I have to talk POLISH!

[leadwolf1]

Funny you should pose that question. I was just coming back to this thread to ask where I could find some good information on the different strains. I just lost my BA...I don't believe this was Marek's but a poisonous spider bite...and my MJ is limping and staggering this morning. At this point, I am defeated. I don't even know what to do or where to turn anymore. My last thought was to find out the differences and try and find the proper vaccine. Even if I have to go through my vet to do it...I know that he would order it for me. I am so bummed out that I just want to give up. But, if I do, who would take care of my chickens????

I can't agree on all flocks being exposed either. If you have only hatched eggs, or bought hatchery chicks, you would most likely be Marek's free. If you have bought any birds that have been in contact with other people's flocks, you would have a chance that Marek's would be in your flock. If all your chickens are older, and you buy a chicken, you may not have any deaths, and not know that your flock has been exposed.

Most of this information is "most likely" info because nothing is 100% with Marek's. Some die, some do not. There are many different symptoms or no symptoms. Paralysis is not the most common, it's the most common recognised. The paralysis most likely shows up in younger birds. The wasting show up most likely in older birds over a year old. But not all the time.

Since there is no test, we must rely on flock history, patterns of death, and symptoms.

Jessy, I never gave alot of thought to serotypes and virulence, but you have an interesting point, that vaccine does not cover it all. I'm sorry you've been dealing with it too.

Leadwolf, I wonder if it's possible to check into giving several different vaccines to cover more strains, or asking a hatchery what their vaccine is and if it covers more than what is sold to us..

 

[leadwolf1]

Shoot, forgot to address the one point that I wanted to comment on....

I do agree that all flocks are exposed, via the air. At a concentration low enough to provide the immunity that older birds have but, not enough to cause active disease. For birds to be exposed and infected, the amount of contagion must be higher..therefore, the usual methods of transmission then comes into play. In other words, direct contact with an infected or carrier bird. Of course, this is just MHO

 

[seminolewind]

Yeah, there was someone on that long Klf73 post that mentioned the concentration of virus .
I emailed Mcmurray and they sent me this reply. So they do get a better vaccine


Marek?s disease is a herpes virus that affects poultry. The virus is spread in dander from feather follicles of other birds and transmitted by inhalation.

We use a vaccine manufactured by Merial. It is a live virus that should be injected into the bird the first day after hatch. We use all 3 strains produced by Merial (CVI, HVT, SB-1) to give your bird the best possible coverage.

Remember no vaccine is 100% that is why they produce a new flu shot every year.

Typically the Marek's vaccination is only found in large facilities or hatcheries. This vaccination has many special requirements, such as it must be stored at specific temperatures and must be used within a specific time frame

 

[leadwolf1]

That was the first thread that I read about Marek's. I just emailed Ideal since that is where my vaccinated pullets came from. I have now lost 5 of 9

Only one may have been due to the insect bite. She didn't follow any Marek's that I have seen and she had bright yellow diarrhea..only this morning and it was only seen after she passed and once her muscles relaxed, this is what was running from her. My poor DS had picked her up to comfort her and she seized and died in his arms. He, like I, is devastated. We loved that BA. She was just an absolute doll...we will miss Mahgaret.

If, they have the strongest vaccine and I'm still losing birds, I am in deep trouble. I thought that the vaccine would work...

Yeah, there was someone on that long Klf73 post that mentioned the concentration of virus .
I emailed Mcmurray and they sent me this reply. So they do get a better vaccine


Marek?s disease is a herpes virus that affects poultry. The virus is spread in dander from feather follicles of other birds and transmitted by inhalation.

We use a vaccine manufactured by Merial. It is a live virus that should be injected into the bird the first day after hatch. We use all 3 strains produced by Merial (CVI, HVT, SB-1) to give your bird the best possible coverage.

Remember no vaccine is 100% that is why they produce a new flu shot every year.

Typically the Marek's vaccination is only found in large facilities or hatcheries. This vaccination has many special requirements, such as it must be stored at specific temperatures and must be used within a specific time frame

 

[Jennieschicks]

Will you please help me with this polish chick?A little over 9 weeks old that I think may be a roo. "He" and his sister are inseparable. He has red wattles, she has none. I have 5 chicks, all the same age. 2 are definitely roos (different breeds) they all hatched a little over 9 weeks ago. Could a polish hen have these red wattles at 9 weeks? This one with the wattles is also a bit bigger than the other polish.

I'd be so sad to have to let either of these polish go...here's hoping....

Check the hair do's don't they look girly on both?

I'd appreciate any feedback from any polish fans!


Here is Joe (check out the red wattles!)





Still Joe here, but what a girly hair do! Is there any hope for her to be a pullet??



This is Joe's "sister" Moe No wattles!



Here the two are together, Moe is standing (pullet?) and Joe is laying down (cockerel?) they are always together and really seem too be friends. I'd be so sad to have to part with one...

HELP Please???

 

[NoseyChickens]

Will you please help me with this polish chick?A little over 9 weeks old that I think may be a roo. "He" and his sister are inseparable. He has red wattles, she has none. I have 5 chicks, all the same age. 2 are definitely roos (different breeds) they all hatched a little over 9 weeks ago. Could a polish hen have these red wattles at 9 weeks? This one with the wattles is also a bit bigger than the other polish.

I'd be so sad to have to let either of these polish go...here's hoping....

Check the hair do's don't they look girly on both?

I'd appreciate any feedback from any polish fans!


Here is Joe (check out the red wattles!)





Still Joe here, but what a girly hair do! Is there any hope for her to be a pullet??



This is Joe's "sister" Moe No wattles!



Here the two are together, Moe is standing (pullet?) and Joe is laying down (cockerel?) they are always together and really seem too be friends. I'd be so sad to have to part with one...

HELP Please???

Joe is a boy, you will start to see changes in him soon that make him look male

 

[welasharon]

Shoot, forgot to address the one point that I wanted to comment on....

I do agree that all flocks are exposed, via the air.  At a concentration low enough to provide the immunity that older birds have but, not enough to cause active disease.  For birds to be exposed and infected, the amount of contagion must be higher..therefore, the usual methods of transmission then comes into play.  In other words, direct contact with an infected or carrier bird.  Of course, this is just MHO

this theory would at least make it make more sense.

 

[leadwolf1]

Thanks

this theory would at least make it make more sense.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Will you please help me with this polish chick?A little over 9 weeks old that I think may be a roo. "He" and his sister are inseparable. He has red wattles, she has none. I have 5 chicks, all the same age. 2 are definitely roos (different breeds) they all hatched a little over 9 weeks ago. Could a polish hen have these red wattles at 9 weeks? This one with the wattles is also a bit bigger than the other polish.

I'd be so sad to have to let either of these polish go...here's hoping....

Check the hair do's don't they look girly on both?

I'd appreciate any feedback from any polish fans!


Here is Joe (check out the red wattles!)





Still Joe here, but what a girly hair do! Is there any hope for her to be a pullet??



This is Joe's "sister" Moe No wattles!



Here the two are together, Moe is standing (pullet?) and Joe is laying down (cockerel?) they are always together and really seem too be friends. I'd be so sad to have to part with one...

HELP Please???

at 9 weeks, Joe is definitely a boy, and Moe I "think" is a girl.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

I agree Joe is male.....you can see some thinner strands of feathers starting in the crest also, with wattles that big compared to Moe I think you are doomed to have a boy sorry! On my boys the wattles have always been the dead giveaway.