HELP ME PLEASE!! I've already lost 2 girls from Marek's. I need guidance for future PLEASE

[Painted Calls]

Can molting be a trigger for marek symptoms? Ty

Absolutely

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Absolutely

Is it ok for a molting chicken to eat the same layer feed 16% protein as the other 4 nonmolters? Was thinking of switching feed for 2 reasons, 1 is for more protein through winter, and the second is regarding the molter. Thank you Overo.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Is it ok for a molting chicken to eat the same layer feed 16% protein as the other 4 nonmolters? Was thinking of switching feed for 2 reasons, 1 is for more protein through winter, and the second is regarding the molter. Thank you Overo.

I also have eggshells and real crushed oysters available 24/7.

 

[microchick]

Any stress can trigger dormant Marek's disease. For my flock, I tended to lose all my young roosters at 12-`18 months when they came into their sexual maturity and encountered breeding stress from hormones.

Most birds are infected around 9 weeks of age. Either they survive this initial infection only to succumb to secondary MD diseases or they are resistant to the infection.

 

[RoyalChick]

So I'm feeling a bit confused after reading through all of the replies and articles I've researched.

@Jezalilly
I'm sorry you are dealing with this. All aspects, the questioning, medicating, watching, euthanizing and all the other c*** is just so dang hard.

I closed my flock and contacted the two farms I had sent pullets and cockerels to. Every bird that left my property, before the symptoms started, is thriving as well as the flocks they joined.

After losing one this past Sunday (6 in total now) I made a last minute purchase of 5 chicks even though I said I would not add any. I've just picked them up and they are adorable! It's the first time I've looked at a bird inside my house with excitement (not sorrow and sadness) since June.

I bought from My Pet Chicken and vaccinated for Marek's. I'm using a new tote and my cat's bowls. They will stay inside away from the flock for the first 2 weeks.

But from what I've read, here and articles, it would seem that the vaccinated chicks can actually make my currently symptom free hens more sick because it is a "leaky" vaccine? Am I understanding this correctly? Take away the stress of adding to the flock as I am as prepared as I can be for this, just the addition of vaccinated chicks in the flock, who could be shedding the virus, can make the original flock more sick?

If I am understanding your question correctly I think you are OK.
Your vaccinated chicks would not infect your adult hens. That is not what a leaky vaccine means.
What will likely happen is your adult hens will give Marek’s to your chicks. But your chicks should survive because they are vaccinated but the chicks could become carriers
So, if you introduced an unvaccinated chicken they could catch Marek’s and die of it and they could catch it either from your adult hens directly, or from the vaccinated chicks who had become carriers (having caught it from the adult hens originally).
And for the chicks to be protected by the vaccine you need to quarantine them from the adults for about two weeks while the vaccine takes effect.
Hope that helps.

 

[Painted Calls]

Is it ok for a molting chicken to eat the same layer feed 16% protein as the other 4 nonmolters? Was thinking of switching feed for 2 reasons, 1 is for more protein through winter, and the second is regarding the molter. Thank you Overo.

It really depends on the individual bird. Some do okay with 16%, others need more.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

It really depends on the individual bird. Some do okay with 16%, others need more.

Thank you Overo Mare. Heres a pic of her today.