I wish I knew.. DO YOU KNOW?

[duluthralphie]

I think I'm dealing with this awful disease now. I'm getting the next one that croaks tested so I know for sure. With my track record it won't be long. Going from big plans of breeding to 50% loss has been a huge disappointment. On top of I can't seem to eat my eggs without getting sick even though everyone else in the house does just fine with them. Im just not willing to risk breeding and causing this heart ache for someone else. oh well nothing I can do about it, on the positive side I've got some gorgeous birds to enjoy daily.
If I am in fact dealing with a nasty strain of Marek's and chickens are out of the question does all poultry catch it? Or can I breed something else?

Good luck,

I found Smith Poultry has the best price on vaccine. I got back from the show to see one of my reserve cockerels has died in it's cage. Not going to bother cutting him open, Just assuming it is, cremating and vaccinating all new chicks.


All chickens get it, some lines maybe be more resistant than others. The problem lies in a slight mutation in the virus and they are susceptible.

 

[microchick]

Turkey's have their own strain of herpes that they get. Vaccine for chickens is made from it. Plus they can get black head.

Ducks are not susceptible as far as I know. Once again, they have their own medical problems you have to watch out for but for the most part everyone who has ducks says that their ducks are far healthier and less challenging medical wise as their chickens are.

Not sure about geese. Anybody out there know?

@duluthralphie, so sorry to hear about your cockerel. I hate it when you loose a bird unexpectedly like that. Had it happen with one of my first hatched bantam cockerels. Locked him up at night acting 100% normal, found him dead and stiff the next morning under the nesting boxes. Like you I just heave a sigh and deal with the remains.

@lauren6 I'm so sorry you are possibly facing Marek's in your flock. 50% loss is a hard hit. I had a nasty strain also. Not much that you can do except batten down the hatches and hang on for dear life..

 

[duluthralphie]

I have to disagree on the dux...

Everything I learn at the classes and from what the VETS at the poultry board here say, waterfowl are the biggest carriers of AI. AI is a flock destroying disease here.

 

[orrpeople]

I think I'm dealing with this awful disease now. I'm getting the next one that croaks tested so I know for sure. With my track record it won't be long. Going from big plans of breeding to 50% loss has been a huge disappointment. On top of I can't seem to eat my eggs without getting sick even though everyone else in the house does just fine with them. Im just not willing to risk breeding and causing this heart ache for someone else. oh well nothing I can do about it, on the positive side I've got some gorgeous birds to enjoy daily.
If I am in fact dealing with a nasty strain of Marek's and chickens are out of the question does all poultry catch it? Or can I breed something else?

For what it's worth, once you begin to identify the first stages, you might want to cull the second you see them. I know its not as cut-and-dried as that (sudden death is fairly common with this disease), but there is some evidence that the quicker you can remove a bird who is actively sluffing off infected dander, the better. They're all exposed, but limited exposure is about the best we can really hope for.

I am so sorry to hear about your flock. Outbreaks are the worst! I will be praying things will slow down for you - and that this won't be the end of your breeding plans. Keep doing your research, and I think you will see that the virus is everywhere, and learning to manage it will absolutely make you a better poultry keeper.

 

[microchick]

I have to disagree on the dux...

Everything I learn at the classes and from what the VETS at the poultry board here say, waterfowl are the biggest carriers of AI. AI is a flock destroying disease here.

I was thinking in terms of MD and didn't give AI a thought.

Something new to worry about. We are in a major flyway for spring migration. You name it, it flies over our farm. The dogs and I go for a walk to get anything that has stopped by our pond to rest and feed moving along every day during spring migration. I hate to do it. We have some beautiful wood ducks and teal here at the top of the list. I hate to chase them but I have all the diseases I can handle thankyouverymuchhaveaniceday. [/QUOTE]

 

[lauren6]

The weird thing is it's only been affecting my birds in the barn. So I thought it was maybe something they were scratching up since it's a dirt floor(we just moved here and god only knows what the previous owners threw around. They left 29 cats here, goats, sick rabbits. The neighbors stepped in before we bought it and rehomed most of them except for a few of the cats we kept) I have a separate coop with ducks and my older non laying girls and a few eggers in. They are all fine, no losses yet. (knock on wood) also have a few silkies in another spot that we're doing ok until yesterday, now a one of my 3 roos is limping. Maybe he just hurt himself but I'm not getting hopes up..

 

[orrpeople]

The weird thing is it's only been affecting my birds in the barn. So I thought it was maybe something they were scratching up since it's a dirt floor(we just moved here and god only knows what the previous owners threw around. They left 29 cats here, goats, sick rabbits. The neighbors stepped in before we bought it and rehomed most of them except for a few of the cats we kept) I have a separate coop with ducks and my older non laying girls and a few eggers in. They are all fine, no losses yet. (knock on wood) also have a few silkies in another spot that we're doing ok until yesterday, now a one of my 3 roos is limping. Maybe he just hurt himself but I'm not getting hopes up..

We have a similar situation in that several of our coops have not experienced any losses - and the converse of that...
Many factors are at work, I believe. As with any virus, there can be concentrations found (just ask a preschool teacher! ) - birds with active virus are an obvious source, as are conditions where the virus can thrive. I have read that breakouts are not as common where temperatures get super cold, and where seasons change more drastically. I'm not sure those reports are anything more than anecdotal, but it stands to reason that California appears to be a "hot bed" of MDV activity.

Okay, on a quick second topic... I think @casportpony is trying to encourage some more articles for the article writing contest (it's been going on for almost a year now, so it would be good to finish it off). I think there are many capable authors on this thread, and would like to encourage them to write as well. I am considering taking on the Marek's vaccine question - I just need to do a bit more research before I begin. I also welcome your thoughts on the topic. Any other willing participants?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-article-writing-contest-9-write-and-win.1144232/

 

[casportpony]

I look forward to read another article from you!

 

[microchick]

I had a shock this morning. I went out ot let the birds loose, feed and water and found one of my 'resistant' buff O hens very dead. She hadn't been dead long and the first thing I did was check the pupils to see if she was one of my Ocular Marek's birds. Pupils and irises in both eyes were normal. She was by all observation, healthy. No weight loss, egg production down, but everyone is molting and the weather is decidedly colder here.

I got her out and gave her a good once over in the sunlight. What I found was that she had an undetected vent prolapse. No visible sign of infection that I could see but the smell was pretty bad. I stand and watch my birds daily for signs of any one of them not 'feeling' well and no birds showed signs of egg binding, no squatting, no penguin waddling, nothing. No soiled bottoms. This one blew right under the radar. She was almost 3 so yes, a geriatric hen which could have been a factor but has anyone heard of Marek's disease causing an increase in the likely hood of vent prolapse?

I hate that I lost one of my birds that was showing resistance to the disease but if the exposure to Marek's has lead to this happening then a whole new factor has been thrown into the equation.

 

[duluthralphie]

FYI, I have started an article on Marek's. I started it a couple weeks ago, but other things have popped up and I am not finishing it as fast as I would have liked.


Which is one of the reasons I had so many of the answers to some of the questions you used on hand. I had pre-researched them. After all I am thinking an all expense paid trip to New Zealand will make a nice bookend to the one I won to Australia on my last article......Of course @Blooie has made it nearly impossible for me to collect as she is refusing her duties as bush snake locator...