Marek’s or something else????

Pics
Date sort Score sort
Riv-6 said:
@KDOGG331 I just read through your thread and I'm so sorry to hear this. Breaks my heart :hugs

I just got my first batch of chicks from Meyers last week so definitely an eye opener if your chicks from them gave it to the others.

Again, I'm so sorry you are dealing with this.
Click to expand...
Thank you!! I appreciate it. :hugs :love

And I don’t think it’s Meyers chicks specifically, mine are all fantastic birds and have been healthy, it’s just that vaccinated birds (from anywhere) don’t die from the virus so they can get it and spread it for a lot longer than if they just dropped dead from the virus. They also make a much “hotter” and deadlier strain of the virus because of this. At least that’s what I’ve learned. I think the key take away is probably to not mix vaccinated and unvaccinated birds which I have learned the hard way. :(

But then some people have done that too and been fine so I guess it just depends.

I just had horrible luck I guess :hit

I do wonder if some hatcheries have more of the virus than others though maybe. It’s probably possible. But we also have a lot of wild birds around so who knows where they got it from.

I think I am going to have to put Wilma down in the morning. :(

It’s dark now.
 
The way it was with my flock when I added vaccinated birds was that heck, it couldn't get any worse than it was. I was loosing 1, sometimes 2 birds a week from some truly terrible tumors caused by Marek's. My Welsummers and roosters were all hit really hard.

The weird thing is that I was able to talk to the head veterinary pathologist at Columbia School of Veterinary Medicine in Columbia MO when I came to suspect that I had MD in my flock and he told me that the birds that didn't die from the disease, that lived to 3-4 years without succumbing, would be my resistant birds and I needed to breed them for resistant chicks. It didn't work that way with my flock. I don't know how many chicks I hatched from my 'survivors'-25+? All but two died from various tumors, wasting and infections.

I suspect the weak link in the chain was my roosters, who didn't live past the age of 2. My Bantam/Amish barnyard crosses are 4 years old now (and bears the proud name of 'Old Man'), the oldest, that is. I also have 7 Silver Duck Wing OEGBs that I bought from Orschelns (the chick tub beckoned to me and I answered it's siren's call). They are working on their second generation and so far so good.

Maybe the theory that vaccinated birds as well as survivors do pass on a degree of immunity to their offspring. But if that is true, then why didn't my second generation Buff O's and Welly's survive? I'll probably never know.

Marek's is a complex disease and indiscriminate killer of both chickens and chicken owners' dreams. I had hoped to breed exotic chickens. Now I'm happy with my barnyard crosses and the fresh eggs and smiles they give me.
 
Doobly said:
Kelsey I've just read this whole thread. I don't have experience with Marek's but I'm blown away with your love for your birds and your ability to help them when they needed you most. You're so brave and kind, and what lovely people who have been here supporting you.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much!! This really means a lot. :love
 

Similar threads

C
Help with sick rooster!
2
Replies
13
Views
692
Chub_nuggen
C
Jojosine
Rooster limping, no infection visible
Replies
7
Views
664
Jojosine
Jojosine
M
Rooster not walking right advice/help
2
Replies
10
Views
528
Mammasloth
M
V
Very Sick 6 y/o Rooster
Replies
1
Views
218
azygous
azygous
C
Rooster having trouble walking
Replies
2
Views
133
Wyorp Rock
Wyorp Rock

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom