Mariks Resistant!

Wow! I have a rooster, Charlie, who is 17 weeks old. When he was about eight weeks old he showed symptoms of Mariks (one of his legs was paralyzed), however, he still showed the ability to make it to the feeder and water so, I decided to keep him so long as he didn't end up on his back (as a few of his other siblings and I had to put them to sleep). Also, I have a pullet, Tiny (who looks more like an 8-week old chick), of the same flock as Charlie, who appeared to have other symptoms of Mariks (more of respitory symptoms), whose growth was stunted. Charlie still stumbled around and it appeared like he would have difficulty making it when I moved the flock outdoors from the brooder (especially since the flock were teens). Just last week, I noticed he was not only walking correctly, but hopping up steps, jumping onto benches and a couple of nights ago he made it up the ramp into the enclosed roost! Now, he's the first to greet me when I enter the pasture, began crowing yesterday, and is now romancing the fast-maturing pullets/hens.
I've read that Mariks is fatal (especially when the leg(s) are paralyzed), but Charlie is now thriving and even Tina is beginning to gain weight! I'm amazed!

That's awesome! I'm really glad for you!

Marek's isn't fatal, however. Not always. It just causes paralysis, and I've heard that sometimes birds do get better from it.

Here are some posts to help, including a post on my poor paralyzed chick, Amber, how to deal with a flock that has Marek's and other diseases that have similar symptoms to marek's.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/994040/my-pullet-cant-walk

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741957/not-an-emergency-mareks-in-the-flock

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq



Again, I'm really happy for you! I hope they all heal up and stay healthy.

Best of luck.

Thanks, GitaBooks! I truly wanted to encourage others who might be dealing with Mariks! It broke my heart to put to sleep the other peeps from this flock. I hatched them from an incubater and hand turned them all the way through.
So if this can give someone hope, great! I will probably use Charlie for breeding stock in the future. Nice gene to have in the stock.
I'll check the links you gave me. Best wishes and hope for your girl, Amber!

Unfortunately, we had to put Amber down. She was a sweet girl, but she couldn't walk without screaming cause she would fall over and she couldn't eat and drink without me holding her up. She seemed to be getting worse.
We buried her out in the field, where my silkie, Mavis, was buried.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's a sad time to lose those whom you've raised! I'm sensitive to begin with and then when it comes to animals...Well you can imagine!
It doesn't look very encouraging after what I've read. It appears that Mariks stays in their body for life even if they heal and those who've been exposed and don't shown signs of contracting it could be resistant, but possible carriers. Time I guess will tell.
I've studied and considered all the biohazards and all it takes is a tiny feather with dander on it to infect an entire flock. To be freaked out or not to be, is the question and how does one live with that. There has to be peace in all of this. That is what I'm seeking.

Yeah. Its hard to imagine that my whole flock has some disease that is just waiting to show its self!
I find it odd, though, how many times people kill the resistant birds because they can spread to those who aren't. If people kept the resistant birds than maybe we would eventually breed chickens that couldn't get marek's! That would be awesome.

I sure understand what you mean. The so called, "lurking," disease. That's what I'm facing. However, somewhere along the line in the past, people decided to stop the fear game and move on with other diseases. Pondering this and the consequences.