[Sarah Mitchell]

 

Hi All.  I am really hoping you can help me with 2 poorly youngsters.

I have a group of chicks inside my barn and a few days ago I noticed one of them - a Maran - wasn't looking 'right'.  His/her feathers were all fluffed up and she was sticking round the heat lamp and not very active.  She had no other signs of illness - no sneezing or runny nose and she smelled fine (the sick chickens I've had before have ponged).  I left her in with the others (probably not a good idea but hey ho) and over the weekend I noticed a belgian bantam - a bit older but in with the same group as the maran - was having difficulty walking.  She looked like she had had a stroke and was dragging her left leg and wing round.  Both birds have clenched claws on one foot but seem alert.  Neither were eating much - empty crops.  I have now separated them and they are eating, but nothing has changed in terms of symptoms.  None of the other birds have shown any symptoms.

I've tried to describe this as best I can to see if anyone has any ideas.  I've done an internet search on the symptoms but drawn a blank.

Hope someone can help as things are looking bleak for these two birdies.  Thanks

[Aunt Sally]

Could be Marek's 

[Sarah Mitchell]

Eeeeek!

Need to have a sit down and a stiff drink!!

[Rubellite]

Ooh bit early in the morning for a stiff drink
Hope the others don't come down with it Good luck.

[Foxy]

How old exactly are your chicks??

[Sarah Mitchell]

Hi Foxy

They are 5 and 7 weeks old

I have googled Mareks (before having that stiff drink!!) and get the impression that whilst caught when young it only becomes 'active' in chicken puberty.  not sure if i've interpreted it right though.

The birds both look bright around the eyes and they are alert... the 7 week old one is now worse than the younger one though with poor coordination and falling over a lot. 

I've got 40 poland chicks and 14 marans and barnevelders, and I'm getting very, very worried. 

They have clean shavings, clean fresh water and good quality food...

[Aunt Sally]

It can affect young birds too from about 2 weeks old.  There a three manifstations of Marek's as I expect you know.  The Neurological form causes paralysis and curled toes

Calcium deficiency can cause weakness and paralysis to so try giving them some yogurt for the calcium and phosphorous and a drop of cod liver oil for the Vit D to help them absorb the calcium.

[Sarah Mitchell]

Thanks Aunt Sally - do you think I could crush human Vit D & Calcium tablets into their food?  Also should I treat them all? Guess so. 

I've put the high dose poultry vitamin powder into their water but this hasn't had an effect so far but I will continue to do this with all the chicks.

Thanks again - I really appreciate the advice... this forum is a Godsend for the home chicken keeper.  I've had some brilliant advice from people and my little flock has benefited so much.  It also helps me because I can pass on advice to people who buy my chickens.   

[Aunt Sally]

The tablets would be fine but do try yogurt as the phosphorous is needed for calcium adsorption.  There's phosphorous in bananas and tomatoes too.

Do keep Marek's in the back of your mind too 

[Sarah Mitchell]

Hi Aunt Sally

The thought of Mareks is making me go cold all over... have everything crossed that it doesn't turn out to be that

My chicks have not mixed with older birds who have been outside and have had no access to the outside world so I am hopeful this is just a vitamin deficiency.. altho I did notice a Maran with curled toes last night...

I have given all the chicks a high dose vitamin supplement in their water.  I do have the highest concentration of chicks I have ever had so maybe they aren't getting enough nutrients.  I've done some more searching on the interweb and found that a vitamin B12 (riboflavin) deficiency can cause marek-esque symptoms especially the curly toes... here's hoping

I'm also going to invest in some new runs over the summer (that'll keep the OH out of trouble for a while!) and move my next hatchlings into a new barn which will be easier to manage.

I'll let you know how it all turns out but if it is Mareks this will be the end of my poultry breeding for a while :-(

Thanks for everything

[Aunt Sally]

Let's hope it's a deficiency !

There's lots of information on the Merk vet manual

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/toc_206900.htm