Have I had an outbreak of Mareks?

[CelticMoon1]

As I've said in previous posts we've had really bad luck with this batch of chickens. We started out with 24 eggs and now have 4 pullets and 2 roosters left..

1 was a spraddle chick (we didn't know about treatment so it's gone)

At least 2 have died suddenly with no prior symptoms

1 started out with droopy wings and puffing, see my first "sick post" This one we thought was a roo then after the wings started drooping the comb was paler and didn't grow so we thought maybe a pullet. But I've read somewhere that pale comb is also a symptom of Mareks?

1 recently developed a limp that seemed to be a sprain:prior post here. She was put in confinement with a heating lamp and given mild pain medication but the condition deteriorated. Today she was lying lethargic partly on her side with her neck twisted around so we put her out of her misery. Too bad, she was the finest of the pullets

I am trying to figure out how to get a necropsy in my country, but what do YOU think? Can this have been Mareks or have we just had REALLY bad luck??

All deaths have been at different ages and stages, no 2 at the same time.

 

[purpletree23]

I'm really sorry for your loss. How horrible. I'm not sure if you had Mereks or not. Sounds like you had a little of everything.

Have you ever raised chickens before? Maybe this was just bad luck or maybe they did have some type of disease or just started out weak. They could have been too cold or warm during their trip to their new home, they could have had bad or old feed or the breeding stock may have been sick. I could go on and on.

Whatever it was I would try to put it behind you and start over. Read everything you can about poultry and try again. The next batch will probably be a winner! Chickens are wonderful and I hope you do try again.

All of us have been there with deaths or sickness so we all understand. If you have any questions ask away. No charge!

 

[CelticMoon1]

Yes, we've had some bad luck this time around.

Yes I've raised chickens for about 8-9 years and I know there are occasional losses, the odd weak chicken that doesn't make it and so on... but this has been a massive loss! And certain symptoms make me think Mareks.

I don't have any prior experience with Mareks though so I can't be sure of this short of a necropsy

We've bred them ourselves, and their parent stock is healthy. They have not been transported at all. Their chicken feed and vegetables, rice and so on should be fine. The remaining chickens look healthy and I really hope they do make it.

Out of the 24 eggs
-3 were not fertilized (these were bantam eggs just thought we'd try and see though we thought they might not be

)
- 2 died in the shell partly developed
- 2 died during hatching (didn't make it out) (these were probably b/c of unstable conditions in the incubator)
- the 5 deaths I listed
-1 broken toe, had to end it as it wouldn't heal
- I think the rest were culls for feathered shanks etc.. (we only culled roos)

Anyway I am a bit bummed b/c I was looking to get a few more SLW pullets out of this hatch. This means we're going to do 2 hatches next year, one for GLWs and one for SLWs. I reckon if it is Mareks then I would have to prepare myself for more deaths next year too and breed the survivors for health and resistance?