Washingtonians

[lovinchickypoos]

Welcome! So...tell us about you and your flock? What do you have? How many? Are you new to chickens or just BYC? Got any kids?

Well, up until a year ago I was a veterinary assistant. I've been a new "stay at home mom/wife" since then, due to some health probs. I have an 11yr old (almost 12) daughter, who is as obsessed about our feathered friends as I am! I got my first chickens late last July. We started with 2m olds we found on Craigslist. We got 3 Hubbard Browns, 1 RIR and 2 Barred Rocks. Both BRs ended up roosters and we rehomed 1, although the one we kept turned into an a** and may be my first butchering project!!! One of the Hubbards recently became egg bound (I believe she was the one laying soft/thin-shelled eggs occasionally) and after a couple days of taking care of her I had to relieve her suffering

. This spring we got our first peeps from a feed store's "Chick Day". What a nightmare that was!!!!!!!!! Sooooo many people and little kids picking them up and droppin them, poor things! We got a Buff Orp, 1 SLW, 2 "Americaunas" (prob EE), and 2 Bantams (I think 1 is a Japenese and 1 might be a Golden Sebright). Well, the Bantams seem to be roosters, darn it, and they have already been sparring (all babies are now 15wks). My daughter is in love with the black Japenese one and since the Sebright is already VERY bossy, I think the Sebright must go!
Sorry for the long-winded answer!! I'm already enjoying myself on BYC!

 

[FirewifeJess]

OK so someone finally looked over all the symptoms of Princess and thought it could be Marek's? I looked in The Chicken Health Handbook and she does fit the symptoms of Neural Marek's (weight loss, labored breathing---ish, diarrhea, some droopiness). I can't find info on what percentage of affected birds live through Marek's I really hope that's not it! I will continue what we are doing until she takes a turn for the worse, but I think I'm going to quit with all the crazy special treatment. If she goes downhill quickly I might have to cull

She would be my first. I simply don't want to have to syringe her fluids for weeks only to have her die on me anyway. I hate this part of being a "farmer", it's so not fair! We didn't do anything wrong and she got sick from the stress the day we brought her home

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Sorry, I've never met a large fowl RIR that I would consider "friendly"... :/

Haha! The one I have we named Diva early on for that reason! She's not mean, but not real friendly either!

 

[lovinchickypoos]

OK so someone finally looked over all the symptoms of Princess and thought it could be Marek's? I looked in The Chicken Health Handbook and she does fit the symptoms of Neural Marek's (weight loss, labored breathing---ish, diarrhea, some droopiness). I can't find info on what percentage of affected birds live through Marek's I really hope that's not it! I will continue what we are doing until she takes a turn for the worse, but I think I'm going to quit with all the crazy special treatment. If she goes downhill quickly I might have to cull

She would be my first. I simply don't want to have to syringe her fluids for weeks only to have her die on me anyway. I hate this part of being a "farmer", it's so not fair! We didn't do anything wrong and she got sick from the stress the day we brought her home

When I "released" my first a couple weeks ago I have to admit I cried...
I did feel good about it since I know she was suffering and won't anymore. My daughter took it pretty hard and she told me "I don't think I can eat her"!!! We buried her.
It's not easy but you need to concentrate on the fact that she'll be better off if no improvement is made. Sorry you're facing this!!

 

[Teva]

Well one of my Persians is sick, he's got a very swollen belly - funny story, I shave him every 3 months or so, and just got him shaved yesterday, that's when we noticed the belly (groomer thought 'she' was pregnant!) - I thought it he was big-looking because his long hair was so matted down. He is 12 years old and has NEVER let us brush him. So I just get him shaved.

Anyway, took him to the vet today, his abdomen is full of fluid but we don't know why. His bloodwork is fine, nothing shows up on Xray. He's slowed down a bit (but he's Persian - already moves like a sloth...) but really there are no changes to his attitude, eating habits, etc.

Monday he's having an ultrasound and they'll drain all the fluid out, too. Poor guy, he can't lay on his haunches like a normal cat, his hind legs splay out to make room for his belly.

 

[Imp]

OK so someone finally looked over all the symptoms of Princess and thought it could be Marek's? I looked in The Chicken Health Handbook and she does fit the symptoms of Neural Marek's (weight loss, labored breathing---ish, diarrhea, some droopiness). I can't find info on what percentage of affected birds live through Marek's I really hope that's not it! I will continue what we are doing until she takes a turn for the worse, but I think I'm going to quit with all the crazy special treatment. If she goes downhill quickly I might have to cull

She would be my first. I simply don't want to have to syringe her fluids for weeks only to have her die on me anyway. I hate this part of being a "farmer", it's so not fair! We didn't do anything wrong and she got sick from the stress the day we brought her home

FWJ,
A couple weeks ago I took my blind hen to an avian vet. She had white spots in the pupils of her eyes. We discussed Marek's. I didn't think it was after reading hundreds of websites about it.
The vet said Marek's just doesn't occur around here, it is extremely rare. In Washington Marek's is a reportable disease.

Russ

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Well one of my Persians is sick, he's got a very swollen belly - funny story, I shave him every 3 months or so, and just got him shaved yesterday, that's when we noticed the belly (groomer thought 'she' was pregnant!) - I thought it he was big-looking because his long hair was so matted down. He is 12 years old and has NEVER let us brush him. So I just get him shaved.

Anyway, took him to the vet today, his abdomen is full of fluid but we don't know why. His bloodwork is fine, nothing shows up on Xray. He's slowed down a bit (but he's Persian - already moves like a sloth...) but really there are no changes to his attitude, eating habits, etc.

Monday he's having an ultrasound and they'll drain all the fluid out, too. Poor guy, he can't lay on his haunches like a normal cat, his hind legs splay out to make room for his belly.

They didn't even give you any ideas? I would call them back in the morning and tell them you want him checked by a specialist or internist. Fluid in the abdomen can be many things, but none of them are any good, I'm sorry to say. At his age, it could be his heart, or lymphoma...I definitely would not wait until Monday to have more done with him.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote: Mareks is everywhere. It's so prevalent that it is widely considered airborne...

 

[FirewifeJess]

FWJ,
A couple weeks ago I took my blind hen to an avian vet. She had white spots in the pupils of her eyes. We discussed Marek's. I didn't think it was after reading hundreds of websites about it.
The vet said Marek's just doesn't occur around here, it is extremely rare. In Washington Marek's is a reportable disease.

Russ

Please tell me more. I didn't know about reporting anything. If, indeed, this bird dies (so far she seems she might recover!), I will certainly report it to whomever I need to.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote: To be a reportable disease, it has to be confirmed. If the bird dies, it needs to be necropsied by a diagnostic lab, contact your state vet, and some of their programs offer to cover necropsy for certain diseases they are particularly interested in....