sarabb4 Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Suspect I will be heading vet wards shortly. but in the meantime wd b grateful for any relating advice/experiences. Have had various chooks for 9years on and off. No illnesses or problems apart from some redmite way back in a wooden coop. Our last 2 remaining exbatts got taken by mr fox in march this year. Following their demise indulged in a 2nd hand cube(found on here) and bought in a new flock at the start of July. Have got 7 pure breed bantam and bantam crosses from 2 different breeders. All bought around 16weeks old. Within a week of getting them, the littlest black hen, who is a pekin maran cross, started limping. In all other ways she seemed fine. I examined her legs/feet, nothing abnormal to be seen and she seemed perky and lively enuff. After 4/5 days of limping/sitting quite a bit she went back to her usual mobility... Because they were all new and she was quite small, put it down to her perhaps having injured herself going up ladder to cube.. Feel like kicking myself now! The limp has returned-but in both legs.around8 weeks on... She is eating and drinking, alert and otherwise fine.. But she is isolating herself by sitting a lot.. When she has to move she staggers. What are the implications for the rest of my flock? Are we doomed? Does it sound like Mareks? Have looked on YouTube and she does look like a couple of hens on there that were diagnosed with Mareks. She stands sort of on tip toe and sometimes her toes curl, but she can still move quite fast if she has to.. Sorry this is so long.. Thanks for yr input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Sorry to hear about your little black hen It could be Marek's, but the only way you'll know for sure is to have a post mortem done, if she dies I lost my beloved pekin cockerel "Monty" last dec to suspected Marek's. I had to have him PTS on a sun (£90) I just couldn't watch him struggling for breath and he couldn't walk!I had put his symptoms down to the heavy 1st moult he was going through and a change of run flooring (wood chip) Of course I worried everyone else in the cube and run with him would go down with it too!!!!! But so far almost 10 months on and all seem well I did a give the cube a good clean out with "Virkon S" as the feather dander contains/carries the disease. Chickens can carry the illness, but it only surface with stress (such as moulting) or illness. Maybe get a vet to have a look? Could it be something else? Have you checked her feet? I've been battling scaley leg, which made my Molly hen hobble! Please let us know how you get on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarabb4 Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 Thanks for your reply Mimi5. Sorry to hear about your cockeral.I've been out most of today so the chickens have been shut in more than usual. When I did let them out the little black hen came right out with the others, whereas the last cpl of days she has been loitering under the cube. She is so alert and feisty, grabbing for her bit of tomato/treat etc. but her mobility is still very compromised... Will give her til Monday as she seems happy enough, but then I think we have to go the vets.. My biggest concern is the rest of the flock.. I wonder how likely it is that they are now carriers/likely to get it? If it is indeed mareks.. Tis definitely not bumble foot and ican't see/feel any sort of abnormality in her feet or legs.. She has part feathered feet and I wonder if her gait was even slightly odd when we very first got her & I put it down to that distinctive quirkiness that Perkins have when they walk... Don't think the vet will be able to do much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 It's difficult to say without seeing the bird, but I'd say that it almost certainly isn't Marek's from what you tell. Roughly where in the country are you? Perhaps a more experienced omleteer lives near you and would be able to examine the chook and advise. In any event, I would certainly take her to the vet on Monday unless there's a radical improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarabb4 Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 Thank you Dogsmother. I am in east grinstead, in west Sussex- I wish I did know someone who could look at her for me.. I've been reading up a lot on it and she definitely doesn't have the classic mareks stance that us oft described- one leg fore and aft... She seemed far better today but she isn't right. As you say- a vets visit seems likely..one of my reservations has been that she has always been lowest ranking chook. I fear removing her from the flock for even a quick visit to the vets may create a whole new load of problems! Despite her current disability the others are happy for her to be amongst them. She gets in and out of the cube by herself and eats and drinks normally...still keep wondering if it cd be some type of nerves damage.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 There's a 'slow burn' mareks, which displays different symptoms, although the end result is the same. Obviously I've not seen your hen, but it doesn't sound like that to me. I would find a chicken-savvy vet near you and take her in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 I agree with DM - it doesn't really sound like mareks, but I would get her to a vet as something obviously isn't right - don't worry about her being apart from the flock, at times like this needs must. There is an avian practice at Faygate, tho I'm not quite sure how close to you that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarabb4 Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 Little black hen went with me to the vets today - and sadly didn't come home again. The vet thought it was probably Mareks, as I had guessed.. So fingers very tightly crossed that my other 6 don't succumb... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 So sorry to read of your sad out come I know how you feel! But you did the right thing. Could you give the coop and run a through clean? I did that...maybe it helped, but anyway it felt good to do something positive!! I still have 3 of Monty's daughters.....which brings a smile to my face Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarabb4 Posted September 27, 2013 Author Share Posted September 27, 2013 Thanks.. She was still really chipper and happy in herself but it wasn't fair to let her carry on - she couldn't get up the ladder to the cube the last 2 days... Just keeping my fingers crossed now for all the others... They are all 26 weeks plus now so hopefully.. Also hoping the weather will be dry this weekend so I can give everything a thorough clean and airing!... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
