Has anyone ever had a chicken survive ocular marek's?

[aldarita]

Hey aldarita I meant to reply to your post, but I accidentally did a general reply. Thank you for sharing your story with me.

I am glad to be able to help even if it is just by telling you my experience. I felt so devastated when I found out I had the virus in my flock, but after reading all I could about this decease, I knew that there was not anything I could have done to prevent it. The virus is in the air and it travels for miles, many chicken owners have it in their flock even though they don't know it. I read somewhere that if you have chickens you have Mareks because unfortunately it is very common.
My next door neighbor has chickens (actually she is the one who started me with this hobby), her flock is very small (only 7) and she has not lost any to Mareks. I told her about my pullet that died with it so she is aware of the virus being around. Don't feel bad about your neighbors, if you have your chickens as a hobby and for the eggs like I do, it should not be a concern, if you are planning to raise them and sell fertilized eggs or chicks, then it is when it becomes unethical. Don't blame yourself, there is a big chance that your chicks got the virus from the air. Next time you get chicks, have them vaccinate, it will give them a better chance but don't forget, they can still get it, if they do, hopefully it won't be a nasty one. You know, I love to spend time with my flock and I am constantly wondering if one of them is going to come up with this ugly decease but then I make certain that I can give them the best life and keep them happy while they are with me.

 

[MaggieP]

I am glad to be able to help even if it is just by telling you my experience. I felt so devastated when I found out I had the virus in my flock, but after reading all I could about this decease, I knew that there was not anything I could have done to prevent it. The virus is in the air and it travels for miles, many chicken owners have it in their flock even though they don't know it. I read somewhere that if you have chickens you have Mareks because unfortunately it is very common.
My next door neighbor has chickens (actually she is the one who started me with this hobby), her flock is very small (only 7) and she has not lost any to Mareks. I told her about my pullet that died with it so she is aware of the virus being around. Don't feel bad about your neighbors, if you have your chickens as a hobby and for the eggs like I do, it should not be a concern, if you are planning to raise them and sell fertilized eggs or chicks, then it is when it becomes unethical. Don't blame yourself, there is a big chance that your chicks got the virus from the air. Next time you get chicks, have them vaccinate, it will give them a better chance but don't forget, they can still get it, if they do, hopefully it won't be a nasty one. You know, I love to spend time with my flock and I am constantly wondering if one of them is going to come up with this ugly decease but then I make certain that I can give them the best life and keep them happy while they are with me.

I just wanted to let you know, as I found it interesting, in my research I found that "Marek's cannot be transmitted vertically. This means that a mother hen cannot pass Marek's on through the egg to her chick. The chick would have to be exposed to the virus after hatching to “catch” Marek's." That quote was from an article on Mareks that is on this website
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
I also read that they are even protected in their first week of life from their mothers antibodies. That is how I came to the conclusion that my day old chicks that I started with weren't actually sold to me already infected. Even if the woman who sold them to me has it in her flock (and I'm betting anything this woman does). So I realized I couldn't blame her for just selling me infected birds. So that leaves me wondering if I'm part of the problem by letting mine live and transmit their dander all over the neighborhood. But it's supposed to be everywhere right? So that's why I think I'm going to just do as you are and give my girls the happiest healthy life I can while I have them and won't bring in any more chickens (unless vaccinated) and will never not vaccinate again.
-As a complete side note- I love your coop! I showed my husband and told him that's the direction I want to be going in. Your chickens look so happy! Its like a little mansion. I'll have to get some pictures of my set up and post it. Just from your coop, and the fact you give your chickens piggy back rides, I can tell your hearts in it as much as mine. And as much as I hate for someone else to have this it's nice to know someone knows exactly how I feel.
-Maggie

 

[saltandpepper2]

I just wanted to let you know, as I found it interesting, in my research I found that "Marek's cannot be transmitted vertically. This means that a mother hen cannot pass Marek's on through the egg to her chick. The chick would have to be exposed to the virus after hatching to “catch” Marek's." That quote was from an article on Mareks that is on this website
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
I also read that they are even protected in their first week of life from their mothers antibodies. That is how I came to the conclusion that my day old chicks that I started with weren't actually sold to me already infected. Even if the woman who sold them to me has it in her flock (and I'm betting anything this woman does). So I realized I couldn't blame her for just selling me infected birds. So that leaves me wondering if I'm part of the problem by letting mine live and transmit their dander all over the neighborhood. But it's supposed to be everywhere right? So that's why I think I'm going to just do as you are and give my girls the happiest healthy life I can while I have them and won't bring in any more chickens (unless vaccinated) and will never not vaccinate again.
-As a complete side note- I love your coop! I showed my husband and told him that's the direction I want to be going in. Your chickens look so happy! Its like a little mansion. I'll have to get some pictures of my set up and post it. Just from your coop, and the fact you give your chickens piggy back rides, I can tell your hearts in it as much as mine. And as much as I hate for someone else to have this it's nice to know someone knows exactly how I feel.
-Maggie

While it is true that the chicks have to catch it, it is EXTREMELY possible for the Mareks pathogen to be on any surface, including the egg, carton, your clothing, etc, since it can go wherever dust can ( practically anywhere) that is why most considered it unethical to sell anything other than eating eggs from an infected flock. I would know, I have a flock of extremely good quality, rare(er) breeds, and planned to breed them, and that dream was crushed very early on! I've had three die from mareks, but having a large flock of 15-25, that's not too bad.

