Mareks?? Cocci?? Neurological issue??

[MKingsolver]

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Thanks very much. I never thought I would feel this way about a chicken! I know what you mean about not wanting the others to get it, I have 9 others out there right now that I'm watching very closely. If you are truly concerned about it being Marek's in your Serama, perhaps you could have her brought to an avian vet just to have her looked at? The only true answer would come from a necropsy of course. Maybe they could tell you whether or not what you're seeing is normal?

I've read quite a few posts on the forums here and it seems that those who have had a lot of experience with chickens cull at the first sign of disease (sneezing, runny eyes, etc.) but I just don't know if I could bring myself to be that way. Maybe I have to toughen up?

 

[luvinrunnin]

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Thanks very much. I never thought I would feel this way about a chicken! I know what you mean about not wanting the others to get it, I have 9 others out there right now that I'm watching very closely. If you are truly concerned about it being Marek's in your Serama, perhaps you could have her brought to an avian vet just to have her looked at? The only true answer would come from a necropsy of course. Maybe they could tell you whether or not what you're seeing is normal?

I've read quite a few posts on the forums here and it seems that those who have had a lot of experience with chickens cull at the first sign of disease (sneezing, runny eyes, etc.) but I just don't know if I could bring myself to be that way. Maybe I have to toughen up?

I know I am going to have to toughen up...............sigh...........just don't know that I could do it. I mean, maybe if the critter was suffering, but I just can't do it if not. Good idea about the Avian vet.....nearest one is 80 miles or so and I will have to ask if they even see chickens. I really want to get some more Serama to get my breeding program going, but not until I get this figured out. The birds I want are pricey and I can't afford to throw money down the drain, which I already did to a certain extent.

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry about all this. I'm going thru the same thing-Marek's. In fact my flock has carried it for 2 years before I realized it. You are not alone.

 

[luvinrunnin]

What does one really do?? It's my understanding that nearly ALL flocks have it, just are asymptomatic???

 

[MKingsolver]

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Well I'm curious...if the majority of my flock are roughly the same age as my bird that passed does that mean that they will all get it, too or is it just the ones that have low immunity? Should I assume that since they have all been exposed to the affected bird (although the symptoms were somewhat mild when I separated them) that they will all get it? Should I cull my entire flock even though they are all presently healthy and start over with vaccinated birds? I really just don't know what to do or think right now.

Thank you for making me feel not alone although I hate to think of anyone else going through this, too.

 

[nonsuch]

Hi,

I have some suggestions for all of you. Do NOT wIt for the other "Shoe to drop" with the east of your flocks. Go to the "first State Vet Supply" website and order the vaccine, along with "Oxine" disinfectant and start vaccinating NOW! As far as the rest of your flocks go, Mareks is everywhere worldwide. Clean and disinfectant and then set up a schedule so you keep cleaning. Pick all poop and any loose feathsrs, but vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate.

 

[MKingsolver]

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Oddly enough I was just reading about Oxine and will be going to my local TSC to pick some up tomorrow. I'm also wondering if they carry the vaccine, I doubt it though. I will definitely visit that website and order some, thank you so much for the suggestions.

 

[ReikiStar]

To answer your question, the birds that don't look symptomatic either have strong immune systems, if they were vaccinated they could have solid immunity or they had symptoms of it and have survived it, in which case they would be carriers and continue to shed the virus. I am not sure of the severity of the symptoms...if this is a disease a chicken could "catch" and barely show signs. Maybe that's a question for WSU. But if they survive it, they will be a carrier/shedder of it. If they come in contact with it BUT DO NOT CATCH IT, they are not carriers nor will they shed the virus. It means they must have immunity and as long as you keep them from getting very stressed (which drops their immune system) they will be fine and live a long and spoiled life.

Have all your birds been vaccinated? If not, it's not a death sentence, they can earn age developed immunity by growing up having come in contact the virus. By the age of 5 to 6 months, if they haven't succumb to it, they should have naturally acquired immunity. Older birds that catch it either never had full immunity or were so stressed that their immune system was too low. Mareks is a herpes virus and all herpes viruses are opportunistic. They're just looking for a time when the immune system is looking the other way...with chickens it's due to stress.

