Unsteady Hen

[Kayleighsarah55]

Hello Everyone,
I've been trolling through the forums trying to find the best course of action to take with one of my 2 year old Pekin bantams Celine.
Celine has been unsteady on her feet, particularly her right foot which she seems to hold off the ground at times. Occasionally she will have a bit of a stumble (mainly getting when in and out of the coop as there is a bit of a lip) I recently got back from 2 weeks in NZ she was displaying the same symptoms before I left but I thought she may have sprained her leg. I have checked her toenails and for mites - all good and no signs. I have tried to feel for a break or swelling - this is difficult because of the feathery feet but I couldn't see anything. She is moving but not as much as she usually would she is laying down more (not on her side) and she has lost weight. I am hoping that it is a vitamin deficiency and not Marek's. I have just given her half of a vitamin b complex tablet in a sultana. I have also been putting liquid vitamins in the water and adding a small amount of livamol to my chickens feed. I have not seperated her from the flock, they are not pecking at her and none of the other chickens are showing the same symptoms. Any advice you could give would be great. I don't want to lose her, there aren't many avian vets in my area

 

[slordaz]

has she been wormed lately? an overload of parasites can cause this too.,possibly a vitamin deficiency is there a vet you could get to do a fecal float test which most any type of vet can do for you, just not sure what the requirements are so tagging some people that would be able to tell you how to collect and take to a vet to look at. Hos is she on eating and drinking?
@azygous
@casportpony
@Eggcessive

 

[Kayleighsarah55]

She is eating and drinking but probably not as much as usual (gobbled up a few extra sultanas) I did add some kilverm to their water recently although it had been a long time since I had wormed them. I haven't noticed any worms in her poop.

 

[azygous]

Unfortunately, it does sound like Marek's symptoms. What you are doing is a good treatment nonetheless. Some chickens with good health care can survive Marek's and live with it.

 

[Kayleighsarah55]

Unfortunately, it does sound like Marek's symptoms. What you are doing is a good treatment nonetheless. Some chickens with good health care can survive Marek's and live with it.

Thankyou, I'm still holding on to hope that it isn't. Fingers crossed.

 

[Kayleighsarah55]

Hi Everyone,
I just thought I should let anyone know that I took Celine to the vets where she had an X-Ray which showed a large tumorous mass over her ovaries. The vet advised that whilst she was still eating and drinking, she was at a point where she was unable to walk and her quality of life was not the same. Based on the vets prognosis I made the tough choice to euthanise Celine. The vet performed an autopsy and did not suspect Marek's however advised that it would be best to send some pathology samples to the department of agriculture who could perform further tests to be absolutely sure. Sadly the tests have come back positive for Marek's. I am wondering if anyone has ever had one chook with Marek's and all others remained fine? I currently have a sick hen with a bad case of sour crop so I'm off to the vets again today. It's so sad I really don't want to lose another girl

 

[slordaz]

so sorry for your loss, Usually if one has it you can bet the others were exposed, Do you know if the rest of your flock was vaccinated as chicks? If i remember right reading some where on this if they were vaccinated it would also bring back a positive result. and you should probably close your flock none in and non out including eggs.
Gonna tag some one that has more knowledge than me on this so we all get an education on this.
@Eggcessive

 

[azygous]

The short answer is yes, it's possible for just one hen out of a flock carrying an avian virus to be symptomatic. With good flock management and nutrition, chickens can develop resistance to these viruses although they carry the disease and can infect other chickens. As @slordaz has pointed out, for this reason, a flock known to have an avian virus must remain a closed flock and reasonable biosecurity measures should be practiced so the disease doesn't leave the premises.

Quite a number of years ago, I had a necropsy performed on an eleventh-month old cockerel, and I was told he had the avian virus lymphoid leucosis, a close cousin to Marek's. While I've had terrible luck hatching chicks from my flock and having them live beyond a year, I do have quite a few elderly chickens that have resistance to the virus, the oldest being eleven. Recently, I brought home five new pullets, and I fully expect them to have reasonably good lives with good nutrition and care.

Fortunately, Marek's has a vaccine, so you will be able to continue to add chicks to your flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry that you had to put her down, but glad that she didn’t suffer. Also I am sorry about the positive Mareks results.

 

[glassdragonfly]

So sorry for your loss.