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The Dogmother

RIP Jude ?Stroke or Mareks

By The Dogmother, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

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The Dogmother Eggsistentialist

The Dogmother

Posted
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Our poor Jude has died :(

 

She has been moulting for the last 2-3 weeks and seemed OK, joining in the usual melee for food etc. I checked her over at the weekend and she seemed fine... a tad bald and slightly slim, but otherwise OK; nothing that's not normal for a moulting bird.

 

I came home this evening to take the bunnies and cat to the vet for their boosters and found Jude collapsed on the lawn :? Not normally the most biddable of chooks I expected her to run away when I went to pick her up, but when I tried to stand her up, she kept keeling over, so I popped her in the chicken box and took her along too - I gave her a quick examination - laboured breathing, weak heartbeat and closing her eyes, thin and weak. All this since the weekend, and she'd seemed fine this morning too when I let them out.

 

The vet and i decided that she was so very weak that it was kindest to put her down there and then, no point really in nursing her through the night. :(

 

We're not sure what it was, but I will watch the rest of the flock like a hawk, and have dosed their water with citricidal and ACV to boost their immune systems. They are unlikely to come down with it.

 

Mareks is a herpes virus, which lays dormant in the system of most flocks, only really bothering a chicken if their immune systems are compromised.. say, when moulting like Jude was. The symptoms are weakness and gradual paralysis, there is no treatment and the bird will eventually die. It isn't unusual for others in the flock to look a bit under the weather, but not suffer unduly.

 

Sleep well my golden girl xx

jude.jpg

 

http://claretblog.vox.com/library/photo/6a00ccff898588673100fad698eda70004.html

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BeckyBoo Effusive Egg Layer

BeckyBoo

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Sorry to hear your news, thanks for the information about Mareks though, sounds like what happened to Bertie. We lost a hen last night too, Lulu put herself to bed in the yellow eglu which was mist unusual but seemed fine, she'd been absolutely fine during the day. I got up this morning to find her dead in the nest, Her back end looked swollen so must have been something internal. At least it was quick for them both. Bit gutted, she wasn't my favourite but she was lovely, never grew her feathers properly after her moult but was a lovely hen nonetheless.

 

Sorry for your loss

 

Mrs B

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Daphne Feathery Fanatic

Daphne

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Very sorry to hear this, I lost a youngster to Mareks and an older girl to egg peritonitis within days of each other a month ago and I know how devastating losses can be. As Gamebird says, Nature always has the last word. My consolation is in my beloved girls that are left and the fact that I'm still here - wiser and stronger to deal with the next calamity. Mourn her well (I know you will) and she will live on in your heart.

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