We were told to always transition new foods and feeds (like grower to layer) slowly. Every phase of growing is stressful to young birds because they are going through so many changes.

Mareks sucks. But don't let it defeat you. There are tons of people who've had Mareks take a bird or more, but they have birds that have survived or never got it too. Please don't get discouraged. Did you bring any new birds into your flock? Change their living environment? Was there a recent predator attack? Anything that could have stressed out your little "roo"? WSU said it was advantageous that we had brought in a bird that had Mareks. It would help our chicks (half which were unvaccinated) become immune. Talk about looking at the up side!

Again, I'm really sorry about Gracie and that you're dealing with Mareks.

But know it's not the end of the world, or your flock. It's the beginning of MORE education that you never thought you'd get.

 

[MKingsolver]

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Knock on wood, none of them are symptomatic at this time. To the best of my knowledge 2 of my birds are vaccinated, the other 7 not vaccinated. Great huh?
I'm so very discouraged but reading your post has given me some hope. The thing that I think stressed my Gracie out was I had introduced a very nasty SLW into the bunch who consistently picked on him. I swear that SLW never let him get a moments rest. Now looking back I seem to wonder if she was trying to eliminate Gracie knowing that he was sick. My husband and I were talking about that the other night and he said it's animal behavior; humans are the only ones who will attempt to nuture the weak or sick. Other than the introduction of the SLW which has since found a new home because she was just nasty, no other changes have been made.
The people, especially Dr. Crespo, at WSU were so helpful but at the same time made it very well known that there was nothing I could do now but sit and wait. No matter what I'm still going to scrub everything down, disinfect it with Oxine, hopefully get them all vaccinated, and pray for the best.
Thank you for your kind words about Gracie. I keep wanting to say "she, " but he really was a personality and I'm missing his quirkiness already. He was a very cool all white Americauna with the most awesome beard, even when he was a baby! Our little venture into the world of chickens began at the end of May this year and I can honestly say that this has all truly been a learning experience. I think I know more now then I wanted to know and less then I probably will next year!

P.S. It was also suggested that if I'm looking primarily for egg layers to get pullets at 16-18 weeks to eliminate having to deal with the time that they are most fragile and susceptible to disease.

 

[seminolewind]

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I think in the last 10 years or so, large hatcheries have gotten the Marek's thing under control by vaccinating, all in all out, and disinfecting in between grow-outs. However, backyard owners, have not done this, so In my opinion, it's become like an epidemic in backyard flocks, one that is spread along with unsymptomatic chickens, adding exposed chickens to flocks, or adding unexposed chickens to flocks that carry it.

There is a great misunderstanding of the symptoms-it's not just leg paralysis. In my case, some of mine had paralysis, and some just wasted away and died over a month or 2, ( a different nerve being affected.)

I think Marek's is everywhere, and can hide till the environment is just right, then the symptoms and deaths start appearing in flocks that have never had a problem. That's when a flock history comes in handy. With me, since all my chicks were hatched here at home, except one chicken bought as a pullet, I know how my flock became infected, and I didn't know what caused the sporadic deaths of one or so from each hatch, because paralysis was not one of the symptoms till recently, and the first death with classic symptoms 2 years ago was misdiagnosed by a vet.

So to help backyarders get things under better control, IMO, is to hatch your own eggs and vaccinate, buy day old vaccinated chicks, disinfect often, esp. waterers, change bedding often-to avoid a concentration of viral dander/dust. One member said something very important to me, if a flock enviroment is kept cleaner, there is less concentration of virus, and easier for a chicken to build resistance and not die from Marek's.

Believe me, things will be getting worse before they get better. Right now we all need to assume that all our current chickens are carriers, any bought chickens older than a day and exposed before buying can kill your flock, any unexposed un vaccinated chicks can die from your flock having carriers.