Marek’s or something else????

[Kiki]

Kelsey....if you help him you need to refrigerate him to send him to the lab.

 

[Kiki]

Yeah, exactly. Which is why I’m thinking I don’t want to do it.

I understand. I do not like playing doctor.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Do not wait, contact your state lab tomorrow morning and ask them what their exact process is.
Be prepared before he dies, in case he dies.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/➡-necropsy-and-disease-testing-state-lab-website-info.1236884/




Your lab:
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/diagnostic-testing-services

Thank you!!! This is really helpful. I’ll call right away tomorrow.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Kelsey....if you help him you need to refrigerate him to send him to the lab.

I’m going to wait to cull him until I call them I think so I can do it right and not mess it up.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I understand. I do not like playing doctor.

Yeah me neither!! And I don’t think I can deal with any more losses.

I was thinking of ordering a vial of the vaccine since it’s not too expensive and it would allow me to keep hatching without worrying about it (besides not selling) but they only come in 1,000 vial doses

 

[Kiki]

Yeah me neither!! And I don’t think I can deal with any more losses.

I was thinking of ordering a vial of the vaccine since it’s not too expensive and it would allow me to keep hatching without worrying about it (besides not selling) but they only come in 1,000 vial doses

No, that vial lasts for 24 hours only.
It's not worth it.

You need to try real hard to not go near your chicks until after you have changed clothes for a few weeks.
(I say all of this pending a real test on him)

 

[ShrekDawg]

The only way to know if its mareks is to have the bird necropsied. It looks like mareks. Sadly, I have it in my birds. Usually in the later stages they do get a weird green poo that has a stronger smell. In the beginning I did a lot of research and tried a lot of things. I could keep them going a while sometimes but the ending was always the same. I also found it unnecessarily put the other birds at risk because it is so contagious. Now, I just put them down ASAP, not only for the sake of the others, but also because its emotionally easier than putting so much into a bird then have to put it down.

Thank you!! This is very helpful. It’s hard but I think I will put him down in the morning. I don’t want him to suffer. But he is still crowing and eating so it makes it harder for me to just off him. I also hatched him myself and it was my first hatch ever so I’m attached to him. But I’m also not willing to let an animal suffer just for my own sake so if everyone thinks there is truly no chance he will recover and that culling him is for the best, then I will suck it up and do it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

No, that vial lasts for 24 hours only.
It's not worth it.

You need to try real hard to not go near your chicks until after you have changed clothes for a few weeks.
(I say all of this pending a real test on him)

Oh wow I didn’t realize that! That’s stupid.

And yeah, I’ll definitely do that!! Gonna open a new bag of food too. I waited to touch them today until I changed.

And I hope the real test doesn’t take too long.

 

[abraga]

You can hatch...it's just going to be a lot of work and you will have to be dealing with illness and death for a while.
It won't be fun.

I realized I had mareks in my chickens 3 years ago. I purchased chicks that evidently were infected. I raise a few chicks every year, but they all succumb to it between 5mo to a year. I have yet to have any chickens developed resistance. The only birds I have that survived it are hens that had been vaccinated. I was hoping to breed for resistance, but have put so many lovely birds down that I have givin up.

 

[Birdielee]

KDOGG331, I'm sorry about Red. Poor guy. I'm glad you separated him from the girls.
Reading this thread, i was really confused. I thought Marek's made lumps or tumors. So i looked it up and turns out there are 2 forms.

"Marek's disease is not a risk to humans or other mammals. Eggs and meat from infected chickens are not affected by the disease and are safe to eat. However, if a chicken was infected with the cutaneous form of Marek's, it may have skin and/or internal tumors that can be unsightly.
extension.msstate.edu › publications
Marek's Disease in Backyard Chickens | Mississippi State ..."