Leicester_H Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 My last ex-bat (ignore signature, its out of date) appears to have had a stroke. She's about 3.5 years old. Took her to the vet who couldn't find anything physically wrong. (Not our normal vet as holiday). He wasn't sure if it was early peritonitis (although he couldn't feel anything) and so prescribed Baytril or neurological. I'm pretty sure its neurological. She can't stand/walk very well - very unbalanced, puts wings out to steady herself. As the last ex-bat (who can't be mixed with the youngsters) she's been living in a large dog crate in the utility room for the last 3 months. She like the attention she gets every time we pass the door and went for a 'runaround' in the garden every afternoon. She'd been gradually slowing from running to walking around the garden, which we put down to age. She still dust bathed, dug for worms etc - just a bit more slowly. So being a 'house-chicken' suited her. I'm very mindful of "am I extending her life or extending her death?" She is still very responsive, make noises in response to mine. She eating VERY(!) well and drinking. We're trying to keep her quiet and calm. She seems 'happy' - eg. she makes little trilling noises when we go to leave the room to get us to return. She's preening herself.I'm watching her via a web cam from time to time as I know they hide certain behaviours. If this changes she'll have to go back to vet ASAP. Do others agree this plan is OK? Any thoughts ? H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I have no experience of stroke, and with egg peritonitis it would hard to guess it from the early stages, really you need to feel the hot swollen belly and see a waddle followed by a prolonged sit down and a clearly unwell hen. From what you describe your girl seems much more happy than not, the fact she is responsive to stimuli is a strong indicator of that, so I would be happy to keep going with her until/unless she deteriorates She sounds like a lovely girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 Hi Thanks Daphne. She (Polly) IS a lovely girl - which is why we are happy to pander to her, as long as she isn't suffering (too much). I have had hen with peritonitis and know how swollen underside feels - Polly has no swelling or tenderness - vet confirmed this - I'm as sure as I can be it was a stoke on Wednesday night. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I have had a girl wth EP and she didn't display any of those symptoms, I realise no two hens are the same but have you considered mareks? I know commercial hems are vaccinated but it isn't always 100% effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 have you considered mareks? I know commercial hems are vaccinated but it isn't always 100% effective. No, we hadn't - thanks. Would that come on suddenly ? She was fine on Tuesday. Wednesay morning when I uncovered the cage, she was still lying down and sleepy. She was very drowsy all day long and not doing much (was eating & drinking). We thought she might not wake up on Thursday - but when I uncovered cage, she was up and eating and very alert. We then noticed that she had trouble standing & walking. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I'm sure it can come on fairly suddenly, have a quick look at her eyes and see if they are the same. Maybe Google it to see if the signs and symptoms fit your girl. I really hope it isn't and I wish you luck with your poorly lady. Let us know how she goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 When Pob died the vet suspected Mareks. She was vaccinated. From my research I found there can be some or no symptoms. Symptoms can go on anywhere from a few days to a few months. With this I am mindful that any of my last 3 could either slowly go downhill or just drop dead from it. They may never, also. It can have a long incubation period, meaning, in my case I could slowly lose any/all of my girls many, many months afterwards. With that in mind all you can do is watch and wait until she gets to a point where you feel enough is enough. Sorry this sounds vague, but from everything I have read Mareks can be. Of course she may not have it and simply have symptoms of old age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Thanks for your replies and support. I have looked at a few websites and, as you say, symptoms are all very vague. Polly's eyes seems fine - I can see no other symptoms other than she can't stand properly. Today, she is still bright, alert, responsive, eating & drinking. re. incubation time - this site http://birdhealth.com.au/flockbirds/poultry/diseases/mareks_disease.html says "Vaccination is given at one day of age because Marek’s Disease has a short incubation period of 2 weeks" ? Polly is in the house. I have 3 creamleg bars (1 YO) outside in a WIR. They have been inoculated against Mareks. Are there any precautions I should be taking, just in case Polly does have Mareks ? Thanks, H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 I'm no expert but I if she is with the others and she has meraks then I assume the others would have been exposed anyway . Once you have it meraks can be very difficult to eradicate It's spread by chicken dust, dander, and saliva. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Sorry I wrote this in the early hours. Yes initial incubation time can be quick but once they are vaccinated the symptoms can go on for a long time or you may never see any symptoms. http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/mareks/index.aspx http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/neoplasms/mareks_disease_in_poultry.html http://academy.fwi.co.uk/Courses/Livestock/Poultry-diseases-and-pests/Marek-s-disease-in-laying-hens http://www.theranger.co.uk/News/MAREKS-DISEASE-a-silent-enemy_21271.html I hope these help. It can live on for a long time showing no symptoms. Effectively every flock probably has it, it is just dependant upon birds becoming stressed and susceptible. It's a nasty disease Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Sorry and this one too. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Thanks PiixDust I'm no expert but I if she is with the others ..... It's spread by chicken dust, dander, and saliva. Hi Polly has never had direct contact with the other 3. She lived with the ex-bats, the cream legbars have always been separate. However, I always put on an old baggy shirt and trackie bottoms when I 'deal with' the hens - so I would guess that any chicken dust, dander etc. would have been transferred between them by now - so no point taking extra precautions now ? Its really annoying not knowing if it is Mareks or not. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
