A bit frustrated..

[Dkbahoo]

So I’ve hatched some chicks and I’ve gotten quite a few from hatcheries and I had a set from Cackle that I paid for the vaccine, but now I’m seeing birds that look like this. Two died so far that look like this. I’m thinking it’s mareks, but how could it be unless they didn’t vaccinate them.

 

[ChickNanny13]

What symptoms are your flock experiencing?
Are you meaning the feather loss?
What makes you think it's Mareks?
Have you checked them for mites/lice?

 

[wamtazlady]

If you had them vacicnated for Mereks and you fed medicated chick feed you would have negated the vaccine with that medicated feed. Or it may not be Mereks but something else. You might need to send your dead birds out and have them tested.

 

[rebrascora]

If you had them vacicnated for Mereks and you fed medicated chick feed you would have negated the vaccine with that medicated feed. Or it may not be Mereks but something else. You might need to send your dead birds out and have them tested.

I think you may be confusing Marek's Disease with Coccidiosis. Medicated feed has a low dose of Amprolium in it which is intended to help prevent chicks getting coccidiosis. Marek's is caused by a Herpes Virus.

@Dkbahoo

I am guessing you are referring to the chick having wry neck? It is difficult to assess paralysis when they are being held like that. How old are they? They look quite young.

The Marek's vaccine is far from perfect for a number of reasons. The chicks need to be kept under quite strict biosecurity provisions for 2-3 weeks after vaccination to give the vaccine a chance to become effective before any exposure to the virus. If you already have Marek's in your flock or in the neighbourhood, that would involve changing clothes and shoes and even washing skin and hair between tending to your existing flock and the chicks and keeping them in an enclosed area away from any possible contamination. The vaccine is derived from the Turkey version which is less aggressive and whilst it can help prevent the chicks from getting Marek's it is by no means guaranteed effective however if they do get it, it gives them a better chance of surviving it. There is at least one study however which suggests that the leaky nature of the Marek's vaccine may actually be contributing to the more virulent strains of Marek's disease that are causing much higher levels of fatality than would naturally occur without the vaccine, so it is by no means an ideal vaccine and I would say that you probably have no recourse with Cackle even if they do have Marek's.

 

[wamtazlady]

@rebrascora I did not realize that. I thought it was both diseases that medicated feed messed with. I have learned something new today. Thank you.

 

[Dkbahoo]

So I guess it’s not obvious by the picture, the chick is like so so swollen. He’s almost 8 weeks old. I appreciate everyone’s input.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I’ve hatched some chicks and I’ve gotten quite a few from hatcheries and I had a set from Cackle that I paid for the vaccine, but now I’m seeing birds that look like this. Two died so far that look like this. I’m thinking it’s mareks, but how could it be unless they didn’t vaccinate them.

Can you post some photos of the chick standing naturally?
Poop pictures?
Clarifying your post may also be helpful, I'm a bit confused - are these chicks you hatched yourself or purchased?
Tell us more about the symptoms?

 

[Dkbahoo]

Can you post some photos of the chick standing naturally?
Poop pictures?
Clarifying your post may also be helpful, I'm a bit confused - are these chicks you hatched yourself or purchased?
Tell us more about the symptoms?

So I purchased some and I hatched some and I vaccinated the chicks I hatched and the hatchery was supposed to vaccinate the ones that they sent. My DH decided to put this one out of its misery a little bit ago. That’s pretty much what it looked like standing up though. It was so swollen that it’s head looked elevated and it’s head rested on it’s puffy chest and it’s legs were exposed and puffy maybe a little bit less exposed when standing. Poop seemed relatively normal though. The symptoms were lack of movement and balloon like body and I can’t say for sure if he was eating or drinking, but I don’t think he was.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I purchased some and I hatched some and I vaccinated the chicks I hatched and the hatchery was supposed to vaccinate the ones that they sent. My DH decided to put this one out of its misery a little bit ago. That’s pretty much what it looked like standing up though. It was so swollen that it’s head looked elevated and it’s head rested on it’s puffy chest and it’s legs were exposed and puffy maybe a little bit less exposed when standing. Poop seemed relatively normal though. The symptoms were lack of movement and balloon like body and I can’t say for sure if he was eating or drinking, but I don’t think he was.

I'm sorry for your loss.

So was this a chick that you hatched or purchased?
The puffyness to me looks like air - probably Subcutaneous Emphysema
http://www.ijasvm.com/ijasvmadmin/upload/IJASVM_5113cbc51d31b.pdf

 

[Dkbahoo]

Ya I actually read about that so especially appreciate that someone else thinks that might be what it is. This was a chick from Cackle. It’s only happened with chicks from Cackle, but some of them are in a pen with chicks I hatched. So the question is... does it only happen with pullets? Because at least one that died naturally was a cockerel.
It makes me feel better to think it’s not Mareks though.