Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

But that reminds me! I'm thinking of vaccinating my own birds for Mareks in the Spring. They have come out with a new vaccine that is not supposed to make your bird a carrier-- but sheds out in the first couple of weeks and then they will be okay and be less likely of catching it, and will not spread it themselves. I need to read more on it and have not bought it because I don't know enough about it and no one has been able to link me to any of the studies done on that vaccine and I don't want to just buy it without knowing exactly what I am doing. But the horror of losing your entire flock of birds is something I do not want to encounter.

 

[chickmama1662]

Maidenwolf, I had a Orphington pullet that suddenly started having trouble walking, was very unsteady and wobbly and falling over. I took her to the vet (yeah, I did) and he gave her an antibiotic and sent her home with Vitamin E. He was not very hopeful but said that high doses of Vitamin E sometimes helped cases like hers. We gave her a dose of that twice a day and it did help her for a while. She was able to walk again without any trouble and was starting to gain weight but there must have been some other problem because we lost her before she was able to return back to the rest of the flock. Yours might be something totally different, it's hard to know.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Maidenwolf, I had a Orphington pullet that suddenly started having trouble walking, was very unsteady and wobbly and falling over. I took her to the vet (yeah, I did) and he gave her an antibiotic and sent her home with Vitamin E. He was not very hopeful but said that high doses of Vitamin E sometimes helped cases like hers. We gave her a dose of that twice a day and it did help her for a while. She was able to walk again without any trouble and was starting to gain weight but there must have been some other problem because we lost her before she was able to return back to the rest of the flock. Yours might be something totally different, it's hard to know.

But, look at that bird she posted-- the leg out front and the leg out back. I mean, this has been burned into my mind with the poor silkies I saw-- they all looked just like that, some with wings out too, as they lose function in the wings sometimes. This is very classic symptoms of Mareks. Not to mention, it sounds VERY suspicious that the feed store said that the birds might get Mareks.... something to go "hmmmm" about. I'd be really surprised if this isn't Mareks. I think you can treat most anything, and birds get injured legs, etc.. they get sick, and for the most part, you can treat. I'm all about treating and NOT culling on typical viruses and bacteria. But that picture just struck fear in me! Makes me want to read up more on that new vaccine for Mareks.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Maidenwolf, I had a Orphington pullet that suddenly started having trouble walking, was very unsteady and wobbly and falling over. I took her to the vet (yeah, I did) and he gave her an antibiotic and sent her home with Vitamin E. He was not very hopeful but said that high doses of Vitamin E sometimes helped cases like hers. We gave her a dose of that twice a day and it did help her for a while. She was able to walk again without any trouble and was starting to gain weight but there must have been some other problem because we lost her before she was able to return back to the rest of the flock. Yours might be something totally different, it's hard to know.

This is a another BYC'er that has asked for my help so I am passing this info on for them. I did have a pullet at a few weeks old that couldnt stand all of a sudden and constantly shook her head and tried to get around using her wings, with good advice from wonderful people on here, I gave her vit E twice a day plus polyvisol and in 2 days time she was back on her feet and playing with the others. But I do not think my friends case is this easy, you can see in the pics that there is also a wing that is paralyzed, I fear the worst for my friend

NO, they will not survive. Everything I have read, says it is 100% fatal. I would not bring in any other birds, and there will have to be some SERIOUS cleaning. The birds that do NOT show signs/sypmtoms will be carrier birds. So the ones that do not get the symptoms can pass it on in their poop, dander, etc. They will either have to be a closed flock... or I *THINK* maybe you can vaccinate new birds that come in.... but I'm not sure on that one. I'm in tune with this disease right now because we had a silkie breeder on our club site that lost nearly her ENTIRE flock of breeder/show quality birds to Mareks. She ended up putting down the rest of them and starting over. But she is going to have to wait several months before bringing in new birds and they will have to be vaccinated. She talked about spraying bleach on the ground, in the pens, and cleaning EVERYthing. It is very serious.

