Help!! Marek's Disease??

[casportpony]

This whole episode read like a novel - I could have given some advise early on - but held my tongue - first off - chickens that are sick should be culled - why? - because keeping sick chickens around only spreads disease around to others - you might think that you won't spread the sickness but its near impossible not to - even wild birds can pick up some disease from sick chickens and then spread it around - most of the time people will not cull a chicken based on how they feel and not on how the chicken feels - if you are not willing to cull a chicken you shouldn't raise them - I know it might sound cruel but that's the facts of life - if I was a chicken and I didn't feel good I would rather bite the dust - JoePa

To cull or not to cull, maybe that should be in a different thread? Seriously, how can one know *for sure* if they should cull? Let me give you an example.... You find a hen unable to sit or walk, so of course it can't eat/ drink, what do you do? Let it starve to death, tube feed or cull? Joe, I know you would cull, that's a viable option, but I choose to give supportive care until it recovers or gets worse. FWIW, the hen I used an example made a full recovery after several weeks of tubing and is still alive and well three years later.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: I guess it comes down to what one would think a life is worth.

 

[casportpony]

I guess it comes down to what one would think a life is worth.

You know me, lol, I spend much of my time tubing the sick ones... Some recover, some don't, but it has taught me so much.

 

[Gallina8]

Re: ensuing posts on culling/not, caring for the sick, and loss.

I did, without a doubt, consider putting her down. However, she was my pet... not 'just another' chicken.

Also, she was my first Polish chicken. If you've ever taken care of a Polish, I need not say more. She was one of seven birds and an absolute celebrity in my dense urban community in North Philadelphia. The kids adored her, and parents actually changed their routes while walking their kids to school in order to stop by the run to say hello to Piotr. She was beloved. As a community leader, a nurse's daughter, and an ivy-league educated woman, I made the difficult decision to make my best attempt at saving her. No doubt Piotr suffered, but I did in my own way too. I made some serious sacrifices in order to do this, so it was not a decision that I came to easily.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that I appreciate the truth of culling a sick bird. Really, I do. In this case though, I chose not to. She may have had Marek's- or she may have had a Polish-related gene disorder. As I said earlier, her particular type is very poorly bred and suffers greatly for it. Perhaps some day I'll raise a flock of healthy Black Crested White polish to undo the damage of sloppy breeders. Most likely not, but I hope that someone does.

Thank you all for your condolences, and I hope that the thread is useful to many, many more chicken owners everywhere! We sure did do our homework, that's for sure! My heart is warmed by your posts and I appreciate that you've taken the time to write them.

My partner and I buried Piotr last night and I arranged a flower and grape display on her grave. She just loved grapes. We even lit a few candles. While I do not practice a religion, I do believe in the interconnectedness of all things, so we sent her off in style~

Yours Truly,

~Katrina

 

[seminolewind]

Galina, how nice what you did. You don't have to have excuses for being a caring person. I'm crazy about my Polish girls, even the roo. I think maybe I should give mine a nice burial like yours. It's real pretty. And she had a nice life!

 

[casportpony]

Katrina, that's beautiful and brought tears to my eyes, how very sweet of you. Thanks for sharing.

Take care of yourself,
Kathy

 

[Haunted55]

Katrina, may your hopes come true.

 

[SilkiesnFrizzle]

Teamed up and vaccinated all of my birds for the first time. I was terrified of the thought of sticking a needle into a chick, but that is far better than watching your beauties waste away, as I have desperately tried to save them.

 

[Haunted55]

Teamed up and vaccinated all of my birds for the first time. I was terrified of the thought of sticking a needle into a chick, but that is far better than watching your beauties waste away, as I have desperately tried to save them.

GOOD FOR YOU!!!! That's excellent!

 

[Haunted55]

I am currently having the last of this staggered hatching come out of their shells. Eleven out and 1 more pipping. This is second generation of survivors' chicks. I think that's right....? These are the babies, of the babies, of the Marek's survivors, from last year. Control Group 2...it's easier, lol. All seem healthy and it's just a wait and see how these will fare through the coming weeks and months. Control Group 1 seems to be getting through their 6th month without any issues, so far.

I have new chicks coming the first part of May. All vaccinated for Marek's. First batch with just the MD-Vac [turkey's Marek's vaccine] the second will have all three of the vaccines available. These will have to be kept completely separated for 6-8 weeks. After that I will put them into the same house but in separated pens so they can become used to each other slowly. This is going to be interesting, to say the least. It all looks good and sounds good. Now I'll find out if it works good in the doing. It's all I have available to me, as my mind set will not allow the complete culling of everything here. Not gonna do it. So I move on and hope it all works. I am getting things together to send samples for necropsy and am also trying to find someone to teach me how to take blood samples from chickens. Just in case. Hope may spring eternal, but reality needs be bowed to as well.