Moving Forward- Breeding for Resistance to Marek's Disease

[chooks4life]

@ochochicas , sorry about your pheasants too! I've wanted some for some time but they do sound like quite the bother in a few ways... Not a big fan of troublesome keepers.

Just a random thought, there's some progress being made towards testing for the genetic basis of resistance to Marek's and Lymphoid Complex diseases in chickens; they have ID'd some of the necessary genetics, (can dig up the link if anyone's interested) and pretty soon it looks like we will be able to test for genetic resistance.

This I think could be crucial to saving some rare lines from Marek's, since the breeders of those cannot afford not to vaccinate in some cases, as the vaccine follows through its lifespan trajectory and loses efficiency like all the previous Marek's vaccines have done; people might be able to ID genetically resistant stock without having to forego vaccines for it (though they may no longer work), and breed for resistant stock while playing it safer. Possibly. All just theories at this point. But it does look hopeful.

Best wishes.

 

[chooks4life]

I had 3 Polish pullets die overnight. When I picked them up, blood ran out of them. It was awful. My suspicion was Necrotic Enteritis. There were no symptoms at all.

What do you reckon about it possibly being this one? A hemorrhagic disease in chickens.
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[seminolewind]

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I'm not sure that fits because they were perfectly normal at lock up, then I find 2 dead the next morning and 1 the following morning. It appeared that whatever happened caused a burst of a blood vessel from damage in the intestines. The remainder got put on Tylan and Corid (what I had available in my panic mode) and no one else died. However, 3 more got a one eye infection and died! I think they went on Tylan and sulfadimethoxine. That stopped. My Laverne didn't die but had a lazy looking eye afterwards. I can only guess and being they were Marek's exposed, I would have to think along the lines of common microbes that live in chickens usually kept in small numbers with those that have a normal immune system.

That along with 6 necropsies in the past year- one Marek's, one aspergillosis (opportunistic), and e.coli, one rare liver cancer, and 3 with death by cocci and e.coli in the small intestine. In my non-scientific non medical thoughts, I found it best to treat any "off" chicken with the cocktail that covers just about all the common microbes, and so far it's been working.

4 days ago I had one that was found on the ground with her legs back behind her, and the dreaded green poop. I put her on the antibiotics, tube fed and hydrated her, and today being day 4, she's eating like a champ, walking, standing on one leg and scratching, and bawking. So she can go back out with her medication. One of her pen mates had died from Marek's this year. What do I think with this one? I don't know so I'll just treat for everything, and hope for the best.

 

[chooks4life]

Fair enough. Here's hoping you see the light at the end of the woods soon, with your flock. Sounds like you're still in the wars with them. Never rains but pours they say, and that seems to be the case with chickens and illness.

Best wishes.

 

[seminolewind]

Well, This is the 2nd one within 6 months, but is now acting normal, the first being confirmed. I have ten 14 week old silkies. Got to see what happens with them. I'm nervous about it because every time I add chicks, vaccinated and quarantined, it seems like I get 3 deaths. Only time will tell.

 

[chooks4life]

Well, This is the 2nd one within 6 months, but is now acting normal, the first being confirmed. I have ten 14 week old silkies. Got to see what happens with them. I'm nervous about it because every time I add chicks, vaccinated and quarantined, it seems like I get 3 deaths. Only time will tell.

Strange, theoretically them being vacc'd and quarantined should have eliminated most risks. Are they dying of something else maybe?

Best wishes.

 

[seminolewind]

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Sometimes I write things and can't figure out what I meant, LOL. I got 7 chicks over a year ago from a hatchery and vaccinated. And quarantined. One died this year and was Marek's +. A second from this flock was found on the ground with legs that didn't work. I treated with antibiotics and (related or not) she is walking again and I put her back. It could be that she wasted to weakness. I don't know. I thought it was Marek's, but I can't really say it is now since she is walking again.

Seems like every time I add chicks , I get 3 deaths. Maybe it's coincidence and it doesn't happen right away. It seems like. But there really isn't any reason and it's not really proven. It just seems that way. I had hatched 10 chicks on March 25 which are all fine. So I unrealistically wait for a few deaths.............

 

[ochochicas]

I'm having the same issue as Seminole. One of my double vaccinated/quarantined cockerels is sick. Not typical Marek's signs, but I'm still suspicious. He's had diarrhea for 2 weeks and is losing weight. I started him on Tylan and Wazine and noticed his crop is not emptying. Doesn't seem impacted, but I'm treating him as such. Tubing with water and crop massage 3x daily. He eats and drinks and walks around a tiny bit, but mostly just sleeps all the time. I think he might be too far gone already, but I had another pullet that survived the crop thing (just to die from Marek's later

). I'm still going to try though. Don't we all want to have a success story?!?!!?

 

[seminolewind]

I'm having the same issue as Seminole. One of my double vaccinated/quarantined cockerels is sick. Not typical Marek's signs, but I'm still suspicious. He's had diarrhea for 2 weeks and is losing weight. I started him on Tylan and Wazine and noticed his crop is not emptying. Doesn't seem impacted, but I'm treating him as such. Tubing with water and crop massage 3x daily. He eats and drinks and walks around a tiny bit, but mostly just sleeps all the time. I think he might be too far gone already, but I had another pullet that survived the crop thing (just to die from Marek's later

). I'm still going to try though. Don't we all want to have a success story?!?!!?

Yes! We do look for the success stories. Try treating for cocci. I would keep tubing a few days. Diarrhea can be a symptom of a blockage or because of drinking more water in the summer. I hope that blockage moves along!

 

[ochochicas]

Quote: It is too late. He didn't make it. I think the heat combined with whatever he did have did him in. He was eating and drinking until the last day, and just passed during his sleep when he was in the hospital ward.