2 hens dead over night and

[Eggcessive]

Vaccines will only help if they are done as day olds, and if those are not exposed to Mareks from dust and dander for 2-3 weeks. Sorry about your diagnosis of Mareks. Don’t panic, but start reading all you can about Mareks. It isn’t a death sentence for all of your birds. You may lose some, but some may be immune. Many BYC people have experience with Mareks in their flocks. Some do not vaccinate their birds. The commercial vaccine available online has 1000 doses that need to be used all at once within an hour. There are several Mareks strains, some bad, some milder. There can be 4 types of symptoms, including nerve, internal tumors, skin lesions, and eye or ocular Mareks. Each bird may have one or another symptom. Here is a long arricle that contains much info to digest:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Isaiah53]

Vaccines will only help if they are done as day olds, and if those are not exposed to Mareks from dust and dander for 2-3 weeks. Sorry about your diagnosis of Mareks. Don’t panic, but start reading all you can about Mareks. It isn’t a death sentence for all of your birds. You may lose some, but some may be immune. Many BYC people have experience with Mareks in their flocks. Some do not vaccinate their birds. The commercial vaccine available online has 1000 doses that need to be used all at once within an hour. There are several Mareks strains, some bad, some milder. There can be 4 types of symptoms, including nerve, internal tumors, skin lesions, and eye or ocular Mareks. Each bird may have one or another symptom. Here is a long arricle that contains much info to digest:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

The two hens were loaded with tumours the vet said.

 

[Isaiah53]

Vaccines will only help if they are done as day olds, and if those are not exposed to Mareks from dust and dander for 2-3 weeks. Sorry about your diagnosis of Mareks. Don’t panic, but start reading all you can about Mareks. It isn’t a death sentence for all of your birds. You may lose some, but some may be immune. Many BYC people have experience with Mareks in their flocks. Some do not vaccinate their birds. The commercial vaccine available online has 1000 doses that need to be used all at once within an hour. There are several Mareks strains, some bad, some milder. There can be 4 types of symptoms, including nerve, internal tumors, skin lesions, and eye or ocular Mareks. Each bird may have one or another symptom. Here is a long arricle that contains much info to digest:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Yes, sorry, on the vaccines yes I know it had to be done in the shell or right at hatching..I was asking my vet for the future if he can get the vaccine in.

 

[Isaiah53]

You know I'm a paranoid freak. I keep everything as clean as can be. I read up on anything and everything, clean and disinfect everything, the coop, waterers, feeders, changed the way the old owner had set things up because it was yucky and this. I'm just so bummed. I can't imagine having to go through this and cull so many chickens.

How do I differentiate between those that are sick and those that aren't? The simple fact any more that hatch can catch it and die will continue for weeks or months?

 

[Isaiah53]

You don't have to cull any yet..just don't sell any birds.
Hold on.
@rebrascora should be able to give you some helpful advise.

I don't sell my birds or eggs for that matter . I was going to give away some to a lady who lost all of hers to Infectious Coryza but with timing, it just never happened!, thank God for that providence, or she'd have been dealing with that as well.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a thread about a recent Mareks diagnosis where @rebrascora was giving some advice on cleaning in post 134 and on:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/please-help-not-sure-what-the-problem-is.1272294/page-14

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I am so sorry about the loss of your 2 sweet hens! Bear hugs!

 

[Isaiah53]

I am so sorry about the loss of your 2 sweet hens! Bear hugs!

Thank you, appreciate your kind words.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You know I'm a paranoid freak.

Very sorry for your diagnosis... I am also a paranoid freak.

I am an attention to detail type person though... and I wanna know how the vet determined them to be Marek's tumors and not cancer tumors.

I don't consider Marek's a death sentence to an entire flock. My method of control is to cull IMMEDIATELY anybody with SUSPECTED symptoms. And keep nutrition high. Vaccinated birds... not welcome here... since it doesn't stop the disease but rather hides it. Sorry you face this.

