BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Fire Ant Farm]

Very sorry about your hen.. looking at picture at full size shows much better detail.

Looked around a little bit about this, did you see this one? There's a good picture showing something that looks similar and it has necropsy pictures also.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...st-lying-around-and-it-has-been-5-days-now/10

Yup - her eyes look exactly like that. I think it's been a little while - I can't tell except when she's very close up. Lots of wild birds around their areas and lots of other chickens in the neighborhood, so I guess I'm not that surprised, though she's vaccinated, and so I'm disappointed. Currently trying to wrap my head around next steps, whether and when to isolate her (need to set up a place to do so if so), cleaning out the deep litter in their coop to reduce load (ugh!). All the birds on the property are exposed, but all are vaccinated, so I'm stuck with culling any that are weak. And I probably won't be able to bring in any other birds from sources where they can't be vaccinated at hatch...

I SO don't have time and energy to deal with this right now.

- Ant Farm

 

[Kev]

That does suck but the reality is, there are a lot of naturally resistant birds around.

Not sure if it applies to all types, think in the most common form, the recovered birds are virus shedders for life.

BTW never thought about this until now, does Marek's affect other bird species?

 

[hellbender]

That does suck but the reality is, there are a lot of naturally resistant birds around.

Not sure if it applies to all types, think in the most common form, the recovered birds are virus shedders for life.

BTW never thought about this until now, does Marek's affect other bird species?

I did a cursory check and found no were that mentioned any other species other than chickens...emphasis on cursory.

 

[ronott1]

I did a cursory check and found no were that mentioned any other species other than chickens...emphasis on cursory.

Turkeys are Mareks carriers but they do not die from it. Some old timers would have a turkey near their chickens on the theory that the version of Mareks from the turkey(milder) would inoculate the chicken against the bad strains.

 

[Kev]

I did a cursory check and found no were that mentioned any other species other than chickens...emphasis on cursory.

Ditto... was wondering if wild birds were a real possibility as vectors. Only thing I could remember was direct contact with sick or carrier birds and dander plus it can persist on grounds for several months.

 

[Kev]

Turkeys are Mareks carriers but they do not die from it. Some old timers would have a turkey near their chickens on the theory that the version of Marks from the turkey(milder) would inoculate the chicken against the bad strains.

Thank you! I almost mentioned this, was trying to remember if it was marek's or fowl pox the oldtimers had turkeys around chickens for this reason.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Thanks so much. She JUST started laying, so she is right at POL (which someone said was when it usually shows up), but that's just by deduction because Paula and Lissa have been laying 48-50g eggs for over a week, and I found a little 40g one on Thursday. I could be wrong (didn't get three eggs that day) - I don't think she's laid one since, though I found a tiny shell-less egg under the roost today.



She's not acting REALLY strange, moving and balancing fine. Just enough for me to look her over. She is vaccinated. I'm realizing that her eyes have looked like this for a while, I just haven't looked at them so super close before - she doesn't particularly love to be picked up. (It's both eyes, but no other symptoms that I can tell). At this point, everyone's SUPER exposed (and all the other birds are vaccinated as well - though I can't recall whether the CL cockerel is, got him from someone), so I'm taking my time to think about whether to do anything or not. She actually ranged a lot outside today (as if to prove me wrong).

I've read the whole big Mareks article/post, and I'm taking deep cleansing breaths, simultaneously hoping it's not and preparing myself if it is...

(sigh)

- Ant Farm

 

[DesertChic]

Thanks so much. She JUST started laying, so she is right at POL (which someone said was when it usually shows up), but that's just by deduction because Paula and Lissa have been laying 48-50g eggs for over a week, and I found a little 40g one on Thursday. I could be wrong (didn't get three eggs that day) - I don't think she's laid one since, though I found a tiny shell-less egg under the roost today.



She's not acting REALLY strange, moving and balancing fine. Just enough for me to look her over. She is vaccinated. I'm realizing that her eyes have looked like this for a while, I just haven't looked at them so super close before - she doesn't particularly love to be picked up. (It's both eyes, but no other symptoms that I can tell). At this point, everyone's SUPER exposed (and all the other birds are vaccinated as well - though I can't recall whether the CL cockerel is, got him from someone), so I'm taking my time to think about whether to do anything or not. She actually ranged a lot outside today (as if to prove me wrong).

I've read the whole big Mareks article/post, and I'm taking deep cleansing breaths, simultaneously hoping it's not and preparing myself if it is...

(sigh)

- Ant Farm

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's not Mareks.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Thanks so much - me, too!!! The more good vibes the better...

- Ant Farm

 

[hellbender]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's not Mareks.

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