Can Marek's Disease spread from one generation to the next?

[Silkiesaz]

Hi all, I don't really like to talk about this subject so I will get it over with quickly. My chickens have been dropping like flies from Marek's Disease. My broody hen hatched babies, some were from her some where from other hens. I just wanted to know if my other chickens have Marek's and their eggs hatched are those babies gonna have Marek's too? None of my chickens have shown symptoms since the babies hatched.

 

[casportpony]

Have you read this?

The Great Big Giant Marek's Disease FAQ

The Great Big Giant Marek's Disease FAQ (2 pages long) Important Author's Note, February 2025: I had to break this into two pages to edit it. I regret that I no longer have the ability to regularly participate in this forum nor update this article for now. The last major update was in 2016 and...

• Nambroth
• Oct 25, 2013
• 5.00 star(s) 44 ratings
• Comments: 78
• Reviews: 25
• Category: Injuries, Diseases, & Cures

 

[Silkiesaz]

Have you read this?

The Great Big Giant Marek's Disease FAQ

The Great Big Giant Marek's Disease FAQ (2 pages long) Important Author's Note, February 2025: I had to break this into two pages to edit it. I regret that I no longer have the ability to regularly participate in this forum nor update this article for now. The last major update was in 2016 and...

• Nambroth
• Oct 25, 2013
• 5.00 star(s) 44 ratings
• Comments: 78
• Reviews: 25
• Category: Injuries, Diseases, & Cures

Not yet I will read it right now. Thank you!

 

[Silkiesaz]

I read this, "While they cannot transmit the disease vertically (through the egg), any hatched chicks would become exposed upon hatching." If my chicks were kept in broody pen right outside the chicken coop does that mean they can get it now? They were outside most of the time and I moved them closer to me when their mama died.

 

[Folly's place]

Because it's in the dust, feathers, and dander, and your broody has it, the chicks are all exposed. May they do well!
The virus lives at least a year in the environment too.
Moving forward, get vaccinated checks, and raise them away from your place, for three weeks, so their vaccines have time to help them.
So sorry,
Mary

 

[aart]

Hi all, I don't really like to talk about this subject so I will get it over with quickly. My chickens have been dropping like flies from Marek's Disease. My broody hen hatched babies, some were from her some where from other hens. I just wanted to know if my other chickens have Marek's and their eggs hatched are those babies gonna have Marek's too? None of my chickens have shown symptoms since the babies hatched.

Was the Mareks confined by lab testing?

 

[Silkiesaz]

Was the Mareks confined by lab testing?

No but after researching symptoms I guessed that's what is was. They all had walked issues then stopped walking all together, some just died after that and some were fine for a few days. They all died eventually though.

 

[Silkiesaz]

Because it's in the dust, feathers, and dander, and your broody has it, the chicks are all exposed. May they do well!
The virus lives at least a year in the environment too.
Moving forward, get vaccinated checks, and raise them away from your place, for three weeks, so their vaccines have time to help them.
So sorry,
Mary

Thank you for the information! I will do that, when I get my next chick's in a few months I am gonna brood them in my house and make sure they were vaccinated.