I discovered how to help one of my chickens from falling over!!! I'd like ideas to improve upon it!

[Kiki]

Also...I'm just curious, what exactly do you feed her?

 

[amyduck]

How did the vet test her for Marek's disease?

I don't know if there is a test, but she looked at her eyes and pointed out the differences between them and said that in her opinion, it was definitely Marek's... one eye was lighter orange and didn't respond to light as much as the other.... I'll add that she is an avian specialist at an avian hospital....

 

[Kiki]

I don't know if there is a test, but she looked at her eyes and pointed out the differences between them and said that in her opinion, it was definitely Marek's... one eye was lighter orange and didn't respond to light as much as the other.... I'll add that she is an avian specialist at an avian hospital....

Thank you.

 

[Kiki]

Do you mind posting clear photos of each eye?

 

[amyduck]

Also...I'm just curious, what exactly do you feed her?

Besides what she can get outside, when she is outside, a variety of grains, greens, fresh corn, oyster shell, though she isn't laying yet...and lately some sardine too. However, I've been wondering if I should be changing that...other hens I've had hate crumble - probably since they have so much more to choose from outside.
I've also been adding electrolytes and B2 to the water... but she doesn't seem to like it much, so when I think she hasn't been drinking enough I give her plain water.
I welcome any suggestions.

 

[amyduck]

Do you mind posting clear photos of each eye?

This is the best I can do by myself... I'll say that I haven't had a chance to really check the speed and amount of the eye reflex myself and while there may be a slight difference in color, it's not much. Also her pupils both seem evenly round to me... with no jagged edges to the iris... admittedly, looking at the bottom photo, it could be a bit... oddly, I seem to recall that the vet said the top eye was not as orange and was the one not reacting as much, but here it seems more orange - It could be because the pupil is more constricted here...

 

[duluthralphie]

I think this is the case Of a vet knowing little about poultry.

To see Maraks in the eye requires the eye to be removed then you will see the Maraks “tumors”


If this started in Oct and the bird is still alive today, she is one lucky bird..

how old was she when she came down with “Maraks”?

Was she vaccinated?

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

[amyduck]

I think this is the case Of a vet knowing little about poultry.
To see Maraks in the eye requires the eye to be removed then you will see the Maraks “tumors”
If this started in Oct and the bird is still alive today, she is one lucky bird..
how old was she when she came down with “Maraks”?
Was she vaccinated?
Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Well, I hope you're right, although as I mentioned above, she is an avian vet at an avian hospital and I know a lot of people take chickens to her.... we'll see! About her eyes, I've read and seen photos of uneven irises attributed to Mareks... so maybe that happens eventually. My understanding is that there is visceral Mareks (they get tumors) and neurological Mareks...they have the balance issues like mine does. At any rate, she is definitely a lucky chicken that has gotten a LOT of attention!
She was hatched this spring and purchased from a farm in September - unfortunately, not vaccinated... however, her fellow chicken from the same farm, same age, is just fine, much larger, stronger and started laying about a month ago. I'm expecting she may come down with it eventually as well, unless the vet is mistaken.

 

[aart]

I think it's a center of gravity thing! (Ask any woman who is particularly well endowed)

Yeah, had that problem just few says ago.... about landed flat on my face in the snow bending over to take pics of fox tracks!!

Thanks for the pics, I had envisioned the weights on her sides and higher up.

 

[amyduck]

Yeah, had that problem just few says ago.... about landed flat on my face in the snow bending over to take pics of fox tracks!!

Thanks for the pics, I had envisioned the weights on her sides and higher up.

Glad you understand! I think the weights probably need to be close to her body, low and in the center - unless a chicken tends to fall in one direction more than another... but I'm not sure...