I might have Marek's?!

[Borncountry419]

So before I decided to stop bringing in adult birds from other people, I had purchased some Cochin bantams from a lady. Shortly after having them, the rooster started becoming lazy and slightly sick looking. His comb started lightening in color until it was a very pale yellow (haven't read anything about this being a symptom of Marek's, and he just died last week after being in this condition for several months). His iris wasn't very defined like all of my other birds, and the 3 hens that came with him also have a lot of speckles around the iris. They're birchin Cochins and one is a white Cochin. They seem perfectly happy and healthy. Anyway, I have about 50 young chicks that are ready to go in the barn from the shop. If the Cochins do have Marek's, should I assume that most of my babies would end up dying? If that were the case, I'd rather sell all of my babies instead of sending them to their death. I've never dealt with poultry disease before, so I'm not very educated.

Thanks for any help!

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
If your cochins have Marek's your chicks will most certainly become infected as it is brought about by shedding of thier feather shafts--any draft or wind will blow it around into where the babies are. Even handling your chicks after feeding and watering the cochins could ultimately spread the disease...I would keep your chicks far away from those cochins and only handle the chicks first thing in am -if you have to go back to them -change everything you were wearing and wash up. There are several forms-one affects the nerves -causing tumors to grow on nerves-like the sciactic nerve ( sp) will cause a leg to seem bummed/paralized--then there's ocular, which causes grey eye-their pupils turn completely blue/grey and cause blindness. the 3rd is internal causing issues with the organs... You can vaccinate those chicks-the vaccine is cheap. If you do- you HAVE to still keep them seperate from all other birds for 2 weeks as they can then shed the virus and make other ill-the virus is actually turkey mareks-the chicks will build an immunity against Marek's but can still contract it and be carriers. You cannot vaccinate birds that already have it or have been exposed to it-point is mute.

 

[sonew123]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=112920 Hope this sticky helps you!!