I am passing all this info on to them so they can read it, how devasting

But that reminds me! I'm thinking of vaccinating my own birds for Mareks in the Spring. They have come out with a new vaccine that is not supposed to make your bird a carrier-- but sheds out in the first couple of weeks and then they will be okay and be less likely of catching it, and will not spread it themselves. I need to read more on it and have not bought it because I don't know enough about it and no one has been able to link me to any of the studies done on that vaccine and I don't want to just buy it without knowing exactly what I am doing. But the horror of losing your entire flock of birds is something I do not want to encounter.

That would be great, let us know what more you find out. Is this something you can use on adults and chicks alike and how much?

 

[maidenwolfx80]

But, look at that bird she posted-- the leg out front and the leg out back. I mean, this has been burned into my mind with the poor silkies I saw-- they all looked just like that, some with wings out too, as they lose function in the wings sometimes. This is very classic symptoms of Mareks. Not to mention, it sounds VERY suspicious that the feed store said that the birds might get Mareks.... something to go "hmmmm" about. I'd be really surprised if this isn't Mareks. I think you can treat most anything, and birds get injured legs, etc.. they get sick, and for the most part, you can treat. I'm all about treating and NOT culling on typical viruses and bacteria. But that picture just struck fear in me! Makes me want to read up more on that new vaccine for Mareks.

I agree, I will treat, always treat first. I dont like to cull because they get sick , goodness we would be culling all the time for no reason. everybody has their own principals and all I understand that but unless it is something that they are just going to suffer and not get better I will not cull. I always want to give them the best shot I can. I think looking into the vaccine is a great idea, I am doing the same. I dont know why the feed store told tehm this either I am going to go back in the post and see what exactly they were told. Maybe its time to call the feed store?!!

"The feed store forewarned us that sometimes chicks don't build up the resistance they need to tolerate the Mareck's disease bacteria."
This is what I took from the post sent.

 

[Hawkeye95]

This is a another BYC'er that has asked for my help so I am passing this info on for them. I did have a pullet at a few weeks old that couldnt stand all of a sudden and constantly shook her head and tried to get around using her wings, with good advice from wonderful people on here, I gave her vit E twice a day plus polyvisol and in 2 days time she was back on her feet and playing with the others. But I do not think my friends case is this easy, you can see in the pics that there is also a wing that is paralyzed, I fear the worst for my friend


I am passing all this info on to them so they can read it, how devasting
That would be great, let us know what more you find out. Is this something you can use on adults and chicks alike and how much?

YES! That is the great part! You can vaccinate the adults and the chicks! It's been all the buzz the last few months on my club site, and people have been going ahead and vaccinating their birds for Mareks. BUT, while I think this is fantastic and I want to, also... I'm a little more cautious and I want to make darned sure that I don't make my birds into carriers. I could not show them if that is the case. There is an older vaccine for Mareks, but it makes them a carrier bird, so any bird you bring in would have to be vaccinated. Either way, you'd have to inform potential buyers that you have vaccinated your birds, you don't want to catch people unaware. So because of that, and the past vaccine that was not ideal, I've been slower to respond and want to read more up on it. I've not been able to find a whole lot on it. I'm sure some study will be done or something and I'll get on the bandwagon then, when I am sure!

 

[Hawkeye95]

I agree, I will treat, always treat first. I dont like to cull because they get sick , goodness we would be culling all the time for no reason. everybody has their own principals and all I understand that but unless it is something that they are just going to suffer and not get better I will not cull. I always want to give them the best shot I can. I think looking into the vaccine is a great idea, I am doing the same. I dont know why the feed store told tehm this either I am going to go back in the post and see what exactly they were told. Maybe its time to call the feed store?!!

Now if this was *MY* flock, I'd cull the bird and then send it in to have a necropsy done on it to see what the disease was. Of course, the potential risk is that if it *IS* Mareks, then the State will report the case and they will be forced to terminate their entire flock. But honeslty, that might be necessary anyway. Sometimes you are allowed to keep your carrier birds-- the ones that never showed signs or symptoms, and keep a closed flock. But there is so much risk with it.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

YES! That is the great part! You can vaccinate the adults and the chicks! It's been all the buzz the last few months on my club site, and people have been going ahead and vaccinating their birds for Mareks. BUT, while I think this is fantastic and I want to, also... I'm a little more cautious and I want to make darned sure that I don't make my birds into carriers. I could not show them if that is the case. There is an older vaccine for Mareks, but it makes them a carrier bird, so any bird you bring in would have to be vaccinated. Either way, you'd have to inform potential buyers that you have vaccinated your birds, you don't want to catch people unaware. So because of that, and the past vaccine that was not ideal, I've been slower to respond and want to read more up on it. I've not been able to find a whole lot on it. I'm sure some study will be done or something and I'll get on the bandwagon then, when I am sure!