Since my state vet said they thought a case of lameness I had was Marek's... I didn't send it in to confirm when I culled the first one or another that presented about 3 weeks later... they were 9-12 week old Silkie chicks. In my flock of 82 at the time... those were my only two losses... even raising more than a hundred since then... hatched here and plenty broody raised. Maybe it was a mild strain, or maybe it wasn't Marek's... I have no way of truly knowing... but I DON'T think of it as a death sentence to an entire flock and I would NOT cull them all... I would watch for anyone who appears to be "wasting" and maybe cull them. While it's true all have been exposed... active shedding of the live virus is MORE exposure to me... and immune systems can fight odd small doses than large ones a bit easier. There was one gene identified that provides resistance... I am breeding FOR it... though I have no way of truly knowing it is in my flock or not... I consider those who are here... to be showing resistance... as far as I can tell.

It sounds so scary... I have learned MUCH about viruses and how they work and how our body fights them. I never imagined chickens would be such good teachers. Now I'm vigilant and paranoid... quick to respond and cull as I feel as though I am saving the rest of my flock. It's not an easy choice. Hang in there!

 

[Isaiah53]

Very sorry for your diagnosis... I am also a paranoid freak.

I am an attention to detail type person though... and I wanna know how the vet determined them to be Marek's tumors and not cancer tumors.

I don't consider Marek's a death sentence to an entire flock. My method of control is to cull IMMEDIATELY anybody with SUSPECTED symptoms. And keep nutrition high. Vaccinated birds... not welcome here... since it doesn't stop the disease but rather hides it. Sorry you face this.

Since my state vet said they thought a case of lameness I had was Marek's... I didn't send it in to confirm when I culled the first one or another that presented about 3 weeks later... they were 9-12 week old Silkie chicks. In my flock of 82 at the time... those were my only two losses... even raising more than a hundred since then... hatched here and plenty broody raised. Maybe it was a mild strain, or maybe it wasn't Marek's... I have no way of truly knowing... but I DON'T think of it as a death sentence to an entire flock and I would NOT cull them all... I would watch for anyone who appears to be "wasting" and maybe cull them. While it's true all have been exposed... active shedding of the live virus is MORE exposure to me... and immune systems can fight odd small doses than large ones a bit easier. There was one gene identified that provides resistance... I am breeding FOR it... though I have no way of truly knowing it is in my flock or not... I consider those who are here... to be showing resistance... as far as I can tell.

It sounds so scary... I have learned MUCH about viruses and how they work and how our body fights them. I never imagined chickens would be such good teachers. Now I'm vigilant and paranoid... quick to respond and cull as I feel as though I am saving the rest of my flock. It's not an easy choice. Hang in there!

My major concern is for my neighbours and their flocks with my chickens spreading it to them. I feel morally obligated, at least this time around to ensure their flocks don't contract it from mine. It's my reason to cull.

My flocks are fed good quality food from Hi Pro. From chick scratch (medicated as I am not sure what the previous owner left behind with his zoo here). Grower feed and layer
I give scratch and black oil sunflower seeds occasionally and greens from the store, they also free range on 2 acres, the older ones getting out several times a week on an area that's not fenced in to get to another 15 acres, but they usually stay nearby.

I've wondered the same about the diagnosis of Marek's. The two that died were actually sisters (same parents) and I read tumours can also be caused by another lymphatic disease. I wish I'd had the foresight to have him send out tissue of the tumours to be confirmed by the lab. So now I'm reading up on breeding for Marek's resistance before I do cull them. My vet was very cautious about saying yes or no to cull. I suspect having worked in large poultry plants before moving on he'd seen some serious problems and comes from a preventative and stop it before it gets worse thought. I get that.

My two neighbors were informed. They were very good about it and realized there's not much either of us could do. I just don't want to be irresponsible by not culling if it does affect them somehow. It's their livelihoods.

I see one hen that's going through a rough molt right now. I noticed her droppings are watery and green. I believe this was one symptom the other two had as well. I separated her two weeks ago when she started to molt because the roos were very rough on her. So I will monitor her. If she dies I will drive her 6hhours away to our government health facility for a necropsy and tissue sample... I suppose that's the best I can do right now.

I am starting to harvest my young cockerels. It'll take me a week or so do this, so it gives me time to monitor her.

I made a thread under breeding about breeding for Marek's resistance, looking for help. I'll see what answers I can find. I still have so many chicks to worry about that are isolated in another area before all this happened with the 2 that died. But I have one hen sitting on eggs and 7 chicks with their mom in the nesting area that were in the same area that the two who died were in. I'm afraid to move them in case they're infected, but they'll need space soon and I'm running out of room if they need to be quarantined. Sigh.

I'm seriously beginning to stress out now.