I have Marek's. Or Do I? Now What?

[izopsitos]

Some of you may have noticed a previous post from me about a generically sick chicken I was trying to treat. My sweet porcelain d'uccle, Sybil, sadly had to be euthanized on December 29th, about 10 days after showing symptoms, because we brought her to the vet and he suspected marek's. I don't know her age but I'm assuming she was about 7 months.

We did a gross necropsy with the vet and the findings were that her spleen was covered in tumors. I know this could technically be leukosis as well but did not ask for further testing at the time because I wasn't aware of that yet.

I am so scared for the rest of my flock and so, so angry. These chickens are my pets. They bring me so much joy, and have been the one bright light in this absolutely awful year for me. Now I find out I can lose them all, too.

I guess I am here to vent and try to listen to as many other peoples' experiences with this disease as possible. I have read the Marek's FAQ on this website and found it helpful, but MDV is so unique flock to flock and chicken to chicken that I am curious about hearing other peoples' experiences with it so I can brace myself correctly. I will provide a timeline of all happenings so far below. Sorry, it's long.

2025:

• June 22nd: I bring home my first batch of six chicks from a local NPIP breeder. Black copper maran, two lavender orpingtons, two silkies, and a cream legbar.
• June 30th: I bring home two silver laced wynandottes from a local TSC.
• July 20th: Probably where I made my mistake. I went to a local farm swamp and brought home my two d'uccles and a buff orpington (same age as my original chicks), and a white leghorn pullet that had just started to lay.
• August 16th: Add an easter egger, speckled sussex, sapphire splash, and grey polish pullet. These guys are mareks vaccinated.
• September 30: I take in a 2.5yr old leghorn from a local keeper. She was rehomed to me due to being an egg eater (she has since stopped eating eggs in my care).
• End Oct/Early Nov: My original white leghorn becomes severely ill. She lost a lot of weight without me noticing and laid a softshell egg. Take her to the vet and she is prescribed antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and calcium supplement.
• Mid November: White leghorn is back to normal and re-introduced to flock. Continues to take calcium supplements and antibiotics daily. After inspection and watching her eat up close, I believe she just wasn't able to eat very well due to being slightly cross-beaked and her lower beak jutting out, despite me having deep feeders. We trim her beak. She's thriving. However, my 2.5yr old leghorn starts a HARD molt.
• Mid December: Start noticing d'uccle with her tail down. Still coming out to greet me, eating treats, acting normal except for tail. I think it's just submissive behavior, as she was definitely low girl on the totem pole.
• Week before Christmas: D'uccle declines, becomes puffed and more lethargic. I bring her inside, but she is so flighty and neurotic I have no choice but to bring her sister in with her to keep her from throwing herself against the dog kennel.
• Christmas - now: D'uccle declined despite all my attempts at care. Symptoms were lethargy, weight loss, and struggling to swallow food and water. Took her to vet, he suspected marek's. Put her down, did a necropsy, had tumors on her spleen. 2.5yr old leghorn is just about finished with molt, and is pretty much back to normal but not yet laying again.

I also have chicks that I hatched in October. The plan was to put them outside in a separate but adjacent coop once fully feathered, but we have had an uncharacteristically brutal early winter here (single digits, snow, wind) so they are still inside. They are far from the chickens outside, but I have obviously cross-contaminated my hands, clothing, etc. since they were about 3wks old because I did not think anything was amiss.

One of these chicks had a slipped tendon at 9wks old (confirmed by vet), and somehow I managed to get it back into place and help her heal. Don't ask me how, I know it's unlikely, but it happened. She was doing well, not walking perfect, but could definitely walk-ish after a few weeks. She is now having stiffness in this same leg and points it forward. When I pick her up, she bends the leg up under her body, along with her other leg. But when placed down, she can't walk with bending it. She will sit down with both feet under her, and sometimes the injured leg will be out front a bit. Is this an onset of the marek's paralysis or did she possibly reinjure her already "bum" leg? The leg doesn't seem paralyzed, but it's not normal. It's been this way for about a week.

No other birds across my flock have symptoms. They have a clean, spacious, dry coop and ample run space that I am insane about keeping clean, high protein layer food for the winter, scratch, grit, oyster shells, and water. Egg production is about what you'd expect for winter time, but not all my girls are laying yet either. They free-ranged all summer and fall, but since a hawk attack earlier in December (which they survived), have since been confined to their covered run and fenced area.

Is there any point where mareks could have been introduced to my flock? Did it come in with the d'uccles/leghorn in July and just lay dormant for that amount of time? Why would it come out now, and not have taken out my extremely sick leghorn in october and my other leghorn during her molt? Am I going to watch all of my girls slowly die over the next few months or is there a glimmer of hope? What can I do proactively?

I appreciate you if you read all that. I'm so scared, and appreciate any support and insight anyone has.

 

[AmeraucanaLover20]

I have dealt with Marek's and know how upsetting this must feel.
Usually not all chickens in a flock die from it but the survivors will unfortunately be carriers of the disease for life.
My heartfelt sympathies go to you and your flock during this hard time.