Help!! Marek's Disease??

[Nambroth]

Wait....you feed them corn and they get diarrhea? Is this the only time? How long does it last? You may be looking at aflatoxin poisoning and not Marek's. Symptoms can be the same. Stop giving them the corn you now have. Assume it's that and start them on vitamins. Apples, broccoli can be given and will help purge and soak up any toxins in the system. This would also explain why the Duramycin helped them get better.

http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/statevets.aspx use this link and find your State Vet and contact their office to see if this is an issue in your area. Save the bag of corn and see what it would cost to have it analyzed. Here in Maine it's sent out so it runs around 35.00. It may be cheaper for you. If your birds start showing improvement after taking the corn away and adding in vitamins, apples and broccoli, I would seriously think about having it tested. If you still have the bag it came in the lot number and date of production is printed on the bottom where it is sewn together. You need these.

I have to do chores now, but afterwards I will get you some info on the aflatoxins.

Ah, I had missed the corn comments. I am so thankful you were more observant than I was Haunted55!! Yes, this is very suspicious too! I would absolutely stop feeding that corn. I've also read broccoli is very beneficial, along with very dark leafy greens if you have them such as kale. Kale is often recommended for parrots suffering from aflatoxin poisoning so I imagine it would work well for chickens as well.

 

[seminolewind]

To clarify what I was saying... I think it is safest to assume you have Marek's or similar viruses (leukosis, etc) if similar symptoms present, and practice associated bio-security, while treating for other possibilities.

What I mean by this is act as carefully as if you have the virus present (closed flock, precautions against spreading it). Treat any birds presenting symptoms for other associated diseases, based on the best guess as to what it could be. That way if the bird does not have Marek's there is a chance to cure it, but if it does have Marek's, you are preventing the spread thereof, and be prepared for necropsy and/or testing if the bird perishes.

I apologize if it seemed that I was jumping the gun; it's just that the posture of the bird photographed above combined with the losses and symptoms of the other chickens is very suspicious. That in itself is not a diagnosis though. I do hope it is not Marek's and something more easily treated.

X2

 

[seminolewind]

I forgot to mention the poop, i know in the flock the poop is usually solid enless i feed them corn then they get diarrhea i have not checked the poop in the cage she is in right now, i just dump it every coubble of days and add fresh bedding, i will check it tomorrow as i just added new bedding not long ago.

Wait....you feed them corn and they get diarrhea?  Is this the only time?  How long does it last?  You may be looking at aflatoxin poisoning and not Marek's.  Symptoms can be the same.  Stop giving them the corn you now have.  Assume it's that and start them on vitamins.  Apples, broccoli can be given and will help purge and soak up any toxins in the system.  This would also explain why the Duramycin helped them get better. 

http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/statevets.aspx  use this link and find your State Vet and contact their office to see if this is an issue in your area.  Save the bag of corn and see what it would cost to have it analyzed.  Here in Maine it's sent out so it runs around 35.00.  It may be cheaper for you.  If your birds start showing improvement after taking the corn away and adding in vitamins, apples and broccoli, I would seriously think about having it tested.  If you still have the bag it came in the lot number and date of production is printed on the bottom where it is sewn together.  You need these.

I have to do chores now, but afterwards I will get you some info on the aflatoxins. 

X2

 

[seminolewind]

Seminolewind....How prevalent is Mareks in Central Florida? 

That's a tough one. I got it thru a pullet from a breeder. Many people I'm around don't seem to have a problem, or the problem is gone. Probably because after a while you only have carriers who are not symptomatic. I don't think it's any more prevalent than in other parts of the country.

It probably has more to do with how many different places a person buys chickens from.
It seems that more birds become symptomatic at certain times of the year. I think spring is one of them. I've also found that exposed young birds, vaccinated or not seem more prone to getting coccidiosis.

The best thing anyone can do is vaccinate day olds or buy vaccinated day olds from a hatchery. And be careful not to miss signs of coccidiosis.

 

[casportpony]

Marek's in California is one of the most common causes of death that the State Lab sees.

 

[SilkiesnFrizzle]

That's a tough one. I got it thru a pullet from a breeder. Many people I'm around don't seem to have a problem, or the problem is gone. Probably because after a while you only have carriers who are not symptomatic. I don't think it's any more prevalent than in other parts of the country.

It probably has more to do with how many different places a person buys chickens from.
It seems that more birds become symptomatic at certain times of the year. I think spring is one of them. I've also found that exposed young birds, vaccinated or not seem more prone to getting coccidiosis.

The best thing anyone can do is vaccinate day olds or buy vaccinated day olds from a hatchery. And be careful not to miss signs of coccidiosis.

