Very sick pullet. Help!

[Bellsferrycottage]

I have some 20-23 week old pullets ( not laying yet) including some 1 year old laying silkies. A week ago my 20 week old EE suddenly appeared lethargic, I brought her inside and upon picking her up I noticed she felt very light and skinny. She was fine the day prior, eating and eating mealworms. She was lethargic and skinny the next, crop is empty, no sneezing, no eye or mouth discharge. Eyes look clear. Refuses to eat or drink. I syringed some nutridrench and electrolytes in her. No parasites whatsoever. After a day I watched her convulse and died.

Now, light brown leghorn is doing the same. Fine one day and emaciated and can’t walk the next. I started treating for coccidia yesterday for her and the whole flock. She’s not moving still and I’ve been syringe feeding some cat food and corrid water in her. I brought her inside yesterday and she’s more lethargic today. She’s also having diarrhea (same as EE when she passed) Brought the fecal sample to the vet and he didn’t see any parasites or coccidia. They are in a fully enclosed run, bought from TSC as chicks except the EE who was from a feed store. Idk what else to do. No external parasites.

 

[Bellsferrycottage]

Drinking a lot of water, I'd re-check that crop.

She may have a blockage lower down. What's coming out? Poop photos?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

This is what her pooped looked like. I did my last final act of mercy and culled her this morning. She’s more lethargic than ever and is literally skin and bones and unable to move. I didn’t wanna prolong her suffering by force feeding her. I’m sick to my stomach. Tried sending her off to state lab but since it’s Friday and they’re closed tomorrow I had to wait til Monday. Confirmed with them that it is still viable then, as long as she is refrigerated. My heart hurts.

 

[azygous]

Are you also giving her the drench dose? That would be .1ml per pound of weight of undiluted Corid liquid for three days in addition to the Corid water.

 

[Bellsferrycottage]

I'm so sorry

Not an easy thing to do. Take comfort that you did what you could for her but cared enough to let her go and she's no longer suffering.

Good that you are going to investigate further and hopefully find out more. If you don't mind, please let us know what you find out.

Thank you for all your help. I’m a little bit traumatized to go to my coop now and find another one sick and unable to move. Mareks keeps getting thrown a lot around here and I’m scared for that. The 3 1yr old silkies were bought somewhere else and I’ve quarantined them for 30 days before integrating to my flock in July. I’ve done everything I could, researched for 2 years and read a chicken keeping book before finally committing to chickens, spent all the money in hardware cloth and making sure every nook and cranny of the run and coop is secure, and something like this happens to my babies that are way too young and I feel so helpless. They are pets and I was looking forward to many many years of spending time with them even if they’re way past their egg laying years. I check on them every single morning before work and after work and I have the not knowing what took them so fast to the point where their severely emaciated in days kills me.

 

[microchick]

So the final report came back, it is the dreaded Marek’s. What do I do for my remaining flock now? Everyone appears to be acting normal. I also saw that they found a roundworm in the intestine. I’m getting safeguard paste tomorrow.

First off, apologies for quoting the wrong member last night. That will teach me to try to use my tablet while in bed to reply.

Secondly, I'm so sorry to hear that your final diagnosis is Marek's. Makes sense though given the age of your flock and a diagnosis of reproductive cancer along with the symptoms.

My flock developed symptoms when they were just a year old and the next three years were hell on earth so I know what you are feeling right now and what you are going through.

I won't mislead you. It will get worse, then it will get better. Just don' t give up. Your surviving birds will be resistant to Marek's disease and you can breed resistant birds from your survivors.

First off, close your flock. No unvaccinated birds in and no birds out. Your entire flock has been exposed and are now carriers, meaning they can spread the disease through their dander and bodily fluids.

I won't repeat my experiences. I pretty much covered everything in my article but I will say this. Marek's isn't the end of keeping chickens. The disease is everywhere and you did nothing to endanger your flock or make them sick. The virus is air born in bird dander and even wild birds can carry it so unless you can put your property under a dome, there is no escaping it other than to raise resistant birds or vaccinated birds.

