MAREK disease.. Please help.

[Chicken poppy]

Disinfecting will really not do you much good. Just practice good husbandry, keep feeders and waterers clean, keep droppings from building up. Chickens are messy and you can make yourself crazy trying to be clean. Marek's is unfortunately very stubborn and persists in the environment via dander and feather dust. There is just no way to get rid of all that. It's heart breaking to find yourself dealing with this, but it does get better. As previously said, don't panic, breathe, take it day by day. Different strains have different virulence, some are much more virulent than others, some strains are fairly mild. Some birds may never show any signs despite being exposed. Once the initial phase passes, you will have more idea how it's going to go in your flock. It isn't the end of the world, I've been dealing with it for about 3 years now. I know what the panic feels like, I thought I would not be able to have chickens any more. I still hate losing birds to it, but it's manageable. Every flock is a little different, some breeds are more susceptible than others (Silkies for one), so that can be a deciding factor in choosing what kind to have, or to try. I'm getting some Egyptian Fayoumi's this year to breed with mine, to hopefully help build some resistance in my flock. It will be years before I know if it makes a difference.
@microchick 's article is really good.
This is another thread, when you have the time (it's a long thread!), about breeding for resistance: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ding-for-resistance-to-mareks-disease.894589/
We all have to find our own way forward that are dealing with this, based on your own belief system and values and what works for you and your flock. But, just read as much as you can, learn as much as you can about it, and give yourself time to see how it goes in your flock. The sad fact is that Marek's is much more common than most people realize.
So sorry, and best of luck.

Thank you so much. I will make sure i read both of them throughly. This has given me some comfort, at least i know it isn’t 100% they will all die. I have some hardy ones out there so i hope they pull through. Would a black sex link and a easter egger be somewhat resilient? Do you happen to know?

 

[microchick]

Wow. That’s absolutely insane. I knew it was quite persistent but i figured some soapy water would do the trick. I won’t even bother then.

I will make sure they stay in their inclosed run or fenced area as i have a neighbor with chickens next door. I wouldn’t want them getting it!

Oh my dear your neighbors chickens 1) either gave your birds Marek's or 2) already caught it from your birds or 3) are resistant.

Can I give you a bit of advice? Talk to your neighbor. Ask them if they have had any problems with their chickens dying. If they say no, and they have an established flock with few losses consider maybe getting some hatching eggs in the future and try hatching some of their resistant chicks!

That is what I did with the Amish Barnyard Crosses I have. They thrived even when my buff Orpingtons were dropping like flies.

Like I said, this crap and there is no delicate way to put it, is EVERYWHERE. There is a disinfectant that you can get that will kill the virus but for the life of me I cannot think of the name of it now. You can clean with it but since all of your chickens are now clinically Marek's Carriers, the dander they shed will effectively redistribute the virus everywhere you just cleaned.

I know, it's pretty mind boggling isn't it?

 

[coach723]

My mixes have done better than my pure breds. My EE's and sexlinks have done better than some of the others, both being mixes. I lost my last RIR a few weeks ago, I have one light brahma (with symptoms) left and one gold laced wyandotte hen and one GLW roo left, both so far showing no symptoms. A couple of the crosses out of my light brahma hen (hatched before she showed symptoms) are also showing symptoms, so won't be hatching any more from her. The rest are all EE's , sexlinks or crosses, most with EE in them. There are no guarantee's, but from my limited experience the mixes seem to do better. Genetics are complicated, and it's hard to predict what traits will get passed on sometimes. Genetics make my head hurt, trying to figure them out, but I do know that traits are usually grouped, so breeding for one particular thing can lead to unexpected outcomes sometimes. My plan going forward is to only hatch from asymptomatic birds, I will cross the Fayoumi's with my current flock, those who show no symptoms, and will try to keep some Fayoumi's pure. That's the starting plan anyway, time will tell going forward. I'm just hoping for more disease resistant birds with reduced losses.
Marek's can travel on the wind an estimated 3 miles, so yes, your neighbors birds are likely exposed already.
Oxine may be what @microchick was thinking of, some people use it with other types of virus's to disinfect and start over. But with Marek's, it's so persistent that you would likely just be going in circles. You can clean surfaces, etc. but you can't eradicate it from the soil, it persists for years. And any infected bird will be continuing to shed it. And if they are asymptomatic you might not know they are.
This is just a theory, but most virus's mutate over time, most often they mutate to be less virulent. That's simple survival by the virus. It wants to survive also, if it kills it's host too quickly, then it can't survive well either. So that may be why initially a flocks losses may be high, and with time it levels out and is much less. Some birds that just have a weaker or less robust immune system may still be affected, but the heathier birds may be more resistant to the weaker, mutated strain later. How long that takes, I can't say.

 

[RoyalChick]

There is a disinfectant that you can get that will kill the virus but for the life of me I cannot think of the name of it now. You can clean with it but since all of your chickens are now clinically Marek's Carriers, the dander they shed will effectively redistribute the virus everywhere you just cleaned.

Virkon S is the only thing that has been proven effective against Marek's, but as you say right now everyone is likely a carrier so disinfectant is not the way to go.
Disinfectants will be useful to you for biosecurity if you go elsewhere that has chickens - eg for your boots - and in future if you bring in second hand equipment or housing (to prevent a different strain coming in).
@Chicken poppy I am so sorry you are going through this. Stay strong.

 

[bhawk-23]

Older thread but I’ll pipe in. We are coming up on one year since our first “Marek’s” death. I’d lie if I said it wasn’t a struggle but I’ll save you of all my grueling details. The advice already given is what has helped me get through.

After attempting to add 5 vaccinated chicks and losing 3 to MD we have closed our flock. (Although I have become inquisitive on ducks or geese).

To help with stress and immune support I free range all day so they have very few, if any, squabbles.
We added a heavy duty hawk net and this seems to keep the hawks from stopping long so this is good.
We free feed layer crumbles and limit treats to be sure they are getting the proper diet.
I use vitamins and probiotics monthly.
I give Tylosin monthly for the mycoplasma.
I watch closely for any “off” behaviors, eggs, poop etc.
I give a hen 24-48 hrs. If at that point I do not see marked improvement we kindly euthanize.

I have to keep telling myself that it’s no longer “if” they die but “when” they die. It makes me appreciate the strong ladies I am still graced with.
And it takes two years of chicken free property to clear MD. And even then it’s not a guarantee. This is what 3 infectious disease animal vets have told me so I am choosing to believe them.

I’d like to say it’s gotten easier but that is not the truth. My acceptance of the situation has at least brought me some peace since I am no longer struggling with trying to save each one that becomes sick. You are in good company here and there is a lot of wisdom, experience and support on this forum. I am sorry you are having to deal with all of this.

 

[microchick]

Nope, never gets easier. Just keep fighting the good fight and don't give up.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Older thread but I’ll pipe in. We are coming up on one year since our first “Marek’s” death. I’d lie if I said it wasn’t a struggle but I’ll save you of all my grueling details. The advice already given is what has helped me get through.

After attempting to add 5 vaccinated chicks and losing 3 to MD we have closed our flock. (Although I have become inquisitive on ducks or geese).

To help with stress and immune support I free range all day so they have very few, if any, squabbles.
We added a heavy duty hawk net and this seems to keep the hawks from stopping long so this is good.
We free feed layer crumbles and limit treats to be sure they are getting the proper diet.
I use vitamins and probiotics monthly.
I give Tylosin monthly for the mycoplasma.
I watch closely for any “off” behaviors, eggs, poop etc.
I give a hen 24-48 hrs. If at that point I do not see marked improvement we kindly euthanize.

I have to keep telling myself that it’s no longer “if” they die but “when” they die. It makes me appreciate the strong ladies I am still graced with.
And it takes two years of chicken free property to clear MD. And even then it’s not a guarantee. This is what 3 infectious disease animal vets have told me so I am choosing to believe them.

I’d like to say it’s gotten easier but that is not the truth. My acceptance of the situation has at least brought me some peace since I am no longer struggling with trying to save each one that becomes sick. You are in good company here and there is a lot of wisdom, experience and support on this forum. I am sorry you are having to deal with all of this.

I appreciate it, it still saddens me but after reading many things, including this and Microchicks thread, i have learned to come to somewhat peace with it. I had a favorite hen who was taken by a hawk, but instead of beating myself up about it, i’m a little glad shes not here. I would rather her be taken by a hawk, (she didn’t even scream so i don’t think she saw it coming) then be in this mess of a disease.

Everybody, as of now, is doing well. Im very confident my Easter egger and sex link will pull through, they have survived every outbreak so far, every hawk attack and anything that comes their way. My bantams im a tad worried for but everyone, for now, is doing ok.

 

[microchick]

Marek's is a cold hearted witch and I don't mean witch.

Finding out you have it in your flock is like watching a tornado heading right for your house. You know it's going to hit, you know it's going to get really really bad before it gets any better and once it hits you know it's going to take forever for things to get better again. In the mean time all you can do is hang on tighter than Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and wait for your house to hit that wicked witch of the west that is Marek's Disease.

But it does eventually get better.

I think you are all doing a remarkable job of dealing with this disease and are to be commended.

Almost two weeks ago I hatched 11 darling little Silver Duck Wing and Black Breasted Red bantam chicks. 4th generation from my original breeding stock of vaccinated birds. I looked at my 5 year old roosters and hens and felt a surge of joy realizing I was watching them grow old. The boys' breast feathers are dappled white now and the girls are happy to sit on the roost bars and boss the other birds around but they are survivors and I cherish every day that they greet me when I open their coop door.

7 years ago I never thought I would see this day with my birds but I hung on and today I am so glad I did.

Yes, it gets worse before it gets better. But it does get better.

 

[Coledavis21891]

How do you know if you have mareks my chicks are getting really skinny and dying i lost 20 in around a week

 

[bhawk-23]

How do you know if you have mareks my chicks are getting really skinny and dying i lost 20 in around a week

Wow, I’m sorry you have lost so many chicks.

The only way to get a definitive answer is a necropsy. Do you have a state facility or diagnostic lab that can perform one?