Agreed on the coccidiosis, the nice warm, wet humidity help that along here. I always use medicated chick feed, and have amprolium on hand as well for the adults. The one thing that I watched helplessly was fowl pox, poor birds. Now, I vaccinate for Fowl Pox and a friend of mine and I are going to be vaccinating our flocks for Mare ks soon. Just don't want to take the risk. The reason I asked about here in central FL is because any time that I have tried to ask people about it around here ( not on BC) they just brush my questions to the side, or tell me to get a Turkey!

 

[casportpony]

Agreed on the coccidiosis, the nice warm, wet humidity help that along here. I always use medicated chick feed, and have amprolium on hand as well for the adults. The one thing that I watched helplessly was fowl pox, poor birds. Now, I vaccinate for Fowl Pox and a friend of mine and I are going to be vaccinating our flocks for Mare ks soon. Just don't want to take the risk. The reason I asked about here in central FL is because any time that I have tried to ask people about it around here ( not on BC) they just brush my questions to the side, or tell me to get a Turkey!

Call this guy:

Gary D. Butcher

Professor

Avian Diseases Extension Specialist
Large Animal Clinical Sciences
[email protected]
PO Box 100136
2015 SW 16th Ave
Gainesville, FL 32608
352-294-4390
FAX: 352-392-3029
Education

• Diplomate, American College of Poultry Veterinarians, 1992
• PhD, Avian Virology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 1987
• MS, Avian Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 1984
• DVM, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 1981
• BS, Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 1980

Honors and Awards

• Person of the Year, Florida Poultry Federation, Recognition for Outstanding Service to the Florida Poultry Industry, 2003

Research Interests

The primary focus of Dr. Butcher’s extension program involves providing technical support to the Florida Poultry Industry and related avian industries. Activities include on-farm visitations, poultry necropsies and sample evaluations (histopathology & serology), and consultations. The program at the University of Florida is primarily to provide direct support to the industry in Florida; however, international work in support of IFAS’ International Programs Mission and the University’s Mission toward globalization is undertaken. A statewide Salmonella monitoring program has been developed in association with the Florida Poultry Federation. This proactive program permits identification of Salmonella-infected farms and provides recommendations on eradication procedures. Research efforts have been directed toward recombinant vaccines to combat poultry diseases including Newcastle disease, Gumboro disease, Marek’s disease, and infectious laryngotracheitis. Vectors have included virus and plants. Work is also being conducted on transgenic chickens.
Recent Publications

Publications listed here.
Tagged as: faculty

 

[Haunted55]

To clarify what I was saying... I think it is safest to assume you have Marek's or similar viruses (leukosis, etc) if similar symptoms present, and practice associated bio-security, while treating for other possibilities.

What I mean by this is act as carefully as if you have the virus present (closed flock, precautions against spreading it). Treat any birds presenting symptoms for other associated diseases, based on the best guess as to what it could be. That way if the bird does not have Marek's there is a chance to cure it, but if it does have Marek's, you are preventing the spread thereof, and be prepared for necropsy and/or testing if the bird perishes.

I apologize if it seemed that I was jumping the gun; it's just that the posture of the bird photographed above combined with the losses and symptoms of the other chickens is very suspicious. That in itself is not a diagnosis though. I do hope it is not Marek's and something more easily treated.

X's 2!!!! This is the absolute truth!

 

[Haunted55]

Ah, I had missed the corn comments. I am so thankful you were more observant than I was Haunted55!! Yes, this is very suspicious too! I would absolutely stop feeding that corn. I've also read broccoli is very beneficial, along with very dark leafy greens if you have them such as kale. Kale is often recommended for parrots suffering from aflatoxin poisoning so I imagine it would work well for chickens as well.

Yes and onions are another good one. Can chickens have onions? I know mine steal them from the garden but that doesn't mean anything. Raw, diced, that way the sulpher isn't cut by cooking. Garlic is another.

 

[Haunted55]

That's a tough one. I got it thru a pullet from a breeder. Many people I'm around don't seem to have a problem, or the problem is gone. Probably because after a while you only have carriers who are not symptomatic. I don't think it's any more prevalent than in other parts of the country.

It probably has more to do with how many different places a person buys chickens from.
It seems that more birds become symptomatic at certain times of the year. I think spring is one of them. I've also found that exposed young birds, vaccinated or not seem more prone to getting coccidiosis.

The best thing anyone can do is vaccinate day olds or buy vaccinated day olds from a hatchery. And be careful not to miss signs of coccidiosis.

Spring...you hit that right Seminole. I just lost one of my roos sometime during the night. Marek's survivor.