Quote: Wow! get busy outside for one day and I'm 65 posts behind!
I sadly took a double hit from Marek's. First last year, thought I finally lost everyone I was going to (didn't know at first what I was dealing with) then in early spring I lost 2 adult hens. The one broke my heart. She was so sweet, and a spoiled brat that loved to launch herself and surprise land on my shoulder or other parts if I was bending over. I really thought we would grow old together. Anyway, all I have left now are 3 18 month old Aussies that came from Cackle Hatchery w/Marek's vaccinated and one 2 1/2 yr old red sex-link. I lost the rest of her "sisters". They came from another hatchery that was "supposed" to vaccinate but found out too late that they had not. Why this one made it I have no idea (it was one of these that also made it until this last spring). I have no clue where the Marek's came from unless one of the last of my surviving original rescued hens was a carrier. Anyway, I am now maintaining my little closed flock while I spend the winter drooling over poultry catalogs and trying to decide if I want to expand my Aussie flock or ask Santa (aka DH) to finance me for one of the more "exotic" Scandinavian breeds.
That's so sad. The Mareks is carried by wild birds, and from what I've read it stays in the environment for a long time. Getting vaccinated chicks doesn't insure that they don't get the virus, just usually prevents the paralytic form and it delays the tumors. Your best bet is to breed your own for resistance. If we all did that, Mareks wouldn't be such an issue. UCDavis avian vet said the vaccines only provide partial protection; stuff the hatcheries get is a bit more effective than what backyarders can get. Hope I didn't burst your bubble. You can still have a great flock, but they are always at risk.
No bubble bursting, that's one reason I didn't replace my lost birds right away. You can sterilize the coop, etc. but there's no way to sterilize the dirt, sigh. I really thought our crazy harsh winters would work in my favor but my other girls were probably all ready infected, I know my sweety was now. She had a limp, got better (thought it was just a sprain), fine for a month, limp back and then she went down pretty fast.. I plan on breeding for resistance. Spending some time doing my research. (had planned on starting last fall fut an accident put me in a wheelchair all winter so everything kind of got put on hold ) I just figured since I am basically starting from scratch anyway, I might as well start with some special birds!
