I need help immediately

[Riv-6]

update;
good and bad news
we ended up having to cull her but we were able to get her into Michigan state laboratory! results to come soon, just praying that we won't have to cull our entire flock!

Hoping for the best news for you. I'm so sorry you have been losing chickens!

 

[Chickenlover0810]

necropsy results ended up saying it is Mareks Disease, is there any treatment? is it too late to vaccinate them? is this just a situation where I wait for them all to die?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

necropsy results ended up saying it is Mareks Disease, is there any treatment? is it too late to vaccinate them? is this just a situation where I wait for them all to die?

Yes it is too late to vaccinate. It has to be done within 24 hours of hatching. I am so, so sorry for your loss.

I could be wrong, but I believe Marek's is one of those things where it isn't treatable, but some birds will survive and some won't. Your options are to cull the entire flock and start over, or keep your entire flock, hope for the best, and never introduce new birds until your flock dies out. If you cull and start over, everything needs sanitized and chickens kept on a part of the land that your old flock had not visited.

https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/mareks-disease-in-small-flocks

"If your entire flock has not been vaccinated, as many as 60 per cent of them could catch it, and most will die. Even those that appear to recover may have internal tumours that will eventually kill them."

Reportedly, one person states she managed to integrate vaccinated pullets to a hen that survived Marek's if you want to read about it:

https://www.littlefarmonthecorner.c...eks-disease-backyard-chickens/?v=7516fd43adaa

 

[FeatherTay]

necropsy results ended up saying it is Mareks Disease, is there any treatment? is it too late to vaccinate them? is this just a situation where I wait for them all to die?

@humblehillsfarm is entirely correct. I am so sorry for your loss. The best thing to do is look forward, and remember your babies that helped you learn so much.

 

[Eggcessive]

Many people here on BYC have dealt with Mareks disease in their flocks. Some birds may not get the symptoms, and many of those people will breed those birds to get chicks who may resist the disease. If you get more chicks in the future, it is best to vaccinate them, and keep them away from the contaminated coop or other birds for a full 2 weeks to achieve immunity. Those chicks will still be carriers of Mareks since they will be exposed, but the vaccine may help protect them from getting the symptoms of the disease. Sorry that you are dealing with Mareks. Here is a good article with many facts about Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[theoldchick]

Since you are having so much problems with your flock, I would cull them all and start again with vaccinated stock from a hatchery. Unfortunately local breeders to not vaccinate chicks against this disease.

https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/marek-disease-in-poultry

 

[Chickenlover0810]

Results;

 

[LaFleche]

Deworming all of your chickens thoroughly would be the important thing to do now. Then cleaning out their coop, cleaning all their waterers and feeders, renew the bedding and - if possible - let them forage in a different area/run after the deworming.

As a next step adding vitamin supplements to their water and providing them with freshly milled chicken feed containing at least 20% protein.

 

[theoldchick]

Well now you know what happened. So you can plan what to do.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/control-treatment-of-worms-in-chickens/