Sudden chicken death

[ChickCrazed]

Hi, hoping for some opinions and insight from the pros. I had a 4 month old cockerel suddenly begin walking wobbly/having some paralysis in both legs. Both legs seem to go back, so not the typical split leg paralysis that is known with Mareks and he doesn't seem to have any other symptoms. He is able to move his legs, but is uncoordinated and isn't able to move his FEET well enough to walk. He has been perky and eating and drinking. I have been giving him vitamins and electrolytes for about a week and a half and he is hanging in there. I have been thinking vitamin deficiency with him, but am getting concerned that he isn't getting better.

Yesterday I got home and noticed a young pullet from the same pen was just sitting all puffed out with her eyes closed and didn't look right. I couldn't get her to move much (did get her to take a couple steps when nudged but she would just stop and close her eyes again) and she wouldn't keep her eyes open. I pulled her out, dosed her with vitamins and separated her as well. She died this morning, I was with her when it happened and she basically started stretching her head/neck a couple times, beak gaped and then passed.

The two have not shared any of the same symptoms but I am obviously getting a bit freaked out by the fact that they both happened at the same time. I am going to try to get her necropsied. I'm not sure If I should euthanize him also and have him necropsied also, or continue to wait it out with him.

Does it sound like Mareks? Is there something else I am missing? Could the two be related?

 

[horsesandboots]

I had a pullet recently who had Mareks and I culled her because she was lethargic, legs paralyzed, not eating, eyes closed and body puffed up, and her neck was basically paralyzed.
Do you have pics of the cockerel?
PS. Seperate him from your flock!!!!!!

 

[Sammykins]

Sounds like mareks a bit to me....my hen did the same thing just closed her eyes and layed there, I had her euthanized and necropsy came back either mareks or leukosis. She was filled with tumours. Since your other one is exhibiting paralysis of some sort, maybe the mareks (if it's mareks) is attacking in a different way. I'm not sure but I would for sure do the necropsy. You'll need to know to maybe help the others.

 

[ChickCrazed]

I had a pullet recently who had Mareks and I culled her because she was lethargic, legs paralyzed, not eating, eyes closed and body puffed up, and her neck was basically paralyzed.
Do you have pics of the cockerel?
PS. Seperate him from your flock!!!!!!

He has been separated (not that it will do MUCH good if it is Mareks since they have all been exposed and the dander is everywhere). She could still walk, so her symptoms don't really seem to match the Mareks symptoms that I have read about.

 

[horsesandboots]

He has been separated (not that it will do MUCH good if it is Mareks since they have all been exposed and the dander is everywhere).  She could still walk, so her symptoms don't really seem to match the Mareks symptoms that I have read about.

How about the cockerel? How is he doing today?

 

[horsesandboots]

So your aware a chicken can have Mareks and show some symptoms and be fine the next day but will suffer from rumors til it's death. Which will usually be very soon after symptoms stop and reside. Or you could get lucky and he/she can pull through and lead a regular chicken life.

If it was me I would not let a pullet or cockerel go sick for more than 48 hours max. Especially if you can't diagnose the problem properly because then you are exposing your flock to these sicknesses and the chicken is suffering.

 

[ChickCrazed]

How about the cockerel? How is he doing today?

He is pretty much the same. He kicks his legs like crazy when I pull him out in the morning to give him vitamins. He still doesn't have full functionality of either of his legs, but they are both the same although tending to splay backwards. He is eating his scrambled eggs and drinking his electrolyte water.

 

[ChickCrazed]

So your aware a chicken can have Mareks and show some symptoms and be fine the next day but will suffer from rumors til it's death. Which will usually be very soon after symptoms stop and reside. Or you could get lucky and he/she can pull through and lead a regular chicken life.

If it was me I would not let a pullet or cockerel go sick for more than 48 hours max. Especially if you can't diagnose the problem properly because then you are exposing your flock to these sicknesses and the chicken is suffering.

Yes, I am absolutely aware that it could be Mareks, but he only has one symptom (paralysis of the legs) and even that doesn't totally match Mareks so I don't want to kill him if it is something simple like a vitamin deficiency. With the pullets sudden death I am not a bit more concerned, but her symptoms don't match his at all. I just talked to the University of Missouri and I am going to have her overnighted there for a $55 necropsy (which is a very reasonable price).

 

[horsesandboots]

Yes, I am absolutely aware that it could be Mareks, but he only has one symptom (paralysis of the legs) and even that doesn't totally match Mareks so I don't want to kill him if it is something simple like a vitamin deficiency.  With the pullets sudden death I am not a bit more concerned, but her symptoms don't match his at all.  I just talked to the University of Missouri and I am going to have her overnighted there for a $55 necropsy (which is a very reasonable price). 

Please keep us updated!!!

 

[ChickCrazed]

Please keep us updated!!!

I will! I am almost wondering if the pullet's symptoms match Coccidosis. They are all 14-15 weeks old and I would think they would have developed an immunity by now but it is possible she was just genetically weaker. The symptoms seem to match her, lethargic, puffed up appearance. We have had a couple periods of massive rain (2+ inches in a day) that could have caused the bacteria to thrive. The other babies seem healthy, but maybe I should treat them all.