Hen gasping and can't stand

[Roger98]

I found one of my ameraucana hens on the floor of the coop unable to stand up or even hold her self up right. She was still eating and drinking last night but now today she's gasping like she can't breath. She can move her legs but she's very weak. She's a little on the thin side. I can feel her breast bone. I dont have any other chickens showing these symptoms.

No it's not mareks. This one has been vaccinated.

 

[Roger98]

Shes still very alert, reacting to things around her. But is just laying there as if she's paralyzed. She kinda kicks her legs a little bit like she wants to get back up but can't. When I sit her up she just flops forward or to the side.

 

[Peepsi]

You are probably right that it isn't Marek's. But do not rule it out entirely. There is a 5% failure rate in Marek's vaccinations, meaning it works 95% of the time, and 5% it fails. (Source - Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow). I just learned that fact today while reading that book.

I hope your girl gets better soon, and that its something treatable. Other people with more knowledge might be able to give you more information as to what's wrong with her.

 

[Roger98]

You are probably right that it isn't Marek's. But do not rule it out entirely. There is a 5% failure rate in Marek's vaccinations, meaning it works 95% of the time, and 5% it fails. (Source - Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow). I just learned that fact today while reading that book.

I hope your girl gets better soon, and that its something treatable. Other people with more knowledge might be able to give you more information as to what's wrong with her.

Thanks, I've had a really rough year with mareks. Losing more than half of my flock to it. I don't know what I'll do if even my vaccinated birds are dying from this. It's very frustrating..

 

[Peepsi]

Thanks, I've had a really rough year with mareks. Losing more than half of my flock to it. I don't know what I'll do if even my vaccinated birds are dying from this. It's very frustrating..

I'm sorry to hear that. Marek's tends to be hard to get rid of. One of my art-world peers had a nasty run-in with Marek's, and ended up writing a very informative article on Marek's:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Any survivors you've had, will be Marek's carriers for life. BTW, the link also had descriptions of problems that look like Marek's, but are not.

So if you've battled Marek's before, it very well could be a failure in the vaccine, but here's hoping it's something else!

 

[----------]

dang they can ivent a lot of things they dont care about fowl they need to invent a medication you can give by syringe and clear that up it kills too many chickens

 

[----------]

its really upsetting

 

[Roger98]

Drinking on her own, but I have to force her to take down little pieces if egg. She's still gasping but her face and comb color hasn't changed. And she's still fairly alert. Help would still be appreciated

 

[Peepsi]

Let me try tagging a few folks: @casportpony @Eggcessive - Hen needs help!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your sick hen. It is possible that this is still Mareks, since you have it in your flock. The vaccine is given to day old chicks, and those then have to be isolated for a minimum of 2 weeks from any contact with the dust or dander of the flock before full immunity is achieved. Other things can cause similar symptoms, and those can include eating a poisonous plant, eating something dead or buried, eating food that has become moldy overnight, or lead paint chips or lead shot in the ground. It would be best to give supportive care, kept her in a quiet warm environment, and offer water and food only if she can swallow. Wet chicken feed made very watery is good. Tube feeding could be learned, but if it is Mareks, then what?