Wasting, Runty Pullet?

[Poultry Couture]

: ) great idea!

 

[hokankai]

Hopefully she's just not eating enough...but I'm holding my breath based on past experience :|

I'll just do my best and savor her while she's still around. She's a real sweetheart

 

[hokankai]

Well the little one is still hanging on. I tried giving her high protein foods but she really didn't seem to like them. She likes the basics: pellets mixed with water, scratch, and mealworms.

She's officially reached the point where she looks like she belongs with my bantams rather than the LF. Her poops are small but normal looking. Her face is pretty pale for her age and she hasn't sexually matured even though the rooster wishes she was. Her wattles are particularly pale. No external parasites from what I've seen. No other symptoms.

Right now I'm worried about her because it's been in the 20-40s and she's not doing well with the cold. She was shivering pretty bad this morning, so I brought her inside for some mush and warmth and she's perked up a bit. She's still holding her tail low and wanting to nap a lot though.

I should be tracking her weight and maybe I'll start doing that. I can't tell if she's losing weight or just failing to grow.

Also, I don't think I've treated them for worms yet and I have been seeing some diarrhea during the day (poop on the poop board looks normal though). Should I try that?

 

[stoopid]

Has your flock been vaccinated for Mareks disease?
One of the early symptoms is a "failure to thrive"
I hope it's not that.

 

[hokankai]

I was thinking about it today when I brought her inside and think that might be what it is. Her mother and father are vaccinated, but since she was hatched under a hen she is not. Considering that all the birds I've lost to this mystery illness were NOT vaccinated (6 birds now in 2 years) and all the vaccinated ones haven't...the puzzle pieces are just fitting together. The only weird thing is I sent one of them in for a necropsy (he was a silkie who went lame, got skinny, AND had wry neck) and they said no to Mareks...and said he had hepatitis or something. I had three go lame and lose weight and three who just got skinny and died. But why wouldn't it affect ALL the unvaccinated birds I have? Her siblings seem fine and the unvaccinated banties are fine as well. I lost one in that coop to it but have three more who appear unaffected.

I think that's what she has, unfortunately, and I'm debating whether I should put her down as soon as possible, let her die naturally, or put her down when she stops eating or something.

*sigh* I guess no more broody-hatched chicks for me :\

 

[stoopid]

I'm sorry you feel that way.
I myself, just lost a bunch of birds because I never thought I needed to vaccinate.
The vaccine has just come off of backorder. For $20., you can vaccinate all your own birds.
It is recommended to do it at day one, but it can be done when they are older.

You keep hatching out chicks

 

[hokankai]

Yup, it's definitely Marek's. One of her sisters came out of the coop looking a little wobbly in the legs. Well, at least now I know and can plan accordingly. These chicks I'm hatching now will probably be sold, but I might vaccinate them anyway unless I decide to keep a few.

Does the vaccine come in a way that can be divided and saved? I'd hate to waste so much vaccine...

 

[stoopid]

It's a pita, but can be done.
There are instructions online... let me try and find them.
It's pretty simple, just get the wafer out of the bottle, and chop it up on a mirror, and divide the dilutent.

I feel that's why it's always on backorder.
Only one manufacturer, and the bottle does 1,000 chicks.

They should make a smaller kit.

 

[Dudu]

Hokankai, I posted a similar thread, being at my wits end, and got some pretty good replies - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...i-found-but-fading-continues/50#post_10158779

I am sure sorry that it may be Mareks, and we've seen it too I'm sure (just never manage to have it confirmed by necropsy yet).

But maybe there is still hope that your girl just has parasites, for example protozoa in the crop - those can pretty much leave them wasted looking too, that's how one of my girls was until I gave her a course of Flagyl (on a member's suggestion from here, and confirmed by our doc)....