Mareks carriers

[Familyfarm898]

Three years ago we got our first pullets from a local business. They were in our brand new barn with all new equipment. The day we moved them into their newly built coop, one hen was showing signs of paralysis. We left her in the barn and she subsequently died. Very shortly after she became ill, 10 more suffered the same fate. At the time, I had just had twins and did not take any of the birds to the state college for analysis. I’ve since learned that the local hatchery we used has a reputation for selling sick birds that nobody seems to talk about. The next summer we purchased more, very expensive and vaccinated chicks from a good breeder. Still half of them (about 8) had the same paralysis and death after coming into contact with our existing birds. Then this past fall we had even more deaths, which I think was just from weakened immune systems.
We’re down to 20 birds.
I feel like I have no choice but to cull our flock. I’m so upset but I don’t know what else to do. I’ve ordered a test from RAL just to officially diagnose all this. But, my question is, should I wait a year to get more chicks? I don’t want to be chicken-less but I’m so tired of this continuing saga.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would do more reading about Mareks disease. While some people vaccinate their own birds at home, I understand that the commercial hatcheries have the better vaccine. Baby chicks must be kept completely away from any exposure to the Mareks virus in dust or dander from your coop, yard, or anything contaminated for at least 2 weeks to develop immunity. Still, your new birds would test positive for Mareks, but theoretically, would not develop the disease. Some still may. Mareks virus can be found in the environment for months to years after all carrier chickens are gone. I am sorry that you have had such bad luck with the disease and losing chickens. It is a terrible disease. Here are some articles about Mareks and you can always find more:
http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/Documents/vdl-mareks-disease-fact-sheet.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Familyfarm898]

I would do more reading about Mareks disease. While some people vaccinate their own birds at home, I understand that the commercial hatcheries have the better vaccine. Baby chicks must be kept completely away from any exposure to the Mareks virus in dust or dander from your coop, yard, or anything contaminated for at least 2 weeks to develop immunity. Still, your new birds would test positive for Mareks, but theoretically, would not develop the disease. Some still may. Mareks virus can be found in the environment for months to years after all carrier chickens are gone. I am sorry that you have had such bad luck with the disease and losing chickens. It is a terrible disease. Here are some articles about Mareks and you can always find more:
http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/Documents/vdl-mareks-disease-fact-sheet.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Thanks. I’ve read so many different things on this. Some people say it’s negligent to not cull. Others say breeding the birds that survive may help strengthen the chicks defenses against it. There isn’t one guiding practice on it. I have mixed feelings on it myself. I really love my chickens but there’s been so much sickness and death I don’t want to make more birds suffer. If I do get more chicks, I think a large hatchery will be my choice because of the better vaccine quality but I’m still afraid of going through everything again.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

One thing I read (I had a close mareks scare) said it stays in the enviromemt for 65 weeks. So that would be about a year and a quarter.