What are the odds? (questions about markes and disease control)

[Trisseh]

Some state labs will test feed samples as well; mycotoxins can definitely mess with birds and some seem to have a higher tolerance level than others. And what may have been below threshold for the slightly larger birds may have been too much for the lighter, thinner bird. If you see mould on any of the pieces of feed (Particularly corn or barley, sometimes wheat) that might be part of the problem.
Around here the cost for testing feed for a number of mycotoxins is around the $35-40 mark, not sure what it would be in the states.

 

[Parront]

Some state labs will test feed samples as well; mycotoxins can definitely mess with birds and some seem to have a higher tolerance level than others. And what may have been below threshold for the slightly larger birds may have been too much for the lighter, thinner bird. If you see mould on any of the pieces of feed (Particularly corn or barley, sometimes wheat) that might be part of the problem.
Around here the cost for testing feed for a number of mycotoxins is around the $35-40 mark, not sure what it would be in the states.

X's 2 -- This can certainly be a factor.

 

[clickchicks]

Thank you both for the tips and advice.

I emailed A&M to see if they can point me in the right direction for getting the feed tested. Its probably a long shot but there isn't much else I can think of at this point. At least not until the necropsy comes back for the other person's bird.

 

[clickchicks]

Unexpected update to this.

The person who sent their bird off to A&M ended up having the bird lost by the post office. Sadly they ended up losing even more birds, as did another person who bought birds from the same place. Both of them sent the birds in, and A&M is saying Mareks for both.

Which leaves me in an odd position. The necropsy on mine didn't indicate Marek's, buts its hard to move forward assuming it isn't here. The remaining birds all seem healthy, so I'd like to think their vaccine is either working or they were just strong enough to survive it.

Its a massive bummer, as I wanted to look into getting birds from a breeder in the next couple of years. But I don't really feel comfortable doing that anymore. If I want new birds I guess I'm stuck purchasing vaccinated chicks from hatcheries... not the end of the world but it is frustrating.

 

[swampfox440]

If it is any help I know that at Meyers hatchery they are honest people I made an order and forgot it was to late in the year to have chicks . I told them I wanted cancel my order and my money was returned that very day,

 

[Purlsnponies]

Unexpected update to this.

The person who sent their bird off to A&M ended up having the bird lost by the post office. Sadly they ended up losing even more birds, as did another person who bought birds from the same place. Both of them sent the birds in, and A&M is saying Mareks for both.

Which leaves me in an odd position. The necropsy on mine didn't indicate Marek's, buts its hard to move forward assuming it isn't here. The remaining birds all seem healthy, so I'd like to think their vaccine is either working or they were just strong enough to survive it.

Its a massive bummer, as I wanted to look into getting birds from a breeder in the next couple of years. But I don't really feel comfortable doing that anymore. If I want new birds I guess I'm stuck purchasing vaccinated chicks from hatcheries... not the end of the world but it is frustrating.

I'm a total newbie.. but if you wanted to still get chicks from a breeder, would it maybe be possible to buy the vaccine and vaccinate day old chicks yourself? It seems to only come in large batches, so you'd waste a lot.. but it's not expensive. Might be worth it?

 

[clickchicks]

I'm a total newbie.. but if you wanted to still get chicks from a breeder, would it maybe be possible to buy the vaccine and vaccinate day old chicks yourself? It seems to only come in large batches, so you'd waste a lot.. but it's not expensive. Might be worth it?

It could be an option. My understanding is that the vaccine available to the general public is the older vaccine that may not be as effective against the mutated strains of Mareks. I would also need to be lucky enough to find day old chicks. Most of the breeders I've been looking into only sell young adults/adult bird pairs. A few sell hatching eggs, which I guess I could also look into but run the same risk with the older vaccine. It looks like the only people with the newer trivalent Mareks vaccine are the hatcheries (I assume because they can justify the cost due to the volume of birds).

My information on the vaccines is based on what others have told me, so it could be wrong. I know there's a good deal of people who prefer to breed for immunity and accept that birds will be lost. If I'm being totally honest, I don't have the heart for it. I'll always be upset losing even a single bird, the thought of losing many is hard to consider.

 

[Purlsnponies]

It could be an option. My understanding is that the vaccine available to the general public is the older vaccine that may not be as effective against the mutated strains of Mareks. I would also need to be lucky enough to find day old chicks. Most of the breeders I've been looking into only sell young adults/adult bird pairs. A few sell hatching eggs, which I guess I could also look into but run the same risk with the older vaccine. It looks like the only people with the newer trivalent Mareks vaccine are the hatcheries (I assume because they can justify the cost due to the volume of birds).

My information on the vaccines is based on what others have told me, so it could be wrong. I know there's a good deal of people who prefer to breed for immunity and accept that birds will be lost. If I'm being totally honest, I don't have the heart for it. I'll always be upset losing even a single bird, the thought of losing many is hard to consider.

Ahh, okay. Good to know, thank you!