I need advice asap

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC - thanks for joining us.

I'd suggest starting a new thread here:
(Please read this link first): https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/have-an-emergency-disease-please-read-first.3569/

Then post on this link:

Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures

 

[Ezzythehen]

My sister suspected it in her flock we are pretty sure she does not have it. But after that scare i know not to ever bring in chickens. I have been hatching chicks for her for several years now. Its the only way i know for sure that it isnt there. I dont have any birds of my own yet. Getting mareks just one of the 3 types would put me out of chickens i think forever.

I will say this......I hate having had to go thru this. But I have learned SO much about having chickens that in a way I am grateful. I think I must have gotten this so I could share the info. There is so much out there too! One of the best and most hopeful things I learned was that 99.9% of all chickens born in hatcheries in the US have been exposed to Mareks. Some will say, " you have to cull your flock and go chicken free for one year to clear your soil." The experts at OSU say, "that is overkill, pardon the pun." The deal is that if you are the unlucky recipient of this horrific disease, you MUST go to great lengths to keep your flock healthy at all times. I keep heat lamps on when we get below 40. I clean the coop (entirely) every 7 days. While I am an organic believer, I have learned that there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY to keep the thousands of varieties of nematodes out of your girls' bellies without using "inorganic" methods twice per year. ACV works to HELP prevent. But it does not get rid of anything. Oregano oil is awesome. As a preventive. NOT A CURE. I have been a health professor for 15 years and practice organic, non-GMO practices in my life. It simply is not the best way to care for a flock of chickens who free-range. Anyway, I am on a soapbox now and I must get off. My point is that I am so thankful for folks like you who take the time to try and help, share, empathize, and prevent the worst. I love my girls like they are my family. I treat them as I do my dogs and cats. They are special. I appreciate everyone who gives input. It lead me to get the necropsy which lead me to the reality I face. Had it not been for this site, I may have passed this on in my chicks to other flocks. So thank you so much for being here. I am honored.

 

[Latestarter]

So sorry I'm late to this "party"... I come by my name honestly. First, welcome to BYC, second, I'm terribly sorry for the situation you are in and what you have gone through and will continue to have to deal with. It's sad that there are those out there who will do unto others what has been done to you. Kinda makes me wish that the stocks and public humiliation were still an option. That being said, I know many a politician who would have been tarred, feathered & run out of town by now... Nuther whole subject... sorry

Hope you'll stay with us in the future. There's a lot of great stuff in the threads, and lots of really awesome folks here. I hope it's not what everyone fears it is and that your hen recovers. Please make yourself at home here. Hope you get your cloud issue figured out as well. Pictures really are worth a 1000 words.

Oh, if you haven't done so already, PLEASE put at least your general location in your profile. It could be very important if/when you ask for or offer help or advice. You know, climate issues and such. Old folks like me will never remember from this thread. To add it, mouse hover over Account top right and a drop down will appear. Click on Personal Details and scan down. You'll see the spot for Location. Then go to the bottom and save changes. Thanks! Hope you enjoy the site!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I am so sorry!

 

[Laodicia]

Anyway, I am on a soapbox now and I must get off.

I didnt feel you were. It's info I love to know. as you said :

I think I must have gotten this so I could share the info.

Mareks is something I don't know enough about. The only people I've known in real life that weren't my immediate family, that were farmers were very insistent that organic was the way to go, and any animal that had medicine ever was unsuitable for humans to eat or even eat their products (eggs, milk) from what I've read online if someone flock gets Mareks their property has it forever so their's no point in having chickens unless you want it again. It's good to know that professionals feel that 1 year is over kill.

 

[lazy gardener]

We have all three strains of Mareks.

Ezzy, so sorry you are dealing with this in your flock. So, if I understand correctly, you are breeding forward from within your own flock? I am also curious as to your general location. And, is Mareks a huge concern in your area? Are other flock owners so affected? Do you have wild turkeys in your area? Have you read any of the info that speaks to turkeys carrying a less virulent strain of Mareks, thus serving as natural conveyors of immunity to the more virulent strains of chicken Mareks? And finally, what does OSU say about Mareks and turkeys???

Finally, given what you have going on, what is your stand regarding the Mareks vaccine? No doubt you've seen the PBS video about Mareks vaccine being leaky and thus allowing the virus to mutate to be even more virulent.

If I'm hitting you with too many questions, please forgive, but you sound like the perfect person to weigh in on these questions b/c of your experience and your holistic approach.

 

[lazy gardener]

Finally, do you free range? Do you use fermented feed? There is an excellent article about the benefits, the how and why of fermented feed in my signature line. Do you use garlic and ginger in your prophylaxis program? Pumpkin seeds/extract? I've noted that my flock chows down on rhubarb leaves every fall, in spite of the fact that they have a whole yard full of succulent free range available to them. I'm thinking that the high oxalic acid in the rhubarb leaves serves as an antihelminthic. I'm blessed to have flocks of wild turkeys that range through my yard on occasion, though less frequently since I got a dog.

 

[lazy gardener]

I've read online if someone flock gets Mareks their property has it forever so their's no point in having chickens unless you want it again. It's good to know that professionals feel that 1 year is over kill.

Ezzy, clarification of meaning behind last statement please. Were they saying that it's overkill to purge the flock and wait a year... in order to rid your property of the disease. Or were they saying that it's overkill to purge the flock and wait a year... because Mareks is persistent, and will still be in the soil no matter how long you wait???

 

[CCUK]

Wow, there is a absolute wealth of knowledge being passed around here. My heads struggling to take it all in! I'm sorry for your losses and I'm sure you will find a solution for this. It's great that you are here and hope you can also help the less knowledgeable of us on here with the mundane, difficult and random problems we incur.

 

[Kiki]

Ezzy, so sorry you are dealing with this in your flock. So, if I understand correctly, you are breeding forward from within your own flock? I am also curious as to your general location. And, is Mareks a huge concern in your area? Are other flock owners so affected? Do you have wild turkeys in your area? Have you read any of the info that speaks to turkeys carrying a less virulent strain of Mareks, thus serving as natural conveyors of immunity to the more virulent strains of chicken Mareks? And finally, what does OSU say about Mareks and turkeys???

Finally, given what you have going on, what is your stand regarding the Mareks vaccine? No doubt you've seen the PBS video about Mareks vaccine being leaky and thus allowing the virus to mutate to be even more virulent.

If I'm hitting you with too many questions, please forgive, but you sound like the perfect person to weigh in on these questions b/c of your experience and your holistic approach.

I agree.
I'd like to find out more too.