Chicken with what I assume is Marek's Disease is getting ready to lay

[mstrrlm]

Black Sex Link with Marek's Disease I think is getting ready to lay for the first time. My question is are the eggs OK to eat? I assume yes but need to ask I have kids, and I am sure you wouldn't want to incubate any eggs from her either? I am disabled and just haven't had the heart to cull her, is it cruel to keep her? She sings happy songs sometimes, and I keep her inside away from the flock, she can walk just not good and stumbles sometimes, and I notice when she walk she puts one foot on top the other.

 

[seminolewind]

Hi. The eggs are fine. Have you thought of anything else she could have other than Marek's? Vitamin defeciency?
If it's Marek's , where did she get it from? Any of your other chickens have it? Did you get any new chickens in the last few months?
Is she wasting away?
I'm not certain a hen with Marek's will lay eggs. But the eggs are fine.

 

[ChicKat]

So sorry for your chicken.

Marek's is reputed NOT to have vertical transmission (the eggs don't carry Marek's). IF your BSL were to survive Marek's it would be a carrier, most likely, and could infect anyother chickens it comes in contact with. The virus that causes Marek's travels in the air, feather dander is a perfect vehicle for the virus. The disease is highly contageous.
Here is a BYC post from 2009 for some more insight:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=242737

I just lost a pullet to a confirmed case of Mareks.

 

[mstrrlm]

Quote:
Well she has what other have said can happen with Marek's and for awhile she basically laid on her side and barely moved only in resent weeks has she perked up and started walking or attempting to. She seems about the same weight and everything, she was bought from Ideal with 4 other chickens and 13 Guinea's she arrive in July and started this late Sept or early Oct. Not sure she will lay either, but she did egg song for the first time tonight thats why i asked.

 

[seminolewind]

If the whole batch was bought as day old chicks from a hatchery, I doubt they have Marek's. And if they actually came with it, I think that you would have several or more deaths early on. I really would try the vitamins.

 

[mstrrlm]

K I will look I think I bought some recently need to go find it. But is there a specific one you guys would recommend

 

[seminolewind]

I would recommend a poultry multi-vitamin, they come in a package for something like 256 gallons. But it breaks down to a tsp per 5 gallons.