Is this Mareks?

Bree · **Joined:** Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:22 pm **Posts:** 18

Yesterday I had to put down one of my little Bantam hens. 2 days ago I noticed that one wing had gone floppy and I assumed it was because she had been hurt by one of my Plymouth Rock roosters after she broke into their pen. I moved her back to her pen but the next day the other wing had done the same thing. I went and checked on her that night and she couldn't walk properly on one leg. She couldn't put her foot down and the foot would curl up unless I pushed it open. She didn't seem to be in any pain and was eating and drinking like normal during the day but she couldn't perch at night. She was 2 1/2 years old.

I checked the rest of my chooks and they were all fine but today I've noticed that another bantam x plymouth rock (the daughter of the bantam that got sick) is starting to wobble around and can't walk properly but her wings are fine. I've seperated her from the rest of my chooks who seem fine. She is about 6-8 months old, maybe a bit older.

About 2 or 3 weeks ago I bought some chooks that are very healthy. I kept them seperated from everyone for the first week or so to make sure they were ok so they've been living in the same pen for a week now. Their diet hasn't changed, they have layer mash and vegetable scraps. The bantams are able to get out of the paddock with the chook pen in it and get around the house a bit so they have been scratching around in mulch during the week while all the other chooks have only been in the paddock.

So can anyone tell me what is wrong and if I need to worry about my other chooks? I'd really appreciate some help!!

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

Chooks are infected by Mareks within 36hrs of hatching not as adults so your pre-existing birds are safe from the new birds in that regard – are all these birds [new and old] vaccinated against Mareks?? If not you will need to watch for signs regardless. The daughter of the bantam that got sick is at an age when Mareks would show up so just keep an eye on her. If she shows signs listed below I recommend she be put down and ask the Vet to do an autopsy so you know what you are dealing with.
Classic symptoms are the legs going into the splits however some exhibit only a dropped wing and sometimes recover [rare] others only a misshapen pupil and also recover – recovered birds pass on high levels of immunity but must be considered carriers as well
The only way to know for certain if a bird has Mareks is to have an autopsy done [after death of course]
One reason the birds die is because they cannot get to the food and water and/or are trampled by the other birds as they cannot get out of the way

FYI = new birds should be quarantined for a min of 30 days preferably 90 days to give time for any diseases to show up – just watch the flock and note down any and all symptoms and post in this thread or start a new one.

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=453

click on this link - the info there may help

Bree · **Joined:** Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:22 pm **Posts:** 18

Thanks for all of that info but unfortunately it still hasn't cleared anything up for me!! The sick hen hasn't improved or worsened any today but she isn't eating or drinking so I'll put her down tomorrow. Poor little thing. No other chooks are sick or showing any signs but I'll post again if anything changes. Thanks again for your help!

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

Hi Bree,
I assume that the two birds affected so far are from your original birds, not the new ones purchased a few weeks ago?

As Soozorps asked, were the new ones vaccinated for Marek's? What about your birds? ( they need to have been vaccinated as day olds to be properly protected).

So what we're saying is that Marek's disease is quite possible, depending on your answers to the above questions, but the only way to be sure is to have a dead bird examined post mortem by a veterinarian, who will most likely need to send it to a pathology lab to confirm the diagnosis.

The other interesting point you make is that the bantams had access to the mulch. Some mulches can contain lots of fungal toxins which can sometimes present as neurological signs. This is less likely but still possible.

Although most breeders have experience with poultry diseases, it can be impossible to make a diagnosis based on a written description alone, or even just seeing the birds- otherwise there would be no need for vets and pathologists

Hopefully you have no more problems, but if you do I'd strongly suggest a post mortem exam if you want to get to the bottom of it. If you have a poultry or bird vet in your area then it would be well worth the travel as they're more likely to have a better idea of what's going on than a dog and cat or large animal vet.

In the meantime, I'd keep the bantams away from the mulch for now just in case. If the deaths stop, you can reintroduce them to the mulch & see what happens.

Cheers and Good Luck

Parvo

PS: Are you feeding any stale mouldy bread??

FullHenHouse · **Joined:** Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:15 am **Posts:** 1

I lost several chickens some years ago now and at first it was a puzzle as to why then my friend took one of the pullets that had just died to her good friend that is a vet and the autopsy show she died of a fungal infection and likely so did the other I couldn’t understand what could have caused the infection until I spoke to the lady vet myself and she asked a few questions including if I fed the moldy bread which I did over the week before they died as that is what caused the deaths here anyway. Just thought I would share that if it’s any help. Kelly

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Is this Mareks?

Who is on the Forum