Year Old Chicken Stopped Walking! Please Help!

[chickengeorgeto]

Any chicken that seemingly recovers from Mareks remains a carrier of Mareks disease for life.

 

[billyb]

But she is almost 1 year old. How Could it be mareks disease?

Hi there - sounds like Marek's disease. Loss of mobility, wobbly walking or falling over. Often the chicken will be found on the ground at night, unable to roost. Loss of appetite, laboured breathing.

Unfortunately in my experience the chicken never recovers. Either we euthanized it or eventually it died.

Sad days.

 

[teach1rusl]

Mareks doesn't just occur as chicks - it can be spread in many ways, including bringing in outside/new birds. That being said, I think mareks is often suggested simply because it is such a nasty disease. I know I was super paranoid about mareks due to symptoms I was seeing with two birds in my flock this past year. I paid a pretty penny for testing and it was NOT mareks. How do her eyes look...her pupils? Do they look and react normally? I'm not saying it's not mareks...I'm just saying don't presume it is. Research it and see if it fits your girl...

 

[billyb]

Mareks doesn't just occur as chicks - it can be spread in many ways, including bringing in outside/new birds.  That being said, I think mareks is often suggested simply because it is such a nasty disease.  I know I was super paranoid about mareks due to symptoms I was seeing with two birds in my flock this past year.  I paid a pretty penny for testing and it was NOT mareks.  How do her eyes look...her pupils?  Do they look and react normally?  I'm not saying it's not mareks...I'm just saying don't presume it is.  Research it and see if it fits your girl...

. Here eyes are still brown. But she keeps resting or keeping them closed. I've done a little research and I believe that is what she has? How long does it normally last before she passes? I am worried about my flock now too.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Quote:

Good point. Mareks was once known as Gander Eye or gray eye disease because the iris of the eye is misshapen and the pupil is discolored.

The black pupil on a Mareks infected bird, especially one that is a Mareks carrier will be odd shaped, (hourglass, oval, star, slit eyed or comma shaped) it is also usually smaller than a normal chickens' pupil, and the pupil is not very responsive (if at all) to changes in the brightness of the light. Anyone ever have a chicken that kept bumping into things? Well that is but one symptom of Mareks.

A chickens' eye should be red or bright orange, Mareks disease results in a gray or funky orange or yellow eye color. I have seen pictures on this forum before of what the proud owners considered healthy chickens, but I held my tongue and didn't say anything because no backyard chicken owner wants to hear bad news.

The best defense against Mareks begins in the brood pen. NEVER breed from any bird whose brothers, sisters, offspring or parents came down with Mareks. Also buying chicks from half way across the country even if they have been vaccinated is pointless. Mareks seems to have multiple local strains or types and the vaccine used is usually formulated to fight the local strain leaving chicks hatched and vaccinated two states away vulnerable to the variety or strain of the Mareks virus active in your area.






For comparison you can see a normal as well as a Mareks infected chicken's eye in the below image.



If you are offered chickens to rescue(?) re-home, or you answer an ad, look at these photos before you bring trouble home with you!

Always look at the eyes of other peoples birds on the yards or runs that you visit. If you see a chicken with Mareks eye, disinfect your shoes and wash everything you were wearing, and shower, BEFORE you tend to or feed your own chickens. Come to think about it that is a good practice even if you don't see signs of Mareks.

Because Mareks is spread through feather dandruff, NOW in the middle of the molt is a good time for it to be spread around because every pen, new, or blood feather is covered in a sheath of skin while it is growing in and as the new feathers harden off this skin turns to dandruff and becomes air born or is trapped in dusting wallows.

 

[gander007]

I would like you to look up a case like yours that happened two weeks ago ..
Go to Forum at the top of the home page and next you will be sent to a
discussion forum's from here go to emergency's/diseases/injuries/cures
hit on this alright this will take you to the next step and go to page three
now go down about half way to sick SLW-7 months old-nothing helping
to find it Easley the reply Colom to the right should read 149 ........
Read some of what this lady went through and see if the similarities
between you two match ...............
Hope this works for you ..........

gander007

 

[billyb]

I would like you to look up a case like yours that happened two weeks ago ..
Go to Forum at the top of the home page and next you will be sent to a
discussion forum's from here go to emergency's/diseases/injuries/cures
hit on this alright this will take you to the next step and go to page three
now go down about half way to sick SLW-7 months old-nothing helping
to find it Easley the reply Colom to the right should read 149 ........
Read some of what this lady went through and see if the similarities
 between you two match ...............
Hope this works for you ..........

gander007     

Thanks! Sadly my Hen just passed away..
Thanks for everyone's help! -Billyb

 

[gander007]

Oh I am so sorry Wish we could have helped .......

gander007

 

[pwand]

Sorry for your loss.

Can you send her for a necropsy to see what caused her death. Depending were you are, I believe its free.

 

[billyb]

Sorry for your loss.

Can you send her for a necropsy to see what caused her death. Depending were you are, I believe its free.

How can I get that done and what does it do? I'm located in Cleveland Ohio.