Living with Mareks

[Sunnyabc]

At least most of my newby chicken mysteries are making sense now (sadly). We have 5 girls (?) all 11 weeks old. New coop, new flock so we assume when we added 2 week old Della (Delaware) to our 4 she must have been infected from the feed store. She showed symptoms starting at 3 weeks and I thought she had a head injury. Stumbling, poor overall balance. After about a month of symptoms she has completely recovered but a week ago, Buffy (Orpington) has come down with much worse balance imparement and falling unable to get up. Thank you rebrascora for the correct diagnosis from my video clip! Buffy's safe and happy place has always been with us so we've had her inside (with frequent supervised outside visits) for the last 3 days. She is really happy, eating, drinking getting nutrients but when the sun starts to get low in the early eve she freaks out! Screeching, beak opening and closing rapid fire, when we pick her up she makes a b line to get as high and close under our necks as possible like something is chasing her from below, scratching us and frantically flapping wings. Last night I had to litterally lay next to her in a dark room last night for about 15 minutes before she finally settled down. Oddly, Della, has a very similar reaction with VERY loud distress crying for 10 minutes or so before settling into the coop.

1) Is this type of sunset distress a symptom of the disease? Any tricks for getting her to calm down tonight??? That was pretty crazy.

2) Buffy is extremely attached to us and wants to be held all of the time. Will follow us around in the house flapping, falling backwards, then stumbling forward....and when she finally reaches us stands on our feet and looks up making her little imploring sounds. Is this bad? Will she have trouble integrating again if (when) she recovers?

3) I am giving her nutridrench in her scrambled egg. I have also read you may treat active symptoms with these things but wanted to check with you all before trying any of this: Lysine, acyclovir, colloidal silver, St Johns wort. Whatever I give her must be in feed because she hates the dropper in beak.

4) Secondly, What daily supplements can I give the rest of my small infected flock to help them not succumb. I have heard all of the following and I'm hoping you all can weigh in. Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic in their daily water supply, fermented feed (still not sure how to buy/make? this), any thing else???

Thanks everyone very much and my apologies this post is so long!

 

[azygous]

My flock has an avian virus, and I've found that fermented feed definitely maximizes their health so they are better able to develop resistance. It must be working since half the flock are seven and older, up to ten years old.

To make FF, just cover dry feed with warm water in a container. Add a splash of ACV the first time to help jump start the ferment. Stir a couple times a day, and you should have FF in 48 hours if kept at room temp.

You can add more dry feed to make it thicker or water to thin it. I start a new batch with a cup of ferment from the first batch when I'm down to one day of FF. You can get FF the succeeding times faster by using filtered water and a bit of "starter" from the first batch.

You will find that each adult chicken will consume about half a cup of FF per day. I feed twice a day out of dog bowls set into a raised "table frame" with holes cut out so the bowls fit inside them. That way, bowls don't get overturned. Others make a trough out of wood or plastic rain gutter.

 

[Sunnyabc]

My flock has an avian virus, and I've found that fermented feed definitely maximizes their health so they are better able to develop resistance. It must be working since half the flock are seven and older, up to ten years old.

To make FF, just cover dry feed with warm water in a container. Add a splash of ACV the first time to help jump start the ferment. Stir a couple times a day, and you should have FF in 48 hours if kept at room temp.

You can add more dry feed to make it thicker or water to thin it. I start a new batch with a cup of ferment from the first batch when I'm down to one day of FF. You can get FF the succeeding times faster by using filtered water and a bit of "starter" from the first batch.

You will find than each adult chicken will consume about half a cup of FF per day. I feed twice a day out of dog bowls set into a raised "table frame" with holes cut out so the bowls fit inside them. That way, bowls don't get overturned. Others make a trough out of wood or plastic rain gutter.

Thank you SO MUCh - that sounds very easy

 

[Sunnyabc]

Success! They love it and I've been feeding approx 1/2 cup per chicken daily. One question.... after 2 days of fermentation should I put left over in the fridge to stop the process? Thank you so much!

 

[azygous]

No need to refrigerate. You can activate fermentation by adding more water and dry feed. After a while you will be able to figure out how long a batch will feed your chickens and when to start a new one. I keep two buckets going and start the new one when I have one day of FF left.

Glad the troops love it!

 

[Rose Quartz]

At least most of my newby chicken mysteries are making sense now (sadly). We have 5 girls (?) all 11 weeks old. New coop, new flock so we assume when we added 2 week old Della (Delaware) to our 4 she must have been infected from the feed store. She showed symptoms starting at 3 weeks and I thought she had a head injury. Stumbling, poor overall balance. After about a month of symptoms she has completely recovered but a week ago, Buffy (Orpington) has come down with much worse balance imparement and falling unable to get up. Thank you rebrascora for the correct diagnosis from my video clip! Buffy's safe and happy place has always been with us so we've had her inside (with frequent supervised outside visits) for the last 3 days. She is really happy, eating, drinking getting nutrients but when the sun starts to get low in the early eve she freaks out! Screeching, beak opening and closing rapid fire, when we pick her up she makes a b line to get as high and close under our necks as possible like something is chasing her from below, scratching us and frantically flapping wings. Last night I had to litterally lay next to her in a dark room last night for about 15 minutes before she finally settled down. Oddly, Della, has a very similar reaction with VERY loud distress crying for 10 minutes or so before settling into the coop.

1) Is this type of sunset distress a symptom of the disease? Any tricks for getting her to calm down tonight??? That was pretty crazy.

2) Buffy is extremely attached to us and wants to be held all of the time. Will follow us around in the house flapping, falling backwards, then stumbling forward....and when she finally reaches us stands on our feet and looks up making her little imploring sounds. Is this bad? Will she have trouble integrating again if (when) she recovers?

3) I am giving her nutridrench in her scrambled egg. I have also read you may treat active symptoms with these things but wanted to check with you all before trying any of this: Lysine, acyclovir, colloidal silver, St Johns wort. Whatever I give her must be in feed because she hates the dropper in beak.

4) Secondly, What daily supplements can I give the rest of my small infected flock to help them not succumb. I have heard all of the following and I'm hoping you all can weigh in. Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic in their daily water supply, fermented feed (still not sure how to buy/make? this), any thing else???

Thanks everyone very much and my apologies this post is so long!

haven't had marek's but.... the screeching at sundown I have had. the only thing I've found that helps with that is what ever room they're in if the lights are on, turn them off just before the sun starts setting so they can get used to the natural light slowly fading. chicks that have been raised with MHP don't freak out like this at night. They are worried that they're mama is disappearing they associate the light, source of heat with mom. they'll settle down after a while when they realize they'll be ok with out it.