Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[Kiki]

Thank you!!! I really appreciate this. In your experience/opinion, can they recover from Marek’s once they have it or should I just cull him? I will if I have to but I’d like to know what it is first. My dad and brother are pretty gung go/insistent I just kill him ASAP all of a sudden just because they read a few articles but I’d like to know for sure that’s what it is. Does he have to be dead to test him?? I really don’t want to risk my other birds or let him suffer and feel like I should just cull him but if there’s a chance he might recover then idk. I will be making a new thread in a second and posting some pictures and videos of him so maybe you or others could help confirm this is what it is??

Thank you. does he have to be dead to be tested?


Oh yeah, I wasn’t planning on selling these babies anyway. They’re staying. But that said, they are also inside the house and have never come in contact with any of the other chickens so I doubt they have it.

I don’t know anyone else that has chickens was gonna go to the feed store at some point but I’ll hold off on that.

Yes he has to be dead to test him.

 

[glendor787]

Is 3 chicks out of control? Can't believe I'm letting hubby talk me into adding more.



That sounds like me, my hands are still cold! At least I don't touch my face, gloves or no gloves.

3 chicks is a good start!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Where is the video?
Will you send him for a necropsy?

Yeah, for sure! I want to know.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yes he has to be dead to test him.

 

[Kiki]

Yeah, for sure! I want to know.

Good, because I was going to throw a fit if you said no.

 

[microchick]

All of my birds survived the initial infection, @KDOGG331. 4 developed ocular Marek's disease and died when they were 3 years old. The others died between the ages of 2-3 of cancers and infections secondary to the initial infection.

I learned that the 'fix' isn't permanent.

Best advice, close your flock. No birds in no birds out unless you hatch them from your own eggs, then be on guard. My initial flock of buff Orpingtons hatched chicks like crazy. Only two survived. My birds were not vaccinated. The 9 hens that survived out of 23 were resistant but they did not pass that resistance on to their offspring. I knew they were shedding the virus in spite of them surviving to 4 years of age and began weighing the benefits of keeping them around. They weren't laying anymore for the most part. They didn't want to free range. Instead they set in the coop eating and pooping. They went to freezer camp. No regrets.

Marek's....go figure. I brought Egyptian Fayoumis into my flock. They are naturally Marek's resistant. I've also added some vaccinated bantam OEGBs. So far so good. I have second generation from them and so far, no signs of Marek's

I highly recommend that you read the Marek's Fact article here on BYC.

 

[Kiki]

It is ALWAYS better to have a for sure answer.
We could all guess all day long and wouldn't make a difference.
You need to know FOR SURE.

 

[Beer can]

Hmm, DW wanted to make a couple homemade pizzas for dinner, didn't have any pepperoni or mushrooms and didn't want to run to town. But we do have lots of bacon in the freezer. Bacon and onion pizzas

 

[seminolewind]

Thank you!!! I really appreciate this. In your experience/opinion, can they recover from Marek’s once they have it or should I just cull him? I will if I have to but I’d like to know what it is first. My dad and brother are pretty gung go/insistent I just kill him ASAP all of a sudden just because they read a few articles but I’d like to know for sure that’s what it is. Does he have to be dead to test him?? I really don’t want to risk my other birds or let him suffer and feel like I should just cull him but if there’s a chance he might recover then idk. I will be making a new thread in a second and posting some pictures and videos of him so maybe you or others could help confirm this is what it is??

Thank you. does he have to be dead to be tested?


Oh yeah, I wasn’t planning on selling these babies anyway. They’re staying. But that said, they are also inside the house and have never come in contact with any of the other chickens so I doubt they have it.

I don’t know anyone else that has chickens was gonna go to the feed store at some point but I’ll hold off on that.

Sorry if your Birds have Marek's. It's been in my flock for about 9 years. I've had times of babies die and times they haven't. That's what's confusing. This virus has a mind of it's own.
If you have a chicken who's positive for Marek's , your whole flock has it and it will never leave. It's spread by dander, so it's everywhere. The best you can do is Vaccinate day olds or buy chicks from a hatchery vaccinated and quarantine for at least 4 weeks. Or keep a closed flock. No one in , just the original flock. If you add another chicken from a non hatchery, it's easy to get Marek's. If a hen hatches eggs, there is nothing to protect them from Marek's.

If you have a chicken added they can infect the flock. Whether the chicken has symptoms or not. If a vaccinated chicken is with a flock that has Marek's , they are exposed and will not die of it but can carry the virus and expose others to it. . But a vaccinated chicken will not spread Mareck's from the immunization itself.

You can guess if your bird has Marek's. Some symptoms are blatant.
Like leg paralysis., inability to aim for food and pick it up. I've had some that had gasping before they got paralysis. Some have lost nerve control of other things such as wings or neck . I've had a year old vaccinated hen that died and was diagnosed with Marek's.

If I hatch from an incubator and keep those chicks completely quarantined absolutely, they are still saleable. Any chick that has not had contact with your flock in any way shape or form, they are sellable. I have used an apron and gloves when handling , as well as hatching in a non contaminated room and actually had hatched in my closet because that was still untouched.

Culling the chicken it's too late. Your flock has it by contact. Many adult birds can survive it because immunity they've developed over time.

I think you can get a blood sample for Marek's. For bodies, I recommend Bronson animal disease clinic, in Kissimmee Florida. They have done more than 10 for me. For $50 or less, they do a full necropsy. If you think Marek's, they will diagnose for that as well. I really like them. The overnight or 2nd day air is expensive, however Bronson animal disease lab has a plan where they pay it and it's cheaper for them. (that's something new)

If anyone has any Marek's question, ask me . I've lived with it for 9 years and read every piece of information as well. And I think that chicken people want the book stuff but also the true life of been there, done that. In my signature my friend has put the Marek's information -all of it in one spot and did it some years ago. I think it's the best info we can get at this time. I could go on and on if asked but I'll stop here for now.

 

[seminolewind]

It is ALWAYS better to have a for sure answer.
We could all guess all day long and wouldn't make a difference.
You need to know FOR SURE.

Absolutely! I find that Bronson Animal and disease clinic the most thorough and most reasonable. I have been with them for 9+ years.