Second sick hen

[azygous]

It will be interesting to find out if the vitamin E helps. This sounds neurological.

Here's a question out of the blue, that may or may not be relevant, do you have wild turkeys that hang around your area?

 

[ZedikerStation]

It will be interesting to find out if the vitamin E helps. This sounds neurological.

Here's a question out of the blue, that may or may not be relevant, do you have wild turkeys that hang around your area?

We sure do. We are very rural and although there's not as many as there used to be they come through every day. Usually they stay back behind the barn where the chickens have never gone. I would not be able to say absolutely they've never come down the tree line because I would suspect they do probably early in the morning.

 

[azygous]

Now that is a clue. I have wild turkeys, also. My chickens actually mingle with them on occasion, and definitely share the same soil. I've noticed a wild turkey once in a while will be walking with a limp. It's a known fact that wild turkeys carry a mild form of Marek's. This can be a bonus for domestic chickens as they can pick up this mild form of the virus and it's said that it can help establish resistance to the deadly form of Marek's.

I'm wondering, although there's no way to tell for sure, if my Blue Australorps, three out of the four pullets, contracted this turkey form of Marek's. Did you read through my threads? The symptoms are very Marek's-like. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...with-sprained-leg-not-getting-better.1422485/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...update-now-another-pullet-going-lame.1432738/

 

[ZedikerStation]

Now that is a clue. I have wild turkeys, also. My chickens actually mingle with them on occasion, and definitely share the same soil. I've noticed a wild turkey once in a while will be walking with a limp. It's a known fact that wild turkeys carry a mild form of Marek's. This can be a bonus for domestic chickens as they can pick up this mild form of the virus and it's said that it can help establish resistance to the deadly form of Marek's.

I'm wondering, although there's no way to tell for sure, if my Blue Australorps, three out of the four pullets, contracted this turkey form of Marek's. Did you read through my threads? The symptoms are very Marek's-like. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...with-sprained-leg-not-getting-better.1422485/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...update-now-another-pullet-going-lame.1432738/

I have been reading.... waiting for the book! LOL. Although I have no idea what valacyclovir is, are you thinking that helped your situation?
The turkeys used to be all over the same area, but we have a 2 year old German Shepherd that roams freely over 3 acres with an invisible fence. It is funny how the wild animals learn the fence also. They know EXACTLY where she can't go. The turkeys stay pretty far back, but probably like the bunnys and deer, know when she is not out. Each of the 3 hens that got sick seems to have had slightly different symptoms.

 

[azygous]

Valacyclovir is a brand name of acyclovir, an anti-viral med used to treat a few forms of herpes virus such as shingles and lip sores. I did use it to treat two of my pullets, deciding it might be worth a shot since Marek's is a herpes virus. I can't say it worked or didn't because I was also using three different antibiotics one right after the other. Who knows what effect each had? Some folks tell their doctor they have lip sores and need a prescription for acyclovir. I keep a supply on hand since I get shingles as well as lip sores from time to time.

There are different strains of Marek's and I imagine the symptoms could be different as well. It might account for why some chickens recover from the symptoms and others die. Marek's virus isn't just in the soil but can be transmitted on air currents, so it could reach your chickens if the weather conditions are right.

 

[ZedikerStation]

Valacyclovir is a brand name of acyclovir, an anti-viral med used to treat a few forms of herpes virus such as shingles and lip sores. I did use it to treat two of my pullets, deciding it might be worth a shot since Marek's is a herpes virus. I can't say it worked or didn't because I was also using three different antibiotics one right after the other. Who knows what effect each had? Some folks tell their doctor they have lip sores and need a prescription for acyclovir. I keep a supply on hand since I get shingles as well as lip sores from time to time.

There are different strains of Marek's and I imagine the symptoms could be different as well. It might account for why some chickens recover from the symptoms and others die. Marek's virus isn't just in the soil but can be transmitted on air currents, so it could reach your chickens if the weather conditions are right.

I just wrote to this Dr. from the Penn State University Cooperative Extension. She wrote this article: https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens
I believe they will do a necropsy and provide the results.(assuming this one doesn't survive). We are not far from them.
This hen is now refusing water, but will eat anything you give her. I dont know if I'll be in time with the E and B... uggh.

 

[ZedikerStation]

She got one of each of these. She is about the same as when I left this morning. She's not eating or drinking today. A little piece of sugar cookie changed her mind on eating. Suddenly she is hungry... LOL
3ml of electrolytes syringed down.
Let's see if the B and E make any change.

She has no problem being picked up. It's when I put her down, those legs go crazy and the squawking starts. Both legs kicking straight out at the same time. It's like she's fighting against being put on the ground.

 

[ZedikerStation]

She's still going. Still doesn't want any part of her feet on the floor. Immediately starts kicking and trying to rear backwards. She got a 15 minute warm bath, and while she was in, she was okay to stand. (Leaning on the side and floating). She is drying in front of the fire with her protector.

 

[ZedikerStation]

So...... I'm thinking, (or over thinking)...
This started with her laying lash egg material. Then becoming slightly wobbly. Then becoming mostly immobile and getting picked on. At that point she was removed. All this progressed over about a week. We assumed reproductive issue based on the lash, and started Doxycycline. Could a reproductive bacterial infection cause problems with legs and coordination? She seems to be able to figure out how to use them to reach the pellets. (In the hammock only).

 

[ZedikerStation]

Here we go again!

Today the girls were out most of the day. At around 4:00 PM one left the group and headed for the coop. They were about 100 yards from the coop. About an hour later I went up to check on her. She was in one of the nest boxes. It was a bit late for eggs so I took her out and set her outside by the coop. She went under a piece of equipment and stood there. She began to close her eyes for a few seconds repeatedly. After about 15 minutes she when back in the coop and right back to the nesting box. By now the others were heading in for the night. They went up on the roost and I let her stay in the nest. (Not something I'm big on).

-Crop feels normal
-Eyes look good
-Toes close up if fingers go under like roosting
-She is a normal weight and does not feel like the other 3 (emaciated).
-Tail is up like normal
-Doesn't appear to be puffy

She just looks like the others did when they were on their first day of whatever this is. I guess the only thing to do is check her status in the morning.

I would have brought her in for the night, but we still have one in a chicken hammock in quarantine. We are running out of spare rooms...

The 3rd one in this mystery is still eating and drinking. Her explosive diarrhea ended today and is more solid. She absolutely wants no part of feet on the ground.

Anything jump out????

@Wyorp Rock
@azygous
@casportpony
@Eggcessive