I lost 4 of my chicken babies to Mareks, I thought they got vaccinated but they didn't. I am terrified for my new chicks that just hatched. One of them hatched from an egg that could have been layed by a sick hen. I am so sorry for your losses. Mareks is a horrible disease.
I bought three birds, two pullets and a grown rooster--all Ameraucana, a rarity in these parts--from a dealer five hours' drive away. They were to be the start of my flock. Before the pullets had lain a single egg, they passed, and the rooster died of blindness on a hot day when he could not find the water. The symptoms for all three were consistent with Marek's, but I never got a confirmed diagnosis.
Thats upsetting. This girl is still in business too which is incredibly irresponsible and careless of her in my opinion. But what leads me to believe it was her too was she doesnt vaccinate for it AND she told me this other girl she sold silkies too the same time as me lost one too around time I started losing mine!My friend ended up with Mareks after purchasing birds from a breeder. So frustrating that the breeder is still in business
Mareks is actually turning up in backyard flocks a lot more lately. Its def Mareks I had a necropsy done with Cornell. But they all for most part started with favoring one foot. Like pulling it up in air as if it hurt. Then limping then not walking at all. Then became lethargic eventually and died. Some we culled that were in rough shape. But I had only one bird who showed symptoms of ocular. She would go to peck for her waterer when I would show it to her or her food and would miss. It was almost like she couldnt quite get to it even though I had it right up to her beak cause she was immobile.
The fact is, vaccination is irresponsible. It doesn't confer immunity--it only keeps the chickens alive with Marek's, allowing them to spread their contagious dander to other birds without effecting their death. Essentially, so much to survival of the fittest--it becomes survival of the vacciniest; and each of the vaccinees becomes the spreader of the disease. Experts now say that the Marek's vaccination program has been the cause of the spread of the disease worldwide. Everyone everywhere now has to deal with it because of the vaccine that has spread it. If everyone stopped vaccinating, it is possible that those infected would die, and the disease would eventually be eradicated. But the big commercial interests cannot afford to lose most or all of their flocks, so they keep up with the vaccination charade.Thats upsetting. This girl is still in business too which is incredibly irresponsible and careless of her in my opinion. But what leads me to believe it was her too was she doesnt vaccinate for it AND she told me this other girl she sold silkies too the same time as me lost one too around time I started losing mine!
Yea my first birds to go were birds from my original flock that were years old. With the exception of my one that was hatched out by a broody(who later died and was sent for necropsy that was given the Marek’s Diagnosis) my newer birds that I got last summer didnt get sick and pass from it until they were like 8-9 months old. I have none of those younger birds left out of the 10 we acquired last summer and spring. I understand its a personal preference but Marek’s can live on ur land for up to 7yrs. It can be transmitted to other areas around ur home or land just off of you and ur clothing shoes hair even etc. from dander of infected birds. I was considering vaccinating if I do decide on getting more just for the simple reason that its less likely to have as fatal results with new birds that contract it.. although it can still happen.
I did not realize they’re saying the vaccine is the cause of this! I JUST started to really read into the vaccine. But that makes sense. This is making me lean towards NOT getting more birds and just vaccinating them even more then I already was to begin with.
Whichever birds died of the Marek's had likely not been vaccinated. The vaccine, which contains nothing more than a strain of Marek's virus that kills turkeys but not chickens, will help to keep the chickens from dying of the disease, even though they are active carriers of it. So if the rest of your flock is sick, then it was not likely vaccinated either. After having done the research on this, I believe the best is to not vaccinate, because the vaccination only hides the problem, allowing it to grow worse. Essentially, the vaccine benefits one group of people--the vaccine makers. They are ensuring themselves a continued income as more and more people are "forced" to vaccinate--well I won't be forced.
Im sorry. Ya know, what’s crazy is I remember reading on Marek’s and thinking what a nightmare! I hope my birds or my family never have to go through this..and then it became our reality. Its so upsetting to me. Its upsetting even more just the thought of me not owning chickens. I love them. I never realized truly how much until I was going through bad depression and being around them and stuff just helped tremendously! I know it probably sounds crazy but honestly. My kids are devastated too. I feel like we all almost became kind of numb to it(almost) since our chicken cemetery started to grow.
