~Suddenly half blind hen~

[RoosterWhisperer]

This olive egger hen just suddenly went blind…. Why?
I went out to feed and I asked my sister to grab her because she looked funny, and it turned out she’s half blind. It’s not a major problem because I have experience with half blind birds, but she was just fine beforehand.

I looked at her again today and noticed a small abscess by her beak under her eye, I plan to look inside her mouth later and maybe mess with that scab.

Right side is perfectly normal, but the left side is kind of funny looking.

(Left, blind side)

(Right side)

 

[azygous]

That is very likely ocular Marek's, especially with another tumor lower down on the face. It's the classic presentation - muddy and faded color iris around an irregularly shaped pupil.

It appears you now have an avian virus living in your flock. Not all chickens become symptomatic, but if you've ever had any chickens go lame, this is the reason.

 

[azygous]

Everything is the same with your flock as it was yesterday. The only difference is you have this new piece of information to guide how you care for your flock and how you practice bio-security to prevent this disease from escaping your premises and other diseases from coming in to lower the resistance of your chickens.

The first thing to understand is that only some of your chickens will become symptomatic. This is not a death sentence for your flock of fifty chickens. With good care, maximizing the health of your flock, many, if not most, will develop resistance to the disease, and while all carry the virus, not all will become sick and they will lead full, healthy lives.

The main precaution will be to contain the virus by taking care to have shoes you only wear with your flock that will not be worn off your property. You will not rehome or sell any chickens from your flock. You may still import new chicks and chickens, and there is an easily obtainable vaccine you can give the new chicks and chickens yourself, quarantine them until they develop resistance, then they can become full flock members.

Other than that, deal with each chicken that becomes symptomatic, explore various treatments that can prolong the life of a symptomatic chicken, and euthanize when quality of life is at an end, as you would any flock member that has become sick.

Recently, I had three pullets become symptomatic in my flock that carries the lymphoid virus. I explored many treatments that appeared to stave off symptoms, all documented in this thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...update-now-another-pullet-going-lame.1432738/

One of the things you can try is an antiviral prescription med that treats the herpes virus, of which Marek's is one. It's call acyclovir, and it's used to treat herpes mouth sores and shingles. It may help retard the progress of some forms of Marek's. Some folks just mention to their primary doctor that they have lip sores and need the prescription. There is no cure for Marek's, but acyclovir, vitamins B and E and good nutrition and keeping premises as bacteria free as possible will all contribute to the well being of a flock carrying an avian virus.

My flock is testimonial that chickens can live long, healthy lives in spite of carrying an avian virus. Currently, my oldest hen is still going strong at thirteen years plus, in spite of having a growing tumor over her right eye for half her life.

 

[azygous]

You could have brought home the Mareks' virus on your shoes from anywhere. It doesn't have to be from somewhere that there's active Marek's, either because Marek's virus is so durable in the environment, it can last months on surfaces and in soil, sometimes years under some conditions, and can be transported on soles of shoes, car tires, farm implements, etc.

I've never seen an eye injury present identical to ocular Marek's. It's unlikely to be an injury. The only way to verify if you have Marek's in your flock is to have the next chicken that dies tested.

Once you absorb this possibility your flock has Marek's, you'll see little has changed. Even this hen with ocular tumors may live a long, otherwise normal life. You will just be dealing with a symptomatic chicken from time to time, each case possibly slightly different, some serious, some with symptoms, like my old hen, that can be managed so they can lead a comfortable life.

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

@Lacy Duckwing?

 

[black_cat]

I know that eye problems can be a sign of marek’s, but I’m not sure if this is one of the ways that it presents its self.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Wow! I've never seen this before! Wierd.

@azygous

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

Wow! I've never seen this before! Wierd.

@azygous

That is very likely ocular Marek's, especially with another tumor lower down on the face. It's the classic presentation - muddy and faded color iris around an irregularly shaped pupil.

It appears you now have an avian virus living in your flock. Not all chickens become symptomatic, but if you've ever had any chickens go lame, this is the reason.

Wow, thank you for the insight @azygous.
Could she have gotten in a fight with another hen?
Will the eye always be muddy looking or can it be grayish and cloudy too?

Can Mareks kill the entire flock of 50+?
What can I do medical treatment wise or should I go check some of the others for the same symptoms?

The last question, is ocular mareks the same a regular old mareks?

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

Now that I started reading about it real quick it does sound and look like ocular mareks....
The question is, what course of action should I take. And what other symptoms should I look out for?

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

Everything is the same with your flock as it was yesterday. The only difference is you have this new piece of information to guide how you care for your flock and how you practice bio-security to prevent this disease from escaping your premises and other diseases from coming in to lower the resistance of your chickens.

The first thing to understand is that only some of your chickens will become symptomatic. This is not a death sentence for your flock of fifty chickens. With good care, maximizing the health of your flock, many, if not most, will develop resistance to the disease, and while all carry the virus, not all will become sick and they will lead full, healthy lives.

The main precaution will be to contain the virus by taking care to have shoes you only wear with your flock that will not be worn off your property. You will not rehome or sell any chickens from your flock. You may still import new chicks and chickens, and there is an easily obtainable vaccine you can give the new chicks and chickens yourself, quarantine them until they develop resistance, then they can become full flock members.

Other than that, deal with each chicken that becomes symptomatic, explore various treatments that can prolong the life of a symptomatic chicken, and euthanize when quality of life is at an end, as you would any flock member that has become sick.

Recently, I had three pullets become symptomatic in my flock that carries the lymphoid virus. I explored many treatments that appeared to stave off symptoms, all documented in this thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...update-now-another-pullet-going-lame.1432738/

One of the things you can try is an antiviral prescription med that treats the herpes virus, of which Marek's is one. It's call acyclovir, and it's used to treat herpes mouth sores and shingles. It may help retard the progress of some forms of Marek's. Some folks just mention to their primary doctor that they have lip sores and need the prescription. There is no cure for Marek's, but acyclovir, vitamins B and E and good nutrition and keeping premises as bacteria free as possible will all contribute to the well being of a flock carrying an avian virus.

My flock is testimonial that chickens can live long, healthy lives in spite of carrying an avian virus. Currently, my oldest hen is still going strong at thirteen years plus, in spite of having a growing tumor over her right eye for half her life.

Wow, this is a very long post, but how do you know everything was the same with my flock as yesterday? Is there any simpler way you could explain the treatment to me?

The main important thing is that it's not a death sentence which is good. So thank you for the insight and info on that.

The main precaution will be to contain the virus by taking care to have shoes you only wear with your flock that will not be worn off your property. You will not rehome or sell any chickens from your flock. You may still import new chicks and chickens, and there is an easily obtainable vaccine you can give the new chicks and chickens yourself, quarantine them until they develop resistance, then they can become full flock members.

Okay, I'm going to be honest that I never change shoes, and shoes I wear with the chickens I usually wear during the day wherever I go unless they are caked with mud or something.
I have very few pairs of shoes that I don't wear when doing my chores.

I recently took care of my neighbor's farm animals, could I have brought something germy over from their flock to ours?

I also don't sell or export chicks or hatching eggs, and I don't vaccinate my flock either because they came already vaxxed as chicks except for the mixed breeds.

My thought is that she could've gotten in a fight with another hen, hen fights are very common within the flock. That's how I've had some roosters blinded in the past.

Thank you for all this interesting info.