Second sick hen

[Wyorp Rock]

"Sling-Girl" seems to have developed this yellow crust on her right eye only. She keeps both eyes closed for the most part. Not sure what that indicates.

Thoughts on these?

Poor girl
Not sure what's going on there. Does she seem able to see - how her aim at food?

May be due to that's she's not active and able to move about preening, dust bathing, doing chicken things. I'm sure skin deteriorates over time if immobile like that, even around the eyes.
You can try wiping out with saline and applying an eye ointment to the eye to see if that helps.
I'm sorry that she's not improving, it must be sort of a miserable existence for her.

 

[ZedikerStation]

Poor girl
Not sure what's going on there. Does she seem able to see - how her aim at food?

May be due to that's she's not active and able to move about preening, dust bathing, doing chicken things. I'm sure skin deteriorates over time if immobile like that, even around the eyes.
You can try wiping out with saline and applying an eye ointment to the eye to see if that helps.
I'm sorry that she's not improving, it must be sort of a miserable existence for her.

She can see fine. It doesn't affect her vision at all. Getting her moving twice a day is clearly not enough. I hate to over hydrate her with a syringe, so she might be a bit dehydrated. She definitely has leg strength based on the fighting to not go in the sling. She just doesn't know how to use them to stand and walk.

She has a first class ticket printed to Penn State lab. (FedEX), but were giving her every chance. Probably will send her early next week unless obvious suffering occurs.

She can't be a normal chicken now, but seems to enjoy the bed and breakfast set up.

 

[ZedikerStation]

UPDATE ON "Sling-Girl"...
We don't have the final necropsy report from Penn State University yet, however, we have an email summary.

She was negative for New Castle, Avian Flue, etc.

She was diagnosed with Marek's based on testing and appearance of her liver, as well as lesions on her spinal cord. I guess we have to assume the other 2 before her also had Marek's... I'll put up the full report when we get it for those interested.

We also have to assume the rest have it as well, but they are doing well.

How they contracted it remains a mystery. We are surrounded on 3 sides by 4000 acres of woods. We only have 1 neighbor 1/4 mile away and they have no chickens.

I guess the most plausible way would be wild birds or the feed store. When the pellets come in, we keep them in the garage and take them up to the coop in a clean 5 gallon bucket.

@azygous @Wyorp Rock @aart

 

[ZedikerStation]

Here is the final necropsy report for those following/interested. I'm not sure what some of the information indicates, but Marek's was confirmed.

 

[aart]

How they contracted it remains a mystery. We are surrounded on 3 sides by 4000 acres of woods. We only have 1 neighbor 1/4 mile away and they have no chickens.

Do you visit other chicken keepers?

I guess the most plausible way would be wild birds

Most likely.

...or they could have had it all along and didn't succumb until other issue reduced their stamina/immune system.
Where did you get the birds to begin with, were they chicks or...?

 

[ZedikerStation]

Do you visit other chicken keepers?


Most likely.

...or they could have had it all along and didn't succumb until other issue reduced their stamina/immune system.
Where did you get the birds to begin with, were they chicks or...?

Nope- we don't have other chicken keeper friends. We couldn't think of anyone else that does that would've stopped and visited.

We got them as day old chicks 2 years ago from a reputable farmer who has been selling chicks and pullets for decades. Actually second generation. They were not vaccinated though. We had one die after putting them in the coop 2 years ago when they were about 18 weeks old. She presented with the classic leg splits, but we attributed it with her falling from the roost on the first or second night. It is possible they had it way back then and only started showing now... uggh!

 

[Myrshine]

She had 2 screws, a metal washer and glass-like things in her crop? That’s muy bueno. It’s probably best to start cleaning up we’re the chickens live and roam, because them eating such things is deadly and can cause other issues. Unfortunately Mareks disease is VERY difficult to control. The best thing you can do is to try to keep the remaining birds alive or cull them. If you plan on getting anymore birds, I recommend that you get them vaccinated for Mareks to avoid large losses. The vaccine itself doesn’t stop them from getting the disease, but masks it and slows the disease down. If you’re wanting to try to keep the remaining birds alive, I’ve read Aloe in their food or water seems to help a little- thought I have no information to back that up. Good luck and I hope things get better for you