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Marek's disease

post #1 of 9
1/31/12 at 6:47pm
Thread Starter 

Anyone know of any treatment, no matter how "alternative", for a hen w/Marek's?  I read about one where you administer St.John's Wort tablet mixed w/one T of distilled water, give approx 10 drops to chicken every 12 hours.  

 

Anyone tried this or anything else?  Furthermore, anyone had a chicken survive Marek's?  

 

(don't know for sure it is Marek's until blood test comes back next week, but this is what the vet thinks right now).

Enjoying life in southern New Mexico with DH, two small boys, two Scottish Fold cats, two DSH cats, and chickens:  2 EEs; 3 French Black Copper Marans; and fourteen adorable Swedish Flower Hen chicks (yippee!).
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Enjoying life in southern New Mexico with DH, two small boys, two Scottish Fold cats, two DSH cats, and chickens:  2 EEs; 3 French Black Copper Marans; and fourteen adorable Swedish Flower Hen chicks (yippee!).
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post #2 of 9
1/31/12 at 6:57pm

I haven't used St John's Wort but I am using Hypericum 30.  You can search it on here....

 

I've been treating an OEGB since the beginning of November and she has made progress towards recovery.  She is the only one.  I attribute that to the fact that she had been immunized at the hatchery.  Good luck with your hen and I hope that the test does not come back positive!

 

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, and all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God Made them all
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All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, and all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God Made them all
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post #3 of 9
1/31/12 at 7:06pm

A very knowledgeable member on the forum said that giving a capsule of cranberry can help.  It is available in health food stores and where vitamins are sold.  (It is just cranberry powder in a gel cap).  It is used for human urinary tract infections. 

 

I lost a pullet to Mareks 11-weeks ago.   I hope your hen doesn't have it.   Best wishes for her recovery. 

"Was dich nicht umwirft, macht dich starker"   "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."-Friedrich Nietzsche 
My new tag line...added to the end of every sentence--->  "...... after all, they ARE chickens!!!"

 

Here's a link to my BYC page:  http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickats-page

Here's a link to my BYC blog of sorts http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/jottings

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"Was dich nicht umwirft, macht dich starker"   "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."-Friedrich Nietzsche 
My new tag line...added to the end of every sentence--->  "...... after all, they ARE chickens!!!"

 

Here's a link to my BYC page:  http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickats-page

Here's a link to my BYC blog of sorts http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/jottings

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post #4 of 9
1/31/12 at 11:26pm
Thread Starter 

Thank you for the responses!  I thought Hypercium was another name for St John's Wort but apparently not.  Rather I see it is a homeopathic remedy made from St. John's Wort.

 

So, I ordered some Hypercium 30 on Amazon- they didn't have any at our local health food co-op.  Maybe I should take the St. John's Wort myself as I have been upset the last couple days over this  hen, and fearing what might happen to my flock, and also the flock of a nice person to whom I re-homed a few of my Swedish Flower Hen chicks.  

 

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May try cranberry in the interim as it may take awhile to ship the hypercium.  Chickat, I am very sorry for your loss.  

 

Also,   I am giving infant vitamins (PolyViSol) 2-3 drops, applied to side of beak, just in case it isn't Marek's but a riboflavin deficiency, which I hear can cause similar symptoms.

 

Gosh I want this hen to live.  I really like her- she's a sweetheart, and she's pretty, and she's a hen.  

 

Thanks again folks!  

Enjoying life in southern New Mexico with DH, two small boys, two Scottish Fold cats, two DSH cats, and chickens:  2 EEs; 3 French Black Copper Marans; and fourteen adorable Swedish Flower Hen chicks (yippee!).
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Enjoying life in southern New Mexico with DH, two small boys, two Scottish Fold cats, two DSH cats, and chickens:  2 EEs; 3 French Black Copper Marans; and fourteen adorable Swedish Flower Hen chicks (yippee!).
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post #5 of 9
2/1/12 at 7:03am

FYI...I'm not sure how much you paid for your Hypericum but you can have your local GNC order it for you and it is $1.32 per bottle!  I'm calling to order more today :)

 

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, and all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God Made them all
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All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, and all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God Made them all
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post #6 of 9
2/9/12 at 5:12pm

How much GNC hjipercom 30 do you give? Hen may have mareks?

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post #7 of 9
2/9/12 at 7:07pm

I use 1 TBSP of Distilled Water...and dissolve the tablet in that.  For my bantams, I use 5 drops...for my LF  10 drops.  It took quite some time to see improvement.  I dissolve a fresh tablet twice daily.  Good luck!!!

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, and all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God Made them all
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All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, and all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God Made them all
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post #8 of 9
2/9/12 at 7:27pm

I am fighting what maybe Marek's now.  One bird appears to be recovering.  If nutrition can at least reduce severity of condition, then using foods rich in nutrients maybe at least as effective as vitamin supplements.  In addition to layer pellets, my charges are receiving a mixture of dark fruit (bluebarries ~ cranberries), dark leafy greens, olive oil, smelt (a type of fish), BOSS, scratch, baby parrot food, cooked wholegrain rice and sweet potato, and extra grit.

 

 

As applied looks like this.900x600px-LL-2df2eb99_DSC01265.jpeg

Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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post #9 of 9
2/10/12 at 10:12am

Thanks a million!

 

I'll try it.

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