Flock of 1 with Mareks- input requested

[member 615286]

She survived, was getting lots of attention was doing ok
but is showing all the concerning signs of stress.
I am trying to decide between putting her down, or taking in a rooster that is available, who is not vaccinated.
I understand this is strongly advised against, as he will be infected by her and left susceptible to illness/death…
But want to ask if the risk to the rooster may be worth avoiding putting down an otherwise healthy but lonely/stressed hen (she is 10 months, the others died 2 months ago).

Vaccinated bantams are unavailable until April, and have failed to find any other infected birds that could be added to her flock.

Thank you!!

UnvaccinAted Rooster available is 7 months.
Also have 7 week old unvaccinated bantam chicks available but too young assuming.

they’d of course be kept a closed flock.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Has Marek's Disease been confirmed in your birds?

 

[member 615286]

Has Marek's Disease been confirmed in your birds?

It was yes.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It was yes.

Was it through Necropsy?


I think the best move would be to let the environment kill the virus, giving about 2yrs, before adding any new birds.

Also to sanitize the coop, & any other place any infected birds have been. As extra precaution. This would also involve culling your existing bird.

But, I'll let more educated people give you their opinions on what they'd do if they were in your situation.


I know some would keep a closed flock, or breed for resistance.

 

[member 615286]

Was it through Necropsy?


I think the best move would be to let the environment kill the virus, giving about 2yrs, before adding any new birds.

Also to sanitize the coop, & any other place any infected birds have been. As extra precaution. This would also involve culling your existing bird.

But, I'll let more educated people give you their opinions on what they'd do if they were in your situation.


I know some would keep a closed flock, or breed for resistance.

Thank you. Mareks was confirmed with blood sample from the first bird when she started showing symptoms.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you. Mareks was confirmed with blood sample from the first bird when she started showing symptoms.

I never knew they did a blood test for it. I heard it could be only confirmed through necropsy.

Did they do a repeat, to make sure there wasn't a false positive? Just curious.

 

[member 615286]

I never knew they did a blood test for it. I heard it could be only confirmed through necropsy.

Did they do a repeat, to make sure there wasn't a false positive? Just curious.

A necropsy is standard, as I understand. PCR testing can be performed on living poultry. at the time they were all living and only one bird was symptomatic. In addition to the initial results (that was ordered by a local vet) they tested for and ruled out other illnesses.
They did not repeat the initial testing from the vet.
(CSU’s avian diagnostic lab vet team, amazing resource if you’re ever looking for help

 

[Dovemaiden]

Marek's Disease is a huge problem, mostly because what everyone is currently using is a " leaky Vaccine" which spawns variants. I have some articles on this if you are interested. Marek's Disease CAN actually be successfully treated. I also have the Pub. Med articles to show this. This information appears not to be known by the poultry community at large. My degrees and specialty area is Microbiology.

 

[Dovemaiden]

Besides the articles on acyclovir, Ivermectin may be a possibility. I have used it successfully myself in raptors & corvids with West Nile Virus, after reading a study by an avian veterinatian. Check this out: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Weeg]

This is a bit random, but would you be interested in ducks? They’re immune to Mareks, or in better words can’t catch and carry it. I have a chicken and a duck who were raised as hatchlings together. They are very well bonded and best of friends. Your hen may be very happy with a little flock of quackers.

Edit: just noticed this thread is a few months old. Leaving this here for op, or anyone else who finds it.