The Wyandotte Thread

[dracoe19]

For the topic of Mareks here is an artical I found. Straight forward and descriptive.
(https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...dqfE3AN2_55FDIQ339Cg7Eg&bvm=bv.61725948,d.dmQ)

I have lost maybe 5-7 birds to Mareks in the years I have had poultry. The funny thing is more than half of the ones I have lost (5-6) were hatchery birds that were vaccinated for the disease. I have only lost 2 of my own to it. Mine had gotten the nurological and die within 24 hours or less.

 

[delisha]

For the topic of Mareks here is an artical I found. Straight forward and descriptive.
(https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...dqfE3AN2_55FDIQ339Cg7Eg&bvm=bv.61725948,d.dmQ)

I have lost maybe 5-7 birds to Mareks in the years I have had poultry. The funny thing is more than half of the ones I have lost (5-6) were hatchery birds that were vaccinated for the disease. I have only lost 2 of my own to it. Mine had gotten the nurological and die within 24 hours or less.

That link did not work for me..
It came up a blank page of resource document
Birds die from Mareks?
For some reason I though they got ill and were carriers to infect everyone else and that was the danger.

 

[Fancychooklady]

That link did not work for me..
It came up a blank page of resource document
Birds die from Mareks?
For some reason I though they got ill and were carriers to infect everyone else and that was the danger.

Haunted 55 has a very informative thread on this hideous disease called ' not an emergency- mareks in my flock ' .There is some very good reading in there.

 

[Farmer Viola]

That link did not work for me..
It came up a blank page of resource document
Birds die from Mareks?
For some reason I though they got ill and were carriers to infect everyone else and that was the danger.

Here is some information I saved from another BYC user Momo about Marek's Disease and vaccinations

(source: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/263563/should-chickens-be-vaccinated/10#post_4222402 )
Quote:
I have also heard that some Wyandottes (pure bred? non hatchery) somehow carry a genetic resistance but I don't have any more information on that. Look up "gene b21"

general MD information:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203602.htm
http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2005/spring/mareks.htm
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease - mentions b21
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page9.htm


How To Vaccinate
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/5-3/how_to_vaccinate_poultry_chicks_for_mareks_disease/

Where to Buy
http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/Mareks-Vaccine-1000-Doses/New-Products
remember to buy syringes sold separately

 

[dracoe19]

That link did not work for me..
It came up a blank page of resource document
Birds die from Mareks?
For some reason I though they got ill and were carriers to infect everyone else and that was the danger.

Are you able to read PDFs? Also are you looking from a phone/ tablet?

Yes, it is generally 100% fatal. If they don't die right away they will die soon from tumors or other afflictions from the disease. All birds at some point have been exposed to it. Like Farmer Viola was saying there is a resistances in birds linked to the gene B21.

Also in case others do not know just because you vaccinate an animal for, example, Mareks does not mean they will not get it. Like any vaccine it lets your body make anti-bodies to fight the sickness/ disease. Sometimes the body's immune system isn't strong enough by either genetics, prior sickness, or some other variable making it easier for the illness to spread even with the anti-bodies. This is why even if a human is vaccinated for the Flu you can still become sick with the flu. Your likeliness of becoming sick decreases but also depends on the other variables.

 

[delisha]

Thank you very much for the information.
It all helps me in my decision to vaccinate my new chicks or not. I am grateful it is not up north but I think with my increase in showing I probably should start to vaccinate.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have PDF and no I do not have phone or tablet use.
I am pretty sure my birds have never been exposed..or if they have been exposed they have a natural immunity of some kind.

 

[Chickenhill]

Farmer Viola, I looked it up just make sure I was telling you correctly.
In short
major histocompatibility complex (MHC), on virus evolution, a bacterial artificial chromosome–derived MDV (Md5B40BAC) was passed in vivo through resistant (MHC-B21) and susceptible (MHC-B13) Line 0 chickens.

This can be tested for with a blood test.....
In full;
vian Diseases 57(2s1):474-482. 2013
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1637/10315-080212-Reg.1

The Influence of Host Genetics on Marek's Disease Virus Evolution

Henry D. Hunt A and John R. Dunn
United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, 3606 E. Mount Hope Road, East Lansing, MI 48823

ACorresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

SUMMARY. 

Since the first report of a polyneuritis in chickens by Joseph Marek in 1907, the clinical nature of the disease has changed. Over the last five decades, the pathogenicity of the Marek's disease virus (MDV) has continued to evolve from the relatively mild strains observed in the 1960s to the more severe strains labeled very virulent plus currently observed in today's outbreaks. To understand the influence of host genetics, specifically the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), on virus evolution, a bacterial artificial chromosome–derived MDV (Md5B40BAC) was passed in vivo through resistant (MHC-B21) and susceptible (MHC-B13) Line 0 chickens. Criteria for selecting virus isolates for in vivo passage were based on virus replication in white blood cells 21 days after challenge and evaluation of MD pathology at necropsy. In the MHC-B13–susceptible line the Md5B40BAC virulence consistently increased from 18% Marek's disease (MD) after in vivo passage 1 (B13-IVP1 Md5B40BAC) to 94% MD after B13-IVP5 Md5B40BAC challenge. In the MHC-B21–resistant line MD virulence fluctuated from 28% at B21-IVP1 Md5B40BAC to a high of 65% in B21-IVP2 Md5B40BAC back to a low of 23% in B21-IVP5 Md5B40BAC–challenged chicks. Although the B21-IVP5 Md5B40BAC isolates were relatively mild in the MHC-B21 chicken line (56% MDV), they were highly virulent in the MHC-B13 line (100% MDV). From this series of experiments it would appear that MDV evolution toward greater virulence occurs in both susceptible and resistant MHC haplotypes, but the resulting increase in pathogenicity is constrained by the resistant MHC haplotype.

 

[wyandodo]

Big thanks from me as well for all the information about Mareks disease!

Here are my 10 chicks. Luckily for me the rooster did a great job during the last days before he died.

Can't stop looking at them

 

[dajen]

My reasoning for buying hatching eggs verses chicks is not a money issue. I just feel that a seasoned breeder would have an eye for his or her best chicks even at day olds and keep them for themselves. I'm not implying that this may be the case in this instance but I was willing to take the risk with the eggs. I also believe that a seasoned breeder knows how to ship the eggs so that the risk of damage is lessened. I will definitely report back my results. Thank you very much for everyone's input.