Different symptoms in all birds that are sick

[Altairsky]

The disease is in your area and it will stay there no matter if you cull your flock or not. It will stay in the soil for years.

 

[Zsuzzzs]

No, marek survives for years. If it's marek, just see what happens to your current flock and from now on, only buy vaxxed birds.

The thing is, I hatched almost all of them and I have no idea how Marek's vaccines are in the US, but here it's absolutely maddening - it is kept in liquid nitrogen, and you have to use it in 3 hours after taken off of it, also in the first 24 for hours of life which seems quite impossible seeing that a hatch takes usually more than 24 hours. Basically only a vet can give it. And it is like for a 1000 day old chicks, while I had for hatches of 40-50 eggs (30-37 hatched usually). So because of this AND because when I started to hatch avian flu was in the country I decided not to vaccinate them. Why spend a fortune on them while they can die in bird flu in 2 days anyway... it was a bad decision as it seems...

 

[NatJ]

The thing is, I hatched almost all of them and I have no idea how Marek's vaccines are in the US, but here it's absolutely maddening - it is kept in liquid nitrogen, and you have to use it in 3 hours after taken off of it, also in the first 24 for hours of life which seems quite impossible seeing that a hatch takes usually more than 24 hours. Basically only a vet can give it. And it is like for a 1000 day old chicks, while I had for hatches of 40-50 eggs (30-37 hatched usually). So because of this AND because when I started to hatch avian flu was in the country I decided not to vaccinate them. Why spend a fortune on them while they can die in bird flu in 2 days anyway... it was a bad decision as it seems...

You can still hatch chicks, if you accept that some or all of them will have problems. If you breed from ones that do not show symptoms, you may be able to breed chickens that are relatively resistant to the strain of Mareks that you have. Of course that takes years, but it offers a little hope rather than no hope.

Here is an article from one person who has Mareks in their flock, and they do breed some chicks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/

Regarding the vaccine, it's pretty much the same in the US, and is impractical for small backyard flocks.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

If you do end up culling, it still is a smart choice. Birds are infected and spreading marek's their entire lives but do not pass it on to offspring. However, offspring are more likely to catch it if they are raised by the parents and re-introduced into the same environment. By culling you'd reduce traces of marek's in your area. However, there had to have been marek's already in your area, some other birds must be infected around you, for your birds to have gotten it. If you want to continue raising chickens, you can accept that your chickens got marek's (and if you stop chickens and start chickens again they will most likely still get marek's again) and will continue to spread it, or you can decide to cull and not start again or to only use vaccinated chicks to prevent them from adding more to their surroundings for other bird's safety.

 

[Yardmom]

I do not have personal experience with Marek's, but the most successful Marek's flocks I have read about are those that breed their own most resistant birds. Most of those that I'm aware of do not use the vaccine (it is not practical in a backyard flock and birds may still virus shed).

 

[Altairsky]

Most flocks will eventually develop resistance to marek, but you need to give them a chance, don't cull them, let natural selection do its course, and the birds that survive will be more and more resistant to the disease.
The disease is on the ground and it will stay there for years. Culling all of them and start with new birds is pretty much pointless because you won't get rid of the disease by culling the birds.

 

[Zsuzzzs]

Here is an article from one person who has Mareks in their flock, and they do breed some chicks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/

OK, I read the article. Tbh what I gathered from it, is if I don't plan to bring vaccinated or resistant birds, I'll most probably lose the whole flock latest in 2 years. I'll think about it, but reading this made me feel it is smarter to cull the whole flock and give it up for long term. With 2 small children, a garden, a full time working husband, and myself planning to go back to work in a year, I think I can't really handle what she did. I neither have the energy not the will. But let's see what the necropsy has to say. There's a SLIGHT hope still that it's not mareks...

 

[NatJ]

OK, I read the article. Tbh what I gathered from it, is if I don't plan to bring vaccinated or resistant birds, I'll most probably lose the whole flock latest in 2 years. I'll think about it, but reading this made me feel it is smarter to cull the whole flock and give it up for long term. With 2 small children, a garden, a full time working husband, and myself planning to go back to work in a year, I think I can't really handle what she did. I neither have the energy not the will.

I have no personal experience with Mareks, but I hoped the article might help you figure out what is a good decision for you. Yes, I can see why you might choose to just not have chickens.

Depending on why you wanted chickens in the first place, I wonder if ducks would work for you?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/
This article says that ducks do not get Mareks.

But let's see what the necropsy has to say. There's a SLIGHT hope still that it's not mareks...

Definitely a good idea! Please do update when you have the results of the necropsy.

 

[Zsuzzzs]

I have no personal experience with Mareks, but I hoped the article might help you figure out what is a good decision for you. Yes, I can see why you might choose to just not have chickens.

Depending on why you wanted chickens in the first place, I wonder if ducks would work for you?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/
This article says that ducks do not get Mareks.

Unfortunately ducks are not what we can manage, they are way noisier then chicken, and we live in a small 7000 sqft plot, so our neighbours already want to k*ll us because of the roosters I wouldn't want to make them more angry.

Definitely a good idea! Please do update when you have the results of the necropsy.

Will do. Thanks again for your time and knowledge, I really appreciate it!