I’ve had 3 mysterious deaths in my young flock in the past month or so. I sent the 3rd bird off to my state lab to get necropsied, and while histopathology results are pending, it appears most likely that my flock is infected with Mareks. The necropsied pullet has “gross lesions along her peripheral sciatic nerve” pointing to mareks. Of course ALL is not out of the equation yet, but neither diagnoses brings more hope than the other. My goal with this spring hatch was to choose the closest to The SOP and begin breeding. “Chickening” is purely a hobby for me with original intent to show this fall. I enjoy hatching, selecting and learning the genetics behind the birds. I even had a nice new coop built for this spring hatch!! Im feeling defeated as none of that is really possible now. I suppose I could start breeding for resistance, but I’m not sure if my heart is into culling that many birds and growing chicks only to watch them get sick. The illness seems to be mostly affecting my faverolles at this point (there are silkies in with them). I have 2 more faverolles who are becoming symptomatic who I will be culling today, and it sucks. I’m hoping to that my 2 1/2 year old silkies, marans, legbar and leghorn will remain asymptomatic. They’re in the side coops. Anyway, I just wanted to share my disappointment. I’d love to hear from anyone who has gone through something similar and how they managed everything.