I agree and that is why I have not vaccinanted any of my birds for it. If this new drug is what everyone is saying that would wonderful for sure. Please let me know if you find any good info,I am really interested about this.

 

[JosieChick]

I just lost an entire post on Mareks. UGH!

Anyway, I will just retype it all here. I had mareks in my cochin flock a few years ago. I have no surviving unvaccinated birds in my flock. They have all died of classic mareks symptoms. It was devastating.

1. The mareks vaccine is very safe and does not cause a bird to be a carrier. That is a myth, I don't know where it came from or why it perpetuates but it is not true. The vaccine is like the chicken pox vaccine in children, it doesn't cause children to be carriers or shedders of chicken pox virus.

2. I vaccinate all day old chicks upon hatch or arrival. If I order from a hatchery I request Mareks vaccine. I vaccinate older birds upon their arrival but it is not considered useful in older birds because they have probably been exposed to the disease already.

3. Mareks disease is everywhere in the environment. Migratory birds carry it and shed the virus. It is impossible to prevent contact unless your birds are all known to be free of mareks and in a concrete building with no ventilation system which we all know wouldn't work well and nobody can afford a closed ventilation system!

4. All birds exhibiting classic Mareks disease should be culled and incinerated or removed from the property by your trash service. DO NOT bury birds who exhibit any type of disease process on your property as it puts your other birds at risk.(I know it is hard to cull a bird but it is best for your flock. while you are treating a bird with mareks it is actively shedding virus and unless you are taking strict measures such as changing clothes, wearing shoe covers, disinfecting yourself and all equipment you risk exposing your healthy birds to large amounts of the virus) Some birds can temporarily recover from symptoms with treatment but they will eventually relapse and succumb to the disease.

5. Most feed store birds are not vaccinated (costs money for the hatchery and the feed store and they want to make as much money as possible on a chick sale)

6. ALL birds coming into a flock that has had Mareks should be vaccinated and quarantined prior to exposure to the original flock. Keep in mind that an older vaccinated bird could still be a carrier and could still become ill. It is best to buy day old chicks and vaccinate.

7. The vaccine is expensive and is mean't for commercial use so it is a 1000 doses. It must be used and thrown away within an hour of mixing so you will throw away a huge amount of unused vaccine. The protection is priceless. I have had no vaccinated birds exhibit signs of mareks disease and I have birds that are almost 3 years old.

8. Spraying your coop with oxine on a regular basis helps control "floating dander" the number one way Mareks disease is spread. Bleach will not kill it to my understanding. Keeping your birds healthy and in a well ventilated area will control outbreaks. This is the number one reason I am moving to open air coops. Mareks and other common chicken diseases do not thrive well in ventilated areas. Still, stagnant, damp air is the best environment for Mareks disease to infect birds.


I hope this is helpful. I hope everyone knows I am just trying to help and offer all the advice that I wish someone would have given me a few years ago. It was the most heartbreaking thing I have ever been through with my birds and I hope nobody else has to go through it to the extent that I did. There is so much misinformation about Mareks disease out there it can be hard to find the truth.

 

[chicken danz]

I wouldn't necessarily think that would be Mereks. There are so many things that can happen neurologically to chickens. I would separate the bird from the flock and watch for other signs. If it has Merek's other birds will get it too. I see in the pictures that the bird looks able to move it's legs and it was the right leg affected first. Merek's normally affects the left leg first.
The only way to have Mereks diagnosed is through a lab.
Mereks vaccine has to be given in the first 24 hours after a hatch.
I would say the feed store that said something about Mereks probably meant they hadn't been vaccinated.
Mereks can also be in the ground for a long time. If someone had chickens that got it before you moved there it could have come from the ground.
I never cull a bird unless it is totally hopeless. I would watch for other signs and wait.