I know a lot of people here frown on vaccination but in all honesty, until you have walked in the shoes of a flock owner who is having to cull one or two birds a week due to this horrible disease and feel the heartbreak and sorrow they are feeling, you truly do not understand how devastating this disease is. Sometimes, vaccinating is the only way you will be able to add birds to your flock if you so desire. That or adding genetically resistant birds like Egyptian Fayoumis (which I did) or birds like Naked Necks. At least that is what I discovered personally

Unfortunately birds like Silkies, Orpingtons, Welsummers to name a few along with Sebrights are all at the top of the list when it comes to susceptibility. All popular back yard flock birds.

What should you do with your flock now? Wait. Hang on, keep them as healthy and well fed as you can and see what happens next. You will lose more birds. How many? I don't know. I lost 2/3rds of my flock before the purge stopped and it's been 4 years since I've lost a bird that I could point a finger at and say 'Marek's Disease'. But I know it's out there. I know my flock is exposed and carriers but that isn't stopping me from keeping birds and it shouldn't stop anyone.

As @Wyorp Rock said, I am glad to answer any questions you might have, now or in the future. Just tag me, quote me or PM me. I may not be on every day but I am on the forum fairly regularly so I will check my alerts and pm box.

Just hang in there and know you are not alone in this. There is a big club of folks with MD here on BYC. It's one that nobody wants to belong to but we are all here to help one another.

Blessings.
Becky

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Brought the fecal sample to the vet and he didn’t see any parasites or coccidia.

When did you get the fecal float?

What's her poop like? Photo?

Since you started the Corid, I'd make sure the keep her hydrated with the mixed water and direct dose as suggested.

Is her crop emptying?
Any chance she ate something moldy or rotten?
Feed and treats fresh, not moldy?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

View attachment 3253606

This is what her pooped looked like. I did my last final act of mercy and culled her this morning. She’s more lethargic than ever and is literally skin and bones and unable to move. I didn’t wanna prolong her suffering by force feeding her. I’m sick to my stomach. Tried sending her off to state lab but since it’s Friday and they’re closed tomorrow I had to wait til Monday. Confirmed with them that it is still viable then, as long as she is refrigerated. My heart hurts.

I'm so sorry

Not an easy thing to do. Take comfort that you did what you could for her but cared enough to let her go and she's no longer suffering.

Good that you are going to investigate further and hopefully find out more. If you don't mind, please let us know what you find out.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Thank you for all your help. I’m a little bit traumatized to go to my coop now and find another one sick and unable to move. Mareks keeps getting thrown a lot around here and I’m scared for that. The 3 1yr old silkies were bought somewhere else and I’ve quarantined them for 30 days before integrating to my flock in July. I’ve done everything I could, researched for 2 years and read a chicken keeping book before finally committing to chickens, spent all the money in hardware cloth and making sure every nook and cranny of the run and coop is secure, and something like this happens to my babies that are way too young and I feel so helpless. They are pets and I was looking forward to many many years of spending time with them even if they’re way past their egg laying years. I check on them every single morning before work and after work and I have the not knowing what took them so fast to the point where their severely emaciated in days kills me.

I am so sorry for your loss. I would be gutted too

 

[Bellsferrycottage]

I am so sorry for your loss. I would be gutted too

Thank you very much. Hopefully the necropsy provides some answers so I can brace myself. Being a dog and a cat nurse made me way too cocky I guess. Chickens are a whole different ballpark.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear about the diagnosis.

There are quite a few folks that have Marek's in their flocks. It's not always a death sentence.
Symptoms can vary so widely it seems, frustrating disease.
From what I have gathered from a few folks: Do your best to keep stress to a minimum, keep on top of parasites (internal and external), fresh feed, fresh water.

As for what to do if a bird becomes symptomatic. That's going to be for you to decide. Most opt to offer supportive care and give the bird a chance to "recover" or for symptoms to subside. There's no guarantee they won't relapse.

Others once they are sure the bird is symptomatic with the virus cull those birds. The thought is symptomatic birds have a higher viral load that they are shedding.

The virus is shed in the feathers, dust, dander, etc., so the consensus is once in the environment, it's pretty much there.

Birds that "recover" or never show symptoms, folks often breed these forward in hopes of some resistance to the virus.

I'm sure it's a heartbreaking piece of news to receive, but now you know what you are dealing with. Doesn't make it any easier.

Here's some info. The first one, read it for sure. @microchick is still active and she's been so kind and willing to help others with their questions.
The second article is a bit older, but worth the read, info is still valid and gives you a place to start some research.

Again, I'm so sorry

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/