Sorry. Language issues. It is what a walker is commonly called in the UK.
Yes, Marek's can be detected with a swab. Can do a mouth swab, but a drop of blood is more accurate. Here is one of the independent labs that I have used and I know some others on BYC have used.
Our spoiled birds are finicky like that. A grape on the ground is harder to break up into smaller pieces w/ their beak but if we hold the grape, or banana, or strawberry etc, it's easier for their beak to tear off little bite-sized pieces. Chopping up grapes into tiny pieces & putting on a paper plate will work too. Our yard is littered daily w/ multiple treat plates of chopped spinach, cukes, cooked sweet potatoes, pomegranate seeds, etc.Oh no, my birds are acting strangely.
There’s grapes all over the ground, but the will only eat from my hand, or when I first give a grape to the rooster.
The girls won’t eat them off the ground.
I always check the actual persistence in eggs. This is usually well studied (for Baytril I believe it is 10 days for egg yolk).The issue with the use of Baytril, and other antibiotics, being prohibited for use in poultry has to do with the possibility of antibiotic resistance.
From where I am sitting the use of this in ‘pet’ backyard poultry is less of an issue than those huge factory farms using antibiotics.
As for a lifetime ban on eating eggs/meat from treated animals I would find it extremely unlikely after a couple weeks of finding any detectable levels an antibiotic in the birds system.
But - at the end of the day it is every persons own comfort levels and ethics, as to whether to use antibiotics (or other meds ie wormers); each person has their own right to their beliefs.
FYI - such a sweetie pie
I'm leaning towards Marecks having gone thru it a couple times w/ a couple unvaccinated birds ~ at 1st symptoms would be mild, occasional loss of balance, or sitting a lot to avoid walking. My vet had poultry as a kid & said he's seen some birds recover & would not suggest putting down a bird. Unfortunately we had to eventually return to the vet to put down the birds as the disease progressed beyond recovery... once w/ a 3-yr-old hen & later w/ a 4-month pullet. After that I refused to ever have unvaccinated birds & only bought from Mareck's vaccinated sources/breeders. Homeopathic people who think ACV is a cure-all preventative for all chicken ailments have a rude awakening.
Whoa Nelly! Huge drop for such wee babies
I have no issues w/ antibiotics but vaccines are a concern to me. However, after having Mareck's issues where the birds suffer progressively for days/weeks, I absolutely will not have a bird w/o Mareck's vaccination so the bird doesn't have to suffer symptoms where the bird spends so much lengthy time deteriorating. If birds can recover from Mareck's I never had oneThe issue with the use of Baytril, and other antibiotics, being prohibited for use in poultry has to do with the possibility of antibiotic resistance.
From where I am sitting the use of this in ‘pet’ backyard poultry is less of an issue than those huge factory farms using antibiotics.
As for a lifetime ban on eating eggs/meat from treated animals I would find it extremely unlikely after a couple weeks of finding any detectable levels an antibiotic in the birds system.
But - at the end of the day it is every persons own comfort levels and ethics, as to whether to use antibiotics (or other meds ie wormers); each person has their own right to their beliefs.
FYI - such a sweetie pie
in spite of my vet's optimism to wait & see.
