Mareks in my flock?

[jenniferlamar70]

Can someone please explain mareks to me. We had a bird die and sent in for a necropsy. They said she died from mareks. What does this mean for the rest of my flock? Do they all have it then? Can I still vaccinate if they don't?

 

[casportpony]

@Nambroth , @seminolewind , @Eggcessive , @Haunted55


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

 

[DwayneNLiz]

i know @Fire Ant Farm had mareks (may have been ocular, i cant remember) in some of her birds
and she did a lot of research on it

 

[casportpony]

Here is @jenniferlamar70 's necropsy report:










Maybe @Fire Ant Farm can add her comments?

 

[casportpony]

i know @Fire Ant Farm had mareks (may have been ocular, i cant remember) in some of her birds
and she did a lot of research on it

And she would be a good person to explain the necropsy report.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

And she would be a good person to explain the necropsy report.

agreed!

 

[casportpony]

Maybe @Chickerdoodle13 can comment?

 

[casportpony]

Oh, goody, Seminolewind is in the house!

 

[seminolewind]

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

Read this because it's the most thorough piece of information we have (thankyou Nambroth).
Your necropsy looks like it says your roo had worms. Worm your flock on a regular basis starting with Valbazen, which is still noted as being excellent and then again 10 days later. I don't think the worms had anything to do with the Marek's.

However, since Marek's weakens the immune system, the worm damage made it possible for all those bacteria to kill your roo. Marek's exposed birds, symptomatic or not, suffer from immunosuppression. Marek's uses the immune system to manufacture it's virus. So bacteria overwhelming happens frequently. The bacteria killed the bird because there was very little resistance to the bacteria, which entered the bird in massive numbers through the worm damage.

In the future, worm your birds regularly, and IMO!!!!!!! if you have Marek's in the flock, and someone looks sick, I jump to worming, and then antibiotics and an anticoccidial asap. People may blast me for heavy antibiotic use in this situation, but the alternative is death.

But read the FAQ. It's easier for everyone to help and for you to understand after reading this.

You did the right thing in antibiotics and Corid. However, it looks like Marek's tumors were already overwhelming the bird.
Very sorry. I've lost many to Marek's. Any future chicks need to be vaccinated for Marek's and quarantined for 3 weeks minimum.

 

[seminolewind]

Oh, goody, Seminolewind is in the house!

Thanks sweetie! To my dying day I will help anyone with Marek's in their flock. It's very sad, and there's a lot of misinformation out there.