 

[MaggieP]

While it is true that the chicks have to catch it, it is EXTREMELY possible for the Mareks pathogen to be on any surface, including the egg, carton, your clothing, etc, since it can go wherever dust can ( practically anywhere) that is why most considered it unethical to sell anything other than eating eggs from an infected flock. I would know, I have a flock of extremely good quality, rare(er) breeds, and planned to breed them, and that dream was crushed very early on! I've had three die from mareks, but having a large flock of 15-25, that's not too bad.

With it being so contagious I'm afraid I will most certainly give it to my neighbors and every farmer around here with chickens. I hate to think that I'm just acting as a catalyst for this disease just by allowing them to live. This disease is a nightmare. I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Every time any of us marek's owners go to the feed store aren't we possibly just dropping off microscopic marek's pathogens for the next guy? How could we ever know for sure that we are not? Even being extremely careful it could blow in the wind from our coop to our clothes, right?

 

[jonalisa]

I love how much you love your chicken.
I know it is little solace but you are giving her the best life possible and you are a great chicken mama.

jonalisa

 

[aldarita]

MaggieP, I see your point and concern about going around spreading the virus everywhere you go, but if you think about it, it already is everywhere so even if you clean up and change your clothes and shoes every time you go out, there is no way you can do much about some other chicken owners getting it in their flocks.
I got 6 pullets this past March and had them vaccinated at the hatchery. I brought them home and put them in a room with close windows and door. I disinfected the room with a real clean up and lots of Lysol spray before I placed them there. For a month I covered my hair, wash my hands, took my shoes off, sprayed my socks with lysol and wore a clean robe every time I entered the room to see and take care of them. I learned all this by reading the threads about Marek's in BYC. There are some chicken owners that have very big problems with this decease in their flocks and have been battling it for a long time, their experience is of much value to all of us. It is not enough to just vaccinate them, you have to keep them completely isolated from everything to give the vaccine time to work, specially if the virus is already in your yard. I did quarantine my chicks for 4 weeks but I believe 2 weeks is enough for the vaccine to work. This sounds like a very big burden and a lot of work and it certainly is but you do it for your chicks and that is what matters.
I am getting chicks this spring and plan to do the same. This does not assure me that my chicks will not get Marek's but it gives me peace of mind and the comfort that I did my very best for them.
I am a little bit ahead of you in this horrendous battle and I want to pass along what I have done so you can be prepared.
I wish you the best and hopefully we will be the lucky ones that do not have a very virulent type of Marek's.
How is your SLW doing?

 

[MaggieP]

MaggieP, I see your point and concern about going around spreading the virus everywhere you go, but if you think about it, it already is everywhere so even if you clean up and change your clothes and shoes every time you go out, there is no way you can do much about some other chicken owners getting it in their flocks.
I got 6 pullets this past March and had them vaccinated at the hatchery. I brought them home and put them in a room with close windows and door. I disinfected the room with a real clean up and lots of Lysol spray before I placed them there. For a month I covered my hair, wash my hands, took my shoes off, sprayed my socks with lysol and wore a clean robe every time I entered the room to see and take care of them. I learned all this by reading the threads about Marek's in BYC. There are some chicken owners that have very big problems with this decease in their flocks and have been battling it for a long time, their experience is of much value to all of us. It is not enough to just vaccinate them, you have to keep them completely isolated from everything to give the vaccine time to work, specially if the virus is already in your yard. I did quarantine my chicks for 4 weeks but I believe 2 weeks is enough for the vaccine to work. This sounds like a very big burden and a lot of work and it certainly is but you do it for your chicks and that is what matters.
I am getting chicks this spring and plan to do the same. This does not assure me that my chicks will not get Marek's but it gives me peace of mind and the comfort that I did my very best for them.
I am a little bit ahead of you in this horrendous battle and I want to pass along what I have done so you can be prepared.
I wish you the best and hopefully we will be the lucky ones that do not have a very virulent type of Marek's.
How is your SLW doing? 

I just need to let my brain process this whole situation. I do know that I am willing to step up and take the extra precautions that I can and give the extra care to help keep them as healthy as possible. I just hope my neighbors don't resent me. So far everything's been going along business as usual. I have 2 black stars, 1 New Hampshire Red, 1 barred rock, 1 cuckoo maran roo, and my SLW with the bad eye. My SLW is a little over 9 months old and the rest are a little over 4 months. One of my black stars grew kinda funny from the beginning, her wings seem short and her feathers came in so weird, we wondered if she would ever fill in. Her tail feathers were the last to grow and even still there are really just two long ones (positive she's not a rooster). She somehow ended up with the name "Nubs" because her tail looked like a little bunnys tail and was just a fluffy little nub for the longest time. My BR "Baraca" (like maraca with a b) seems so small but she's my first of her kind so I have nothing to compare her to. I wouldn't tell my other chickens this, but next to my SLW those two are my favorites But all are eating and pooing normally. Yes, every morning I make sure I wait until I see each one poop so I can look. I will try to get a picture of nubs and Baraca tomorrow so you can see what I'm talking about.

 

[MaggieP]

I love how much you love your chicken.
I know it is little solace but you are giving her the best life possible and you are a great chicken mama.

jonalisa

Thanks jonalisa, I'm trying my hardest

 

[MaggieP]

So this is "nubs"

 

[MaggieP]

Today I got the final results from my necropsy. Confirmed Marek's. I already figured as much since my SLW showed signs of the ocular form. So now I just wait and see.