Not an Emergency...Marek's in the Flock

[Nambroth]

If you do this, make sure you buy birds from a hatchery that immunizes with all three types of vaccine. Unless you can find a breeder who has had all of the testing done to prove type B blood type, you can't be sure you will not see this again.

When you have time and can things slow down enough for you to breathe again, can you elaborate on this? I hadn't heard about it before and I try to keep on top of new Marek's research!

 

[Haunted55]

Nambroth, there are some young ladies on BYC who are knowingly showing birds diagnosed with Marek's. I'm with you on this one.. the vial has to be a purple topped vial.

Also as you know, I think that vaccinating any bird, exposed or not is a good idea. Even if exposed, it can only make the body work harder to build up resistance to this disease. Just think about this for a moment. At 1 year of age, most flocks of chickens cannot get Marek's. The medical belief is that they have already been exposed to it and have built the resistance needed to keep them safe. I personally have had birds who were into the one leg forward stage then exposed to turkeys getting better. As in no more paralysis, no more symptoms and they are still alive today more than a year later. I am not the only one who has had these results either. I have been told by a Field Vet, for a pharmaceutical company, that he has witnessed this himself. It cannot be replicated in a lab as of yet. Doesn't make it any less true, just unproven by medical science. If you can afford the vaccine, do it. Or get yourself some turkeys to run with your birds. Marek's isn't the end of the line, it's just a different path.

 

[hogster160]

Today I took the dog to the Emergency Vet and was given a gift...it was not blockage it is arthritis where the spine connects to the pelvis bones. Poor girl, same place I have some of mine. So me and my old girl can now sit around and tell war stories about how we got these aches and pains, lol.

For the birds...for right now, I am going to be combining the 1st and 2nd Control Groups together Not ideal and not something i want to do, but space demands it right now. Since the second group has not started laying yet, it is still easy for me to get a clutch of the first's eggs for hatching. Six month set back, but what else can I do. I refuse to quit. I have too much blood, sweat and tears invested in this to do that.

Yesterday was a day of total despair, you get those when you choose this path. It ain't for the faint of heart. For those who read this and are trying to do the same as I am, all I can tell you is this...keep going forward. To back track and cull and clean is no guarantee you will not get Marek's again in your new flock. Biosecurity is great and I live it, but I can't control the wind and it, Marek's, is out there. The only true 'cure' for Marek's from what I can see now, is resistance breeding of the survivors. Without this, you will continually face loss of birds to it.

I am glad you have had time to think things through. I had a feeling you would do what was best for you and for your flock. If there is ever anything I can do to help, please just ask.

Any time I go to the fair or poultry show I just assume there is mareks there. It's pretty common and vaccinated birds can carry it with absolutely no outward signs. Just wash your clothes take a shower and clean your shoes when you return.

Haunted - sorry it's been such a rough week over there. I hope this coming up week is better.

I still have my limpy silkie rooster. I am anxious to get the necropsy results from Junior (the young roo I lost hopefully due to injury). Even after the vet visit I'm worried and my limpy rooster isn't helping! He's been limping off and on for a few weeks now. He is free range and likes to roost high with the big chickens so anything can be causing the limp but .... Just a lot of coincidences for me to relax just yet.

Hogster - how is your hen? Better, worse, or any changes at all?

Hope everyone had a good weekend

Shes still the same. I haven't noticed any change in her, unless she doesn't get her vit b. I have got her to a vit b every other day, with out noticing major change, so for now, I give it every other day. I don't want to drop it any lower and cause stress. If I find she needs it daily, she will get it daily. She is actually one of my best layers. 5 eggs a week every week.

Have you noticed any change in your silkie roo since you started vit b? is he the other roo from the fight with the roo that died? Maybe he got injured too.

 

[julie0477]

I'm not sure what injured the lil guy that died. Could have been another rooster but I can't say that for sure. I've even wondered if it wasn't a failed hawk attack. This roo is a 29 or so week silkie. He's been here about seven weeks now. He's had a little limp for two or three weeks. He does roost high and he's been knocked off his roost more than once so I'm hoping that's all it is. I haven't treated him with vitamin b yet. Maybe I should. I've sort of just been waiting on news from the necropsy and watching for any changes.

 

[Haunted55]

When you have time and can things slow down enough for you to breathe again, can you elaborate on this? I hadn't heard about it before and I try to keep on top of new Marek's research!

