- Aug 26, 2019
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This. Except for the fact that AVL is easier to get rid of from the environment and is easily inactivated by most disinfectants. Marek's is not.
HELP ME PLEASE!! I've already lost 2 girls from Marek's. I need guidance for future PLEASE
- Thread starter Jezalilly
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
You have received amazing responses. Lots of great information. I have avian leucosis in my flock, and I can speak to that virus.
A necropsy on a dead chicken with tumors can only examine the affected organs and conclude that the preponderance of evidence points more strongly to either Marek's or LL. Sometimes pathology tests can confirm more closely one or the other, but not always.
Usually, when the sciatic nerve shows acute inflammation, that will point strongly to Marek's, but it can also indicate LL. When the liver is enlarged, that points more to LL than Marek's. It's not all that important. Both viruses produce tumors that will kill chickens. LL is the more forgiving of the two, though, and chickens are more able to develop resistance to that one. I've had LL in my flock for fifteen years and have lost comparatively few chickens.
What both viruses have in common is contagiousness. You have a closed flock now, and no chickens may be rehomed from it or eggs sold or chicks sold. You must be very careful not to track the virus around town on your shoes that you wear in the run, and you must not allow visitors to visit your flock and track the virus off your property on their contaminated shoes.
If you wish to start over, as has been mentioned, LL is easier to eradicate from the premises than Marek's, but a waiting period of about a year will usually suffice to be sure Marek's is gone. LL is shorter lived in the environment and a period of a few weeks to a few months is usually adequate.
You may add chickens at any time, but unless you know for certain which virus your flock has, I would get Marek's vaccinated chicks and avoid introducing adult chickens to the flock. Healthy young chicks have a much better chance to develop resistance to LL.
My personal experience is that chicks hatched from an LL flock have a very high mortality rate, either dying before hatch or dying before age one year. Also, new chicks bought from outside can develop LL from close exposure to a broody hen with active LL symptoms and the outcome will be very heartbreaking.This happened recently in my flock when I allowed new chicks to be brooded by a hen who adopted them.
It's not the end of the world to have an avian virus in your flock. Just be aware of the things you won't be permitted that you would otherwise with an uninfected flock. My flock is healthy and normal and happy. So am I.
A necropsy on a dead chicken with tumors can only examine the affected organs and conclude that the preponderance of evidence points more strongly to either Marek's or LL. Sometimes pathology tests can confirm more closely one or the other, but not always.
Usually, when the sciatic nerve shows acute inflammation, that will point strongly to Marek's, but it can also indicate LL. When the liver is enlarged, that points more to LL than Marek's. It's not all that important. Both viruses produce tumors that will kill chickens. LL is the more forgiving of the two, though, and chickens are more able to develop resistance to that one. I've had LL in my flock for fifteen years and have lost comparatively few chickens.
What both viruses have in common is contagiousness. You have a closed flock now, and no chickens may be rehomed from it or eggs sold or chicks sold. You must be very careful not to track the virus around town on your shoes that you wear in the run, and you must not allow visitors to visit your flock and track the virus off your property on their contaminated shoes.
If you wish to start over, as has been mentioned, LL is easier to eradicate from the premises than Marek's, but a waiting period of about a year will usually suffice to be sure Marek's is gone. LL is shorter lived in the environment and a period of a few weeks to a few months is usually adequate.
You may add chickens at any time, but unless you know for certain which virus your flock has, I would get Marek's vaccinated chicks and avoid introducing adult chickens to the flock. Healthy young chicks have a much better chance to develop resistance to LL.
My personal experience is that chicks hatched from an LL flock have a very high mortality rate, either dying before hatch or dying before age one year. Also, new chicks bought from outside can develop LL from close exposure to a broody hen with active LL symptoms and the outcome will be very heartbreaking.This happened recently in my flock when I allowed new chicks to be brooded by a hen who adopted them.
It's not the end of the world to have an avian virus in your flock. Just be aware of the things you won't be permitted that you would otherwise with an uninfected flock. My flock is healthy and normal and happy. So am I.
- Thread starter
- #24
Very interesting!! I'm really starting to think my girls don't have Marek's... it seems me likely to be avian Leukosis.
- Thread starter
- #25
THANK YOU! What an incredible response. Chicken people are the BESTEST! Lol.
My 2 girls that died were over 3 years old so it would seem to indicate Avain Leukosis rather than Marek's. Would you agree?
Marek's is highly likely. Both are really. Remember it's not really important which of the two it is. Don't focus on that too much. If you really want an answer send your next death to a state lab. Which state are you in?
No, just because they were old does not mean that.
- Thread starter
- #28
I'm in New Orleans, LA. I just want to do right by my girls and future girls. I'd be bummed to send one of my deceased girls away...I cremated Parmesan and Marsala. Yes, I get A LOT of ribbing because of this...lol. The thing is, I cremated my dogs and my chickens are pets too. Anyway, I'll deal with that when/if time comes.
For now I need to focus on getting as much information as possible and making responsible decisions moving forward in order to give my girls the best life I can.
- Thread starter
- #29
Great info!! Thanks
You have only 4 birds right now?
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