VIDEO- Help me diagnose Barbara!

[deemathes]

I am thinking Marek's or Vitamin deficiency. Namely Riboflavin. She is a 14-16 wk old RIR. I noticed a slight limp in her about 3 weeks ago. It was slight, so I didn't think much of it, until it started getting worse. She drops a wing to keep her balance. Sometimes both wings. Eating, drinking, pooping, all normal. Bright and lively as long as she is not trying to walk around. Breathing is good. Crop good. Despite this leg issue, she is not wasting away. She is still growing/developing. Even got new tail feathers. All input welcome!
!

 

[casportpony]

Try the vitamins, sure can't hurt, but my gut feeling says Marek's. Interestingly, I saw one like that last night, so maybe I'll catch mine and try treating with vitamins.

-Kathy

 

[enola]

Is everybody sure Barbara is not a Robert? Not that that makes any difference with the diagnosis. Wishing for the best!

 

[avocado]

I'm really sorry, but it looks like Marek's. Also, are you sure Barbara is a Barbara...

 

[Eggcessive]

Mareks can cause those symptoms, but it is always prudent to treat with poultry vitamins first just in case of a vitamin deficiency, or something else. Lead poisoning from old lead shot in the ground or old lead paint chips may also cause similar symptoms. Here are some excellent links to read if you haven't seen them:
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/#/disease/Marek's_Disease

 

[deemathes]

Thanks for all the input. Interesting point with the lead thing, I wonder what she would be getting into that the other chickens aren't. Will investigate that further. Not sure she isn't a he, but no crowing yet. (Not that they HAVE to be crowing by 15 wks...) "She" just does bok bagok. I thought at 15 wks cockerel RIRs would have more plummage...
She may also be older that 15 wks...we bought her as a started pullet, and the guy was just guessing at her age.

 

[deemathes]

Update: Last night we gave Barbara (or Stu if she's a roo) her first dose of hypericum (St John's Wort). She is stronger this morning!! Came out of the coop for the first time on her own in days! Gave her another dose this morning. I read a lot on how there are no studies to prove it, but hypericum has been noted to CURE Marek's. I've also read sometimes it works, sometimes not. Either way, I will give a bird every possible chance at a healthy life before culling, so it's worth a shot. I will keep you updated on how this ends up. For today, I am hopeful.

 

[deemathes]

We had to make the very hard decision of letting "Barbara" go. First off, we found out that she is a he. This was the beginning of the battle, as we can't have roosters. He was responding VERY well to the St John's Wort, and I feel that by switching from St John's Wort to straight Hypericum Perforatum, he may have been cured. My husband and I had a long discussion over what to do. If he did make it to full recovery, we very well couldn't rehome him knowing we highly suspected Marek's, and couldn't rule it out 100%. That was Thursday night. He also started showing signs of respiratory distress, (albeit it's been hot, heavy panting and not moving around at all. He would stumble about in the morning, but that was it. His stumbling was getting better with the SJW, just slowly. But it was improvement regardless.) The fact that his days were just one miserable one after the other, made the decision to cull a little easier, but not by any means easy!

I miss her (him) so much!! I keep telling myself I loved him enough to let him go...a tough lesson in chickening...

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. It would have been good to have gotten a necropsy on him/her by your state vet to test for Mareks. That way, you would know whether or not your flock was positive for it. Mareks is such as sad disease.