2 month old welsummer pullet sick, is it mareks?

[casportpony]

Quote: Many people have Marek's in their flocks and do just fine, so it's quite possible to lose very few to it.

-Kathy

 

[cjpines]

Y
Yeah that's what I thought too. Any nerve involvement definitely lends to Marek's. Though I'm so surprised that nothing else was found, If it is mareks.

Thanks for the information I'll definitely send it to Tulare next time, I hope there's not a next time. Though if this is mareks what does that mean for the rest of my flock? Are they all silent carriers? Can they still die from mareks like this chicken? Also, I called the breeders I got my chicks from and found out that one batch was no vaccinated (apparently he thought I requested they not be vax), why did they not get it? I have so many questions, where did it come from, why was she the only one affected, how did she live so long with mareks without more evidence of the disease- Only the sciatic nerve "may have been a bit swollen" (the receptionists interpretation).

So many things don't add up that it is does not make sense to be mareks... It bothers me not knowing lol and I am gettin ahead of myself and have to wait the 1-2 weeks to find out....

Any news yet on the diagnosis? Been awhile for you to wait.

 

[steph5253]

No news from UC Davis yet :-(

I just got back in the country and will be home by Wednesday. If I don't hear news by then (it will have been three weeks) I will call the first chance I get.

 

[cjpines]

No news from UC Davis yet :-(

I just got back in the country and will be home by Wednesday. If I don't hear news by then (it will have been three weeks) I will call the first chance I get.

I know we're all anxious to know also.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
X2

 

[steph5253]

So I am on a long road trip home today so I decided to call Davis.

They resent the results....

It was MAREKS!!!!

I am still wondering how she got it and why (she was vax) and why she did not show typical signs or obvious symptoms on initial necropsy, or why none of my other chickens are symptomatic. I am guessing she was not vax correctly but i will never know and it will
Bother me forever lol
The report stated initially everything looked normal except maybe very slight enlargement of sciatic nerve. After a multitude of tests, results from microscopic inspection (histopathology) of tissues showed lymphocytic infiltration in brain, kidneys and sciatic nerve. All other tests were normal (no avian flu, salmonella, parasites, lead or heavy metals (though iron was a bit elevated). They did not test for botulism.

What does this mean for the rest of my flock, they are 17-22 weeks old. Are they likely to become symptomatic or just carry? What about my chicken that is not vax?

Thank you for all your input and support the last month or two, I really appreciate it!!!

 

[Nambroth]

So I am on a long road trip home today so I decided to call Davis.

They resent the results....

It was MAREKS!!!!

I am still wondering how she got it and why (she was vax) and why she did not show typical signs or obvious symptoms on initial necropsy, or why none of my other chickens are symptomatic. I am guessing she was not vax correctly but i will never know and it will
Bother me forever lol
The report stated initially everything looked normal except maybe very slight enlargement of sciatic nerve. After a multitude of tests, results from microscopic inspection (histopathology) of tissues showed lymphocytic infiltration in brain, kidneys and sciatic nerve. All other tests were normal (no avian flu, salmonella, parasites, lead or heavy metals (though iron was a bit elevated). They did not test for botulism.

What does this mean for the rest of my flock, they are 17-22 weeks old. Are they likely to become symptomatic or just carry? What about my chicken that is not vax?

Thank you for all hour input and support the last month or two, I really appreciate it!!!

First, you didn't do anything wrong. Yes, it is true that an improper vaccination can make a chicken more susceptible to Marek's, however that is not the only reason a vaccine fails. The vaccine is not a sure thing, and only helps to boost the chicken's immune system to give the bird a better chance to combat Marek's disease if it is later exposed in life. Most manufacturers of HVT Marek's vaccine suggest it is 90% effective, but I personally believe that in the last decade we are seeing a lower percentage than that, because of different strains of virus, among some other influences. The chicken's individual genetics, exposure as a chick (the vaccine ideally 'needs' 2-3 weeks before exposure to work the best) and overall immune system have a great deal to do with how well the vaccine works, as well!

So, in short... much to our woe, vaccinated birds can absolutely get Marek's.

The rest of your flock might be fine, or some might get symptoms. No one can guess really-- there are too many variables. For now, the best thing you can do is to keep them as stress free as possible, which means providing a clean and secure environment for them, keeping them from being stressed by things like predators or anything else that might upset them, keeping them on a healthy and well balanced diet (I like to give some extra B-vitamin supplements but that is a personal choice), and practicing good bio-security. Watch them for problems and be on the lookout for secondary issues such as cocci, as secondary problems are very opportunistic and will be more likely to show up in Marek's-weakened chickens.

As for where it came from... it can come in on carrier chickens, on your shoes, hair, or clothes if you visited somewhere that had a carrier chicken or a person that owns chickens in it (auctions, shows, feed stores, other farms, etc), it can be 'tracked' in on wild birds if those same birds visited an area that had infected chickens (such as a dusty barn with chickens, etc), or even on the wind as it is carried in tiny dander particles.

 

[cjpines]

So I am on a long road trip home today so I decided to call Davis.

They resent the results....

It was MAREKS!!!!

I am still wondering how she got it and why (she was vax) and why she did not show typical signs or obvious symptoms on initial necropsy, or why none of my other chickens are symptomatic. I am guessing she was not vax correctly but i will never know and it will
Bother me forever lol
The report stated initially everything looked normal except maybe very slight enlargement of sciatic nerve. After a multitude of tests, results from microscopic inspection (histopathology) of tissues showed lymphocytic infiltration in brain, kidneys and sciatic nerve. All other tests were normal (no avian flu, salmonella, parasites, lead or heavy metals (though iron was a bit elevated). They did not test for botulism.

What does this mean for the rest of my flock, they are 17-22 weeks old. Are they likely to become symptomatic or just carry? What about my chicken that is not vax?

Thank you for all your input and support the last month or two, I really appreciate it!!!

I'm in the same situation as to wondering if this will affect my other 21 wks old birds. My Ameraucana had the same symptoms as your Welsummer. The vet said it was Marek's. As far as the vax, the vet said a lot of chicks are missed or the vax didn't take or it was injected improperly, and the vax is not full proof. So, that may of been what happened to your Welsummer. We'll never really know.
I don't know about a chicken not being vax. A lot of people never vax for Marek's and their chickens are fine, but it may be due to the fact they hatch their own or buy from a breeder not a hatchery?

 

[steph5253]

Thanks for your input guys. I hope this will be an isolated case. The only possible ways my flock came into contact is the one breeder chicken that is not vax, wild birds or some other way out of my control.

I am frustrated but I can let it go. I am mostly upset that I won't be able to sell my pure bred chicks!!! I have to notify a good buyer when I get home that the POL pullets she has reserved can't be sold to her ugh it was nice to have the extra income of 60 bucks a pullet to offset keeping costs....

 

[casportpony]

Thanks for your input guys. I hope this will be an isolated case. The only possible ways my flock came into contact is the one breeder chicken that is not vax, wild birds or some other way out of my control.

I am frustrated but I can let it go. I am mostly upset that I won't be able to sell my pure bred chicks!!! I have to notify a good buyer when I get home that the POL pullets she has reserved can't be sold to her ugh it was nice to have the extra income of 60 bucks a pullet to offset keeping costs....

What kind of chickens do you raise? Just curious.

-Kathy