Better if I do it now Nambroth while it's still fairly fresh in my head. There are a few I've run across with the recurring theme of the type B blood and it's use for testing for Marek's resistance. Hate that word, resistace, makes it sound like they have a choice in all this.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219506/
http://ps.fass.org/content/80/8/1064.long
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/20 this last a rehash of the original testing but with more side links. There are a couple more but not sure which ones so will have to look later. So many pens and houses to clean out today and so little time, lol. Want to give me your take on this after you've had a chance to read through it all and digest it?

You've probably seen this one already Nambroth , but am including it for Hogster. Deb this mentions something you brought up about the growth and genetics with the meaties, thought you might like to see it.
http://www.lohmann-information.com/content/l_i_25_article_4.pdf

A lot of this I found looking for answers on the LL..I had seen things before about the 'B' blood type and have even run across a couple of sites mentioning it in the past. I don't have it all down pat yet with a complete understanding, but the implications of it are pretty encouraging. Well, it would be if it could be shown to protect against any future changes in the virus.

 

[Haunted55]

I'm not sure what injured the lil guy that died. Could have been another rooster but I can't say that for sure. I've even wondered if it wasn't a failed hawk attack. This roo is a 29 or so week silkie. He's been here about seven weeks now. He's had a little limp for two or three weeks. He does roost high and he's been knocked off his roost more than once so I'm hoping that's all it is. I haven't treated him with vitamin b yet. Maybe I should. I've sort of just been waiting on news from the necropsy and watching for any changes.

Why haven't you started the Super Bs? The necropsy report shouldn't change anything about that, unless you are thinking culling them all.

 

[Haunted55]

Hogster, you already have. Just knowing there is someplace to vent and rant is sometimes all it takes to get back on track. I'm one of those who has to talk it out, to get my head from running in circles. It's hard to make a good decision with that going on.

 

[hogster160]

Better if I do it now Nambroth while it's still fairly fresh in my head. There are a few I've run across with the recurring theme of the type B blood and it's use for testing for Marek's resistance. Hate that word, resistace, makes it sound like they have a choice in all this.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219506/
http://ps.fass.org/content/80/8/1064.long
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/20 this last a rehash of the original testing but with more side links. There are a couple more but not sure which ones so will have to look later. So many pens and houses to clean out today and so little time, lol. Want to give me your take on this after you've had a chance to read through it all and digest it?

You've probably seen this one already Nambroth , but am including it for Hogster. Deb this mentions something you brought up about the growth and genetics with the meaties, thought you might like to see it.
http://www.lohmann-information.com/content/l_i_25_article_4.pdf

A lot of this I found looking for answers on the LL..I had seen things before about the 'B' blood type and have even run across a couple of sites mentioning it in the past. I don't have it all down pat yet with a complete understanding, but the implications of it are pretty encouraging. Well, it would be if it could be shown to protect against any future changes in the virus.

I went ahead and saved all the links. I plan on reading them at the end of the week, maybe early next week. My mom is here for a visit, is blind and double amputee from diabetes, So I won't have much time to be on the computer this week. On top of trying to get the last of the garden produce processed and replanted with clover. I opened it up to the chickens last night, they had a hay day! Got the last of my potatoes pulled yesterday, so I need to process them in a couple of days. Lots to do this week, but I will be checking in either early morning or late night.

Have a good week everyone, and remember, tomorrow brings another day. Deal with what you can today, put the rest off until tomorrow lol cya!

Deb

 

[triton77]

What is super B and where do I get it? And how much do I give? My little lavender girl is still holding on, no better but not worse. I'm treating her for wry neck with poly-vi-sol, vitamin E and selenium. Should I be using B as well?
I've been noticing that my other lavender chicken is spending lots of time fluffed up and sitting which makes me worried she's next. Should I start my whole group on super B?

As for the hatchery I plan to email using another email address asking if they vaccinate for mareks. I do know of someone who hatched eggs from this hatchery and those chickens seem to be fine or at least they have not mentioned mareks.
I'm beginning to think ours is environmental.
Thanks again for the help!

 

[BigECarter]

I have chicks coming from MPC in three weeks; I'm not sure which hatchery. I paid for the Marek's vaccine and followed up with a phone call. The hatchery uses the HVT vaccine. I will be purchasing the vaccine available on-line (MD-Vac CFL). Since it is a different vaccine, should I vaccinate the chicks as soon as they arrive (that way they get two of the three vaccines) and revaccinate at 4 weeks, or should I just do the second vaccine at 4 weeks? For future reference, which hatcheries give all three vaccines initially?

Thanks!
E.