. So sorry to hear about your loss of Phil. It seemed like he was getting better, and you had worked so hard for him. Is there a lab where the vet could send specimens for Mareks testing? Let us know if the necropsy gives you any answers.

I know, I really thought he was going to make it... Yes, such samples are sent to the veterinary department of Ghent university, or at least that's where the avian vet sends them, it's also our only veterinarian school, but I'll have to inquire about figuring out how he died, I don't think it's the same procedure as just sending in a tissue sample to check for Marek's.

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually a feather shaft or any tumor tissue is PCR tested for Mareks. Tumors may be found along nerves, in organs, on the skin, and usually would be seen during a necropsy.

 

[5GodsDown]

The sweet avian vet is also bummed out. She told me to bring him in tomorrow and she'll do the necropsy for free. If she can't find anything herself she'll send a tissue sample to the university and I'll only have to pay for that. He's been worth the money of course, but it's a very nice gesture. She really wants to know what happened.

 

[5GodsDown]

The vet got started on him immediately and sent me some pictures (after consent of course). I will put them in thumbnails, because of sensitive content.

He has an enlarged liver, spleen and kidneys, which leads the vet to believe it might indeed be Marek's when taking his prehistory into account. She's sending tissues samples to the university.