Silkies in trouble!

[Chickiboo]

a couple weeks ago I had a silkie with wry neck. We had to cull her but now another is showing symptoms and another is struggling to stay balanced and stumbles when walking.
Is this mareks disease?
Can this be treated and how?
Or do we need to start over?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sorry you are having trouble.

It could very well be Marek's.

But I have raised and bred Silkies for a few years... and they do seem to need a little more nutrition than my other breeds... per my hatching result and investigation... So I would start by asking some questions...

How old are they? What do you feed including treats and supplements? Where did they come from? And were they broody hatched or raised? How is the appetite, and droppings? Any changes to eye.. pupil shape or iris color? Do you have other breeds? Any bullying away from feed? How long have you had the Silkies? Did you ever have to treat for coccidiosis? Did you try any vitamin supplement for your first bird with wry neck?

There is NO cure for Marek's. To find out if that is what is truly affecting your birds you would need to get a necropsy on at least one. It is free or affordable oin many states to back yarder's. Here are some links to help... should you choose that route... One how to, the other where to (if you're in the states)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

Adding you general location to your profile can help others make more accurate suggestions at a glance without having to ask first.

Best Marek's resource I have seen...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Dr.GarryTTucker]

Méreks could be an answer. If it’s wet neck then nutrición is where you need to look. Make sure feed is no older than 6 weeks from mill. Add balanced meals. I have one that wry would flare up every couple of days. I throw high quality bird see with sunflower seeds in it. Sunflower seeds have the selenium and e to help combate wry. Plus they go crazy for it so it’s fun to watch. Try giving nutridrentch to that bird and see if it helps. One eye dropper once daily.

 

[Eggcessive]

Although it could be Mareks disease, I would use some chicken vitamins plus 400 IU of vitamin E daily, just in case it is a vitamin deficiency. Wry neck is a neurological symptom of many things, such as head injury, heredity, Mareks, and several other diseases. If you lose her, getting a necropsy by your state vet would be the best way to find out the cause. Here is a link to contact them:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm