can adult chickens be vaccinated for marek's?

[seminolewind]

My one rooster and 2 broodmates got coccidiosis. They survived with meds, but the roo was a runt for 8-9 months and then got full size. It did stunt him for a while.

 

[rockinpaints]

Glad to hear they survived and are doing well, must have been the great supportive care

.

 

[mystdogs]

Just joining this list. Very good information. Sadly I had my flock exposed to Marek's after attending a poultry show last fall. I have lost one polish and a good number of silkies. Everyone (young and old) has since been vaccinated. I have a second polish that has been recovering in his isolation pen since Dec. He went through stages of near death to somewhat recovered. Except for being unable to stand on his own he is acting normal, eating and drinking. I don't like to give up on life until I know for certain there is no hope. He moves his legs but seems to have no coordination to keep himself in a balanced position. Is there any chance that he will recover back to his normal activity level prior to his infection? I have two other silkies that are symptoms post vaccination. The chick seems to be recovering a bit, but the pullet has lost most of her ability to move.
I wish the poultry shows would have required all birds be vaccinated against marek's in order to go to the show. It would have made an earlier impact on my choices to vaccinate my flock. As that was my first poultry show I had always had a closed flock that the only problems I had to contend with were predators. I'm just upset that this 'learning' experience has been the cause of loosing my pet birds that I adored as a cherished pet.
On the vaccine it said that the bottled should be burned...how do you dispose of the unused vaccine properly?

 

[rockinpaints]

Just joining this list. Very good information. Sadly I had my flock exposed to Marek's after attending a poultry show last fall. I have lost one polish and a good number of silkies. Everyone (young and old) has since been vaccinated. I have a second polish that has been recovering in his isolation pen since Dec. He went through stages of near death to somewhat recovered. Except for being unable to stand on his own he is acting normal, eating and drinking. I don't like to give up on life until I know for certain there is no hope. He moves his legs but seems to have no coordination to keep himself in a balanced position. Is there any chance that he will recover back to his normal activity level prior to his infection? I have two other silkies that are symptoms post vaccination. The chick seems to be recovering a bit, but the pullet has lost most of her ability to move.
I wish the poultry shows would have required all birds be vaccinated against marek's in order to go to the show. It would have made an earlier impact on my choices to vaccinate my flock. As that was my first poultry show I had always had a closed flock that the only problems I had to contend with were predators. I'm just upset that this 'learning' experience has been the cause of loosing my pet birds that I adored as a cherished pet.
On the vaccine it said that the bottled should be burned...how do you dispose of the unused vaccine properly?

Hi there and welcome to the forum. I am really sorry for your loss

.

First I wanted to say that they rarely ever recover from Marek's and if they do they sill continue to shed the virus in the the feathers and dander. And for what ever reason chickens eat feathers........I've seen mine chase each other for a feather

The other thing is the vaccine would not have prevented the paralysis form of Marek's, it only prevents the cancerous tumors cause by Mareks disease. And it lowers the amount of shedding of the virus for ones that get it and show no signs.

Then the last thing is that Silkies are one of the most susceptible breeds to Marek's. There is a veterinarian, I believe in FL who owns Silkies and is doing a study to find out why they are so susceptible and what can be done.

Again I am really sorry for your loss and good luck.

 

[mystdogs]

Hi there and welcome to the forum. I am really sorry for your loss

.

First I wanted to say that they rarely ever recover from Marek's and if they do they sill continue to shed the virus in the the feathers and dander. And for what ever reason chickens eat feathers........I've seen mine chase each other for a feather

The other thing is the vaccine would not have prevented the paralysis form of Marek's, it only prevents the cancerous tumors cause by Mareks disease. And it lowers the amount of shedding of the virus for ones that get it and show no signs.

Then the last thing is that Silkies are one of the most susceptible breeds to Marek's. There is a veterinarian, I believe in FL who owns Silkies and is doing a study to find out why they are so susceptible and what can be done.

Again I am really sorry for your loss and good luck.

Does anyone know who the vet is? I'd be happy to assist in anyway I could with research to help the health of our birds.

Thank you for your condolences it is very hard to watch them try and recover. The polish seem to rally and then crash. In a way, the way the silkies go down hard and fast seem easier to accept. Perhaps because there is no false hope.

 

[seminolewind]

Just joining this list. Very good information. Sadly I had my flock exposed to Marek's after attending a poultry show last fall. I have lost one polish and a good number of silkies. Everyone (young and old) has since been vaccinated. I have a second polish that has been recovering in his isolation pen since Dec. He went through stages of near death to somewhat recovered. Except for being unable to stand on his own he is acting normal, eating and drinking. I don't like to give up on life until I know for certain there is no hope. He moves his legs but seems to have no coordination to keep himself in a balanced position. Is there any chance that he will recover back to his normal activity level prior to his infection? I have two other silkies that are symptoms post vaccination. The chick seems to be recovering a bit, but the pullet has lost most of her ability to move.
I wish the poultry shows would have required all birds be vaccinated against marek's in order to go to the show. It would have made an earlier impact on my choices to vaccinate my flock. As that was my first poultry show I had always had a closed flock that the only problems I had to contend with were predators. I'm just upset that this 'learning' experience has been the cause of loosing my pet birds that I adored as a cherished pet.
On the vaccine it said that the bottled should be burned...how do you dispose of the unused vaccine properly?

Hi. I just shoot some bleach into the bag. That should kill anything. Then empty it down the drain.

Marek's is a sad thing. I don't go to shows , if a breeder vaccinates all the chicks at birth, they may never know whether their chickens carry it or not. If a chicken is a carrier (exposed) and is fine and alive, you can't know. I hope one day they will have some easy test for it.
I had a closed flock too. I did buy one silkie from a breeder. That's all it took. I've had one recover from paralysis, but she had been vaccinated day one, so maybe she fought it off. She's been laying !

I'm sorry you're going thru it too.

Maybe your roo will recover, who knows. Most of my demises have been wasting away even tho eating. So maybe there's hope if he keeps some weight on.

Things have settled down here for a while. I have older resistant chickens, and everyone less than a year has been vaccinated at birth.

I think if you show, you can't make people vaccinate their day old chicks. However, you can vaccinate and quarantine all your own day olds and at least save them.

 

[seminolewind]

I've had some odd silkies. The Marek's carrier was a silkie. My first death was a silkie roo. But the other 3 silkies -one is still with me, and the oldest one (5yrs) died a few months ago. So out of 9 silkies, ages 1-5, I lost the roo at 18 months old, and 3 more . I'm surprised at how tough the oldest ones were.

But, they were odd-3 hatches and all girls from 2 different roos. Go figure.

 

[LynnMarie]

Even thought this is an older thread, I am hoping someone can help me.

I have a 7 week old sicilian buttercup with mareks symtoms. I am keeping her in the house and giving vitamins in her water, as per advised in another thread. She was purchased at the local feed store and after calling them up, they told me their chicks are not vaccinated, only the parents at the hatchery are. Is this enough to protect the chicks I have? Had I know that they needed to be vaccinated, I would have sooner. I am new to chicken keeping and had no clue my backyard birds could be endangered by something other than preditors.

Higher up on this thread, someone posted the instructions from the vaccine bottle. I am planning to buy the vaccine today and need to know more. I have 22 chickens, between 8 weeks, 7 weeks and 6 weeks old. The instructions for the mareks vaccine was to be administered to 1 day old chicks at a dosage of .2ml per chick. How much vaccine should I give each of my young birds?

What would any of you do if it was your flock. I really need someone with the practical knowledge to advise me, please. I don't want to see any more of my girls get sick. Also, should I vaccinate the sick bird, just in case it is not mareks? After 5 days, she is walking again, but still a bit wobbly.

Thanks alot,

Lynn

 

[rockinpaints]

Even thought this is an older thread, I am hoping someone can help me.

I have a 7 week old sicilian buttercup with mareks symtoms. I am keeping her in the house and giving vitamins in her water, as per advised in another thread. She was purchased at the local feed store and after calling them up, they told me their chicks are not vaccinated, only the parents at the hatchery are. Is this enough to protect the chicks I have? Had I know that they needed to be vaccinated, I would have sooner. I am new to chicken keeping and had no clue my backyard birds could be endangered by something other than preditors.

Higher up on this thread, someone posted the instructions from the vaccine bottle. I am planning to buy the vaccine today and need to know more. I have 22 chickens, between 8 weeks, 7 weeks and 6 weeks old. The instructions for the mareks vaccine was to be administered to 1 day old chicks at a dosage of .2ml per chick. How much vaccine should I give each of my young birds?

What would any of you do if it was your flock. I really need someone with the practical knowledge to advise me, please. I don't want to see any more of my girls get sick. Also, should I vaccinate the sick bird, just in case it is not mareks? After 5 days, she is walking again, but still a bit wobbly.

Thanks alot,

Lynn

Hi Lynn, the only problem with allowing the sick chick to get better (usually they do not get better) is that it will become a carrier. You did not mention the symptoms, maybe you could do that.
Even if it does have Mareks does not mean the rest will get it. I would vaccinate any that are asymptomatic, do not vaccinate any sick birds. Also please remember the vaccine DOES NOT prevent Mareks. It prevents the malignant tumors it causes. It is in reality a cancer vaccine. If it is Mareks disease they can still exhibit signs of the paralysis form and the ocular form. They would all still get .2 regardless of age.

The vaccine also reduces the spread of the disease if they do have it.
Good luck!

 

[LynnMarie]

The symptoms my bird has: On the first day we noticed anything, which was last thyrsday, she was the last out of the coop and was not walking well, she just fell dow the coop ramp and flopped around, later when i checked on her, she was under the ramp and lethargic. When I picked her up, her feet just curled up underneath her body and when I sat her back down again, they stayed curled and she could not sit properly. That afternoon, we fixed a place for her a laundry basket in the house with food and water infront of her, I first thought maybe she fell and hurt her legs

The next day, her legs sort of stiffened up, when I picked her up and sat her back downagain, her legs just stuck straight in front of her and she was shaking/vibrating. I came ontothe forum to ask questions and was advised that she may have mareks. Also to give her b vitamins in the water. I went to the local feed store and bought antibitics and an electrolite/vitamin mix. After puting this in her water, the next day, she could stand. Now, after 5 days, she is running around the porch, but still wobbly. Her poo was large, dryish and dark. Maybe she was constipated?

After trying to figure out what is wrong with her, I realised what a threat Marek's is and want to vaccinate all the chickens at once. since they still young, I wanted to be sure of the dosage of the vaccine to give them. I am pretty confident that i can mix it and administer it properly.

All your advice is appreciated!