Dixie Chicks

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Yes, Marek's exposure can cause immunosuppression. Out of 5 necropsies last year, 4 died of illness from bacteria most chickens are resistant to'

Someone said Marek's is like HIV/Aids. Exactly. HIV is like the exposure. You may never know you have it. With some people the HIV virus weakens the immune system and HIV becomes Aids. That's when people die of ailments that most people have resistance to.

Before I knew my flock had it, I had about 25 chickens. Every few months someone would waste away and die. I had no idea why. The ones that would waste and die were generally under a year old. When I had 10 chicks get paralysis, I knew. Marek's doesn't always show up as paralysis.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
This is a good thread. It's a lot of support and information. Jem this is the closest thing to a support group that you will fine probably world wide. There were a few of us that started that thread so that there would be somewhere someone could get correct information and ask a lot of questions.

 

[perchie.girl]

Marek's is also One of the hardest to diagnose intially as well because the symptoms vary.

deb

 

[seminolewind]

Everything I post in the quail section, no on ever answers me. Guess I'm not part of the "club"

Does Casportpony have quail? She loves to answer people.

 

[bamadude]

oh that reminds me @bamadude
  the pied male brahma cross  grandchick started crowing sounds like he has a broken crower lol

You should pray for a broken crower on him. The brahma boys crowed the LOUDEST of any chicken I have ever heard. And huge. And ate a butt load of feed. And tried to eat my son and his bicycle

 

[perchie.girl]

another good read on Marek's

https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf

What it says is the disease can live for months in the dander.... So If you had an outbreak and cleanded up and didnt have birds for say a Year its likely the property would be Marek's free.

I hope thats true

deb

 

[bamadude]

See any sharks?

No. But I had a skid mark...

 

[bellablueyes]

This just makes a bad day good

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
In my opinion I would not vaccinate for Marek's. Because out of sight is out of mind... even vaccinated they can still pass it on through the dander. Once you have Marek's on your property you have it for ever because it cannot be cleaned away.

So I would rather KNow and deal with it... Like @seminolewind is doing. That way I cant inadvertently pass it on to someone else's flock.

For what its worth they vaccinate with The turkey version of Marek's... It seems Turkeys do get a version of it but dont get sick... And it seems Guineas dont get it at all.

Oh and for what its worth the vaccine was developed for the poultry industry... eggs and meat... Can you imagine the devistation of a farmer trying to make a living and having all his birds come down with it. And from then on he couldnt raise chickens at all. With the vaccine he could keep going.

I would NOT adopt a battery hen for that reason...

deb

It did happen. In the late 70's/early 80's, Marek's got so bad with commercial poultry that 2/3 of flocks were wiped out. The vaccines started use. But the commercial poultry growers were still having a lot of deaths-until they learned that aside from the vaccine, you should practice all in-all out with flocks, disinfect well between batches.

Then up until about 5-10 years ago, everyone thought it was a poultry industry problem and backyarders don't have to worry. Well as the poultry industry got their deaths down to 1-5%, backyarders were getting Marek's because they had mixed flocks, swaps, auctions, breeders, and vets were telling people their chickens wouldn't get Marek's-it's an industry problem.

Making a few changes, you can live with Marek's, sell hatching eggs, breed and sell chicks if incubated elsewhere and not at your home. It's do-able.

 

[bamadude]

Wish my screen wasnt cracked. Those look like easter bunny chickens with horse hooves on my phone