Idaho?

[annewandering]

Pawtraitart, how do you verify you have mereks in your flock?

 

[Mr Peeps Mama]

Omg. I just want to cry when I read this...I've had some of these girls for 5 years and they all have names and unique personalites...they arent just chickens, each one is my pet. I so hope it's not mareks, but I really think it is....One of the ladies on here is doing some research for me because she thinks it might be something else. I sooo hope she's right!

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Omg. I just want to cry when I read this...I've had some of these girls for 5 years and they all have names and unique personalites...they arent just chickens, each one is my pet. I so hope it's not mareks, but I really think it is....One of the ladies on here is doing some research for me because she thinks it might be something else. I sooo hope she's right!

You can take a dead bird to a University--here in Logan, USU will do the tests to verify cause of death--I have heard some vets are capable of identifying Marek's. If you live by BSU I would call and see if they are able to do this for you, if anything it would be comforting to know if this was NOT the cause of illness, there are so many diseases it could be a number of things.

I feel bad for you--I am terrified also of Marek's...I try to hatch my own chicks when I can, or get vaccinated chicks at least--there are only three people I get started pullets from because I know they have healthy flocks. Be super careful with birds on classifieds

 

[annewandering]

U of Idaho has extension services all over the place. I am sure there is one there where you live. I know they test plants for disease so no doubt they can do animals as well.
If you get it tested now it will either relieve your mind or at least settle it so you have a direction to go. I dont know if there is a fee but if there is its going to be minimal. They want to have these things under control and also know where there are outbreaks.

 

[pawtraitart]

I've never had Mereks on our property but I've read about the horror experienced by others who have. As has been posted, I think there is a test of some kind...perhaps it's something they find inside the deceased bird like lesions or something along those lines. If it's confirmed, don't be surprised if you are asked to destroy your beloved pets. I would exhaust other possible causes before contacting the State authorities, but in the end, you need to find out what it is so it doesn't move onto other flocks. I'm so sorry this has happened to you.

 

[BeccaSmith]

U of Idaho has extension services all over the place. I am sure there is one there where you live. I know they test plants for disease so no doubt they can do animals as well.
If you get it tested now it will either relieve your mind or at least settle it so you have a direction to go. I dont know if there is a fee but if there is its going to be minimal. They want to have these things under control and also know where there are outbreaks.

Here is the website for the Ada County Ag Extension Services, they are off of Glenwood, I have taken plants to them before for help, they might be able to point a person in the right direction for animals if they do not handle them. http://www.uidaho.edu/extension/ada

 

[Mr Peeps Mama]

I am so hoping you are all right and maybe it's something else. I have sure never seen anything like it before. Now this morning he is improving again...just a little. He squeezed my fingers with the worst leg...and for the first time when I was holding him he started preening under his wing. I cant get him to eat any kind of chicken food and I know he has to have a protein source as well as electrolytes, etc so if I can just keep him alive til I find out how serious it is. He loves grapes (hydration!) and he will eat shrimp (protein!) and a little bit of canned corn...(not that great as nutrition but at least he's eating) I force the pediasure and the pediolyte...the pedialyte has been great for hydration, I have seen an improvement in the look of his comb and the pediasure has 7 g of protein..probably more sugar than he needs BUT it has vitamins and minerals. I will pick up some duravet vitamins today. He also 'shivers' sometimes and feels hot, I know their temp is always higher than ours but he is unusually hot. I give him a third of an 81mg baby aspiring 2-3 times a day. I researched first to find the dosage and any drawbacks to giving it to them. It helps him and he always acts like he feels better when it kicks in. When he first got sick I am ashamed to say he had a bad case of the scaley leg mites...huge lumps all over his feet and he was not one of the tame ones so I kept putting off treating him. I started doctoring those first bcuz I honestly thought he had an infection from them....now he has none of the lumps or raised scales, the neosporin wraps has completely cleared up and I dont wrap his legs now...gah. Just makes me so sad. I will NEVER get birds off craigslit ever again and if I buy chicks from a hatchery they will be vaccinated. Tough lesson to learn. I've had these guys for 4 years and it has been one thing after another...as I've said I thought I was saving these birds by taking them from the nasty place they lived to my house...never thought they would infect my other birds with gapeworm, scaley leg mites, this thing I think is mareks and who knows what else?

 

[Mo5C]

Does anyone know if the chicks that came from the feedstore got the vaccine? All I know is they came from Dunlap's. Also how do you tell if you have a rooster or a hen from the color of their combs? I have a RIR chick who's comb is an orangeish pink color (more yellow than orange).

 

[annewandering]

She did not have the chicks vaccinated. It cost another $2 each.
In most breeds the roosters comb is definitely red. At least redder than the females. You might look up photos of your breed to see the differences.

 

[BackYardChknLvr]

I probly would get ahold of dunlap ask if they vacinate there chicks befor sending them out to the feed stores cause now i'm starting to wonder and get worried....but none of my chickens have shown any sign of illness so i hope i'm gona be safe