How long do Marek's symptoms take to run their course?

[onthespot]

I am just wondering, because last year one of my pullets suddenly was down. I thought she had had heat stroke or something and the other birds were picking on her and she couldn't stand on one leg. Now, a year later after reading a lot on here, it seems like she maybe had Marek's, but she was fine a day later with no treatment. Can a chicken get over Marek's that fast?

 

[horsejody]

Marek's can take days, weeks or months. It depends on the bird and the severity of the disease. They are never really cured. The disease just goes into remission. Survivors are often less thrifty and lay fewer eggs.

 

[redhen]

Can that be passed through eggs?

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
no.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
yep it all depends on which nerves it attacks and how severe it is. If she is all better than you are very lucky

 

[onthespot]

She is all better, and never looked back, and within a couple weeks was queen of the flock and still is. I'm guessing the rest of them were exposed and are resistant? No one else ever showed any signs. (or it really was heat stroke.)

 

[CarriBrown]

I know that Marek's runs rapid in our area and I'm sure it is spread even faster with the "wild" chickens down on 6th along with the wild birds.
What kind of bird is she? Where did you get her from?

 

[onthespot]

It was one of my mottled cochins. I got the eggs from eggbid from someone in Tx, cowgirl78343 or some such name, (just guessing on the numbers) And the chickens are inside a large flight, which is inside a huge chain link cage, which is lined inside with 1/2" chicken wire/aviary netting and covered on top by plywood. I doubt she could get it from a small bird. Maybe rodents could carry it to the food??? Who knows... It never traveled through all my birds though, just the one as far as I know... Maybe I should take a closer look at everyone one by one to look for clues...

 

[horsejody]

It is airborn. They only have to be outside to be exposed. No direct or close contact is needed. Marek's is widespread and worldwide. Most unvaccinated birds carry it latent in their system.