Young Chicken Sick - Marek's? Help needed

[Kangasox]

We have had ducks for several years, but this year got a few chickens. I'm not as well versed in chickens, but have one little Easter Egger who is ill. She is 2.5 months old but but seems small and thin. She didn't seem to want to keep up with the others, so we've had her in the house since the weekend. She closes her eyes every time we pick her up, closes her eyes when standing. It's more her left eye, which I noticed today seems clouded. We tried checking her pupils today and they seemed to dilate a bit, but it was hard to tell, especially in the clouded eye.

Still eating and pooping, no blood or visible worms. We have brought her in and given her food with probiotics, electrolytes, and acv. I also put some vetricyn opthamalic gel in her eyes. I have read several threads in here about Marek's including one very comprehensive one (thanks to the person who wrote that!) And while I'm trying to look for things, I'm having problems applying it to a real chicken. Not sure if it could be something else, what we should try, if it we should cull.

 

[micstrachan]

Well, I’m not too helpful here. Mostly offering moral support. If she is still eating and drinking I would not cull. Providecsupportive care and give her a couple days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post a photo of her standing naturally including the eye?
Photos of her poop would be good too.
Tell us what you feed, including treats?

@Eggcessive is good with eyes, let see what she says.

Have you noticed if she is being kept from food by the others?
Being separated may or may not stress her, but if you have room, cage her within the coop or run so she can be near the others.
Provide her with her own food and water. I would also direct dose her with poultry vitamins for a few days.

Weak and skinny can be a number of things along with the eye. It's possible that she has Marek's, but investigating other things is always a good idea.
If you have a vet that can perform a fecal float to rule out Coccidiosis and worms, even better.

 

[ChickNanny13]

@Ravynscroft is informative on Mareks

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your weak pullet. Her eye looks very abnormal. How does the opposite eye look? Mareks could be one cause. Several things can cause eye problems including vitamin A or E deficiency, avian encephalomyelitis, eye infections, cataracts, injuries, ammonia fumes from droppings burning the cornea (which can occur in large poultry houses,) and other things. But with the weakness and not gaining weight, it may well be Mareks. Only a necropsy after death would be the best way to diagnose it. Since not seeing well can make it hard to see her food and water, it is best to keep her close to them in familiar surroundings.

 

[Kangasox]

@Wyorp Rock here are a couple pics. She's been separate since Saturday, and seems ok. She's always been a people chicken and is ok with being handled. She was happy to wander the grass and peck and eat a bit today. She just moved super slowly. Cautious or? She is also able to fly (flutter down out of my hands at least). I think she is getting enough to eat with the flock. They are fed Reedy Fork, which is a blend of seeds and legumes and such. They also free range. Looking at her head on, her left eye (that is clouded) is definitely puffy and she doesn't want to open it. I am happy to nurse her along, just don't want her to suffer. Does Marek's ever only affect one eye? Thanks for the help! Chickens are more complicated than ducks apparently!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One side is more swollen than the other. It's hard to know the cause, she may have suffered and injury, but yes, with Marek's only one eye can be affected. It's a very complicated disease that frustrates many flock owners.

Your feed...is it a chick formula that you give? I understand about the seeds/legumes. The droppings look to have some unprocessed grains/seeds in it. Does she have a source of grit? Sometimes with whole feed mixes, even though vitamins/mineral are added, those do not stick properly to the seeds or it's in the "fines" or powder that's in the bottom of the bag. It may be that she is only picking out certain seeds that she likes and is not eating everything to make her diet complete. I would offer her some poultry vitamins for a few days to see if that helps.

As for the eye, the cloudiness likely will not clear up. She's keeping it closed, you may want to rinse it with saline and put something like Veterycin eye gel in it, that might sooth it.

 

[Birds of a Feather]

Wouldn’t Marek’s affect the pupil of the eye? It looks like the iris is cloudy.

 

[Kangasox]

Thank you @Wyorp Rock. I will try the saline (thought of that this morning) and keep up with the vetricyn (I've been using the opthamlogic gel). Is there any use of trying an antibiotic? I also picked up some nutri-drench. I won't cull yet. Her feed is seeds and such, but fermented, so the dust isn't such an issue. She does have grit.She was actually roosting when I got home a bit ago. I guess the damage has been done of she's been with the rest of the flock already? If she lives should I just put her back with them? Fortunately we only have 3 other chickens. The rest are waterfowl.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you @Wyorp Rock. I will try the saline (thought of that this morning) and keep up with the vetricyn (I've been using the opthamlogic gel). Is there any use of trying an antibiotic? I also picked up some nutri-drench. I won't cull yet. Her feed is seeds and such, but fermented, so the dust isn't such an issue. She does have grit.She was actually roosting when I got home a bit ago. I guess the damage has been done of she's been with the rest of the flock already? If she lives should I just put her back with them? Fortunately we only have 3 other chickens. The rest are waterfowl.

Personally, since we don't know what's wrong with her, I wouldn't treat with an antibiotic. While it possible she might benefit from A/B treatment, you need to know more so you can give her the correct one. Not all antibiotics work the same, so finding the right one would be important.

Getting some vitamins into her is always a good idea. A lot of people ferment their poultry feed. Do you make your own mix or use commercial feed to ferment?

If you happen to lose her, refrigerate the body and send it to your state lab, this will give you the best information.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...sease-testing-lab-info.1236884/#post-19849025

Wouldn’t Marek’s affect the pupil of the eye? It looks like the iris is cloudy.

The eye does look cloudy, there can be many causes as suggested in Post5 of this thread. With Ocular Form of Marek's, the pupil is usually misshaped The Iris can turn gray as well.