Dying one by one - long but please read, I'm terrified!

[DZI Ranch]

All of my hatchery birds were vaccinated. I did not make sure that the neighbor had vaccinated his and it was too late when I found out that he had not vaccinated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am so sorry that you have had to deal with this.

Now, this is just my opinion, and I don't want to open a huge can of worms, but it's possible that the unvaccinated chicks may have been exposed to Marek's from the original vaccinated flock.

There is great debate whether or not to vaccinate and many people are heatedly for and against.

There is information that poultry/livestock vaccines are "leaky", meaning there is some protection, but the vaccine is imperfect - for instance Marek's vaccine stops the formation of tumors (some protection), but doesn't stop a chicken from being infected (showing signs of illness/infection (imperfect-does not completely stop the virus).

There is also information implying that vaccinated chickens may be able to spread the virus (shedding the virus) to unvaccinated chickens.

Now, what does all this mean? Simply that we do the best we can. We try to research and make the best informed decision that we can with the information we have at hand. A disease like Marek's is basically "everywhere", it can be carried/transmitted by wild birds, on our clothes/shoes, and affects almost all fowl.

Here's a little more information about "leaky" vaccines.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous/
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/neoplasms/mareks_disease_in_poultry.html
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic...s-enhance-spread-of-deadlier-chicken-viruses/
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf

Just my thoughts. Keep us posted.

 

[Huntress78]

I've been going through something similar for a few years now. My birds have Mycoplasma Synoviae not Marek's but it's just as bad if not worse as it can be passed through the egg as well as being transmitted vertically.
I sent a bird in to the WI state lab 3 years ago at a cost of about $135 and the results came back inconclusive. My friend (who is an avian vet) offered to draw blood and send in another for me...so another $135 and the results of this necropsy came back MS. The birds for both necropsies were showing symptoms and were put down by a vet before sending to the state lab in Barron. You can't really send in a bird that's been dead for any length of time and they can't be frozen.

After finding out what they had I culled all 70 of my birds, cleaned/disinfected the coops and pens and let them sit empty over winter. I bought hatching eggs and hatched enough to raise and breed this spring. Right after hatching 50 chicks this spring I lost one of the breeders to the same symptoms as I had before. Did the disease come in with the hatching eggs or was it still on my property from before? .....I'll never know for sure.
So now I'm right back at square one...do I cull again or just learn to live with it?

The reason I'm telling you all this is that you can drive yourself crazy and spend a few $K trying to figure out what's wrong with your birds or you can learn to live with it. I think there is a thread here about living with Marek's in the flock...it might be a good place for you to start.

If you want to send in a bird or two for necropsy here's the list of state avian vets. They can draw blood, put the bird down and ship it to Madison or Barron. The vet I used is Dr Sheperd in Ozaukee county...a good vet, helpful and caring.

https://datcp.wi.gov/Documents/PoultryVets09.11.15.pdf

Good luck!

 

[DZI Ranch]

Just as a final post on the actual problem in my flock, Just got off the phone with the Vet who sent in one of my girls to the States Lab.

It is Mareks- - - we are devastated of course.
I appreciate everyone's responses and assistance. We are working with our vet to decide if we will cull the remaining flock or not.

The vet also found coccidia, capillaria and heterakis oval in the feces.

Maybe this will help someone else. All of this started when I purchased some English Orpingtons from a seller near me in WI without making sure he had vaccinated his flock. I went from 28 hens to 14 as of today.

 

[casportpony]

Just as a final post on the actual problem in my flock, Just got off the phone with the Vet who sent in one of my girls to the States Lab.

It is Mareks- - - we are devastated of course.
I appreciate everyone's responses and assistance. We are working with our vet to decide if we will cull the remaining flock or not.

The vet also found coccidia, capillaria and heterakis oval in the feces.

Maybe this will help someone else. All of this started when I purchased some English Orpingtons from a seller near me in WI without making sure he had vaccinated his flock. I went from 28 hens to 14 as of today.

Wow, so sorry for your loss.

 

[3riverschick]

no, n, not potato peels. they are of the nightshade family and contain a substance which is toxic to birds. Also check what other treats (citru, berries) you are giving on the toxic poultry eats database here on BYC.
Best,
Karen

 

[Eggcessive]

Just as a final post on the actual problem in my flock, Just got off the phone with the Vet who sent in one of my girls to the States Lab.

It is Mareks- - - we are devastated of course.
I appreciate everyone's responses and assistance. We are working with our vet to decide if we will cull the remaining flock or not.

The vet also found coccidia, capillaria and heterakis oval in the feces.

Maybe this will help someone else. All of this started when I purchased some English Orpingtons from a seller near me in WI without making sure he had vaccinated his flock. I went from 28 hens to 14 as of today.

I'm very sorry that you have had this awful luck with Mareks. It illustrates the fact that many breeders do not vaccinate their flock, and how it can be devastating to another person's flock. Not all of your chickens should get the disease, but they will all be carriers. If you get more chickens, they should be vaccinated for at least 3 weeks before being added to the flock, but they will be carriers, too. Hopefully, they won't get the disease, but since one of your original hens had the vaccine and contracted it, the vaccine may not be foolproof. It's so sad.

 

[yellowxo]

I am so sorry. There are no other words..I hate that anyone has to go through this...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just as a final post on the actual problem in my flock, Just got off the phone with the Vet who sent in one of my girls to the States Lab.

It is Mareks- - - we are devastated of course.
I appreciate everyone's responses and assistance. We are working with our vet to decide if we will cull the remaining flock or not.

The vet also found coccidia, capillaria and heterakis oval in the feces.

Maybe this will help someone else. All of this started when I purchased some English Orpingtons from a seller near me in WI without making sure he had vaccinated his flock. I went from 28 hens to 14 as of today.

I'm so sorry to hear this.

Thank you for sharing this information with us. Hopefully it will help others