Mareks Disease chicks

[Peytonandpancakes]

I had 1 hen develop Mareks symptoms literally overnight. She was apparently healthy; eating, laying well, great body weight and feather condition, no diarrhea. She is completely paralyzed. 1 year old.
Another hen, who I’ve posted about recently, has been laying eggs with absolutely no shell, is becoming depressed and seems to be going blind. 3 years old.
I will be euthanizing them and sending them to UC Davis tomorrow for Necropsy.

Unfortunately, I have 10, 4 week old chicks that my daughter talked me into allowing our hens to sit on. I have 3 people that were going to take them, but since this happened, I told them I didn’t feel comfortable giving them away. I thought maybe I’d keep them and let them live out their lives. But I cannot have 10 more chickens.

Here’s the part you will all probably think is stupid. And please don’t hate on me.
Do any chicken owners have Mareks flocks who allow their chickens to live out their lives? And do these people ever take in other chickens that may have the disease?
I’m not really a bleeding heart. I have been a Vet Tech for 30 years and here dealt with thousands of sad stories and euthanasia’s. But the thought of putting down 10 babies makes me cringe.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I had 1 hen develop Mareks symptoms literally overnight. She was apparently healthy; eating, laying well, great body weight and feather condition, no diarrhea. She is completely paralyzed. 1 year old.
Another hen, who I’ve posted about recently, has been laying eggs with absolutely no shell, is becoming depressed and seems to be going blind. 3 years old.
I will be euthanizing them and sending them to UC Davis tomorrow for Necropsy.

Unfortunately, I have 10, 4 week old chicks that my daughter talked me into allowing our hens to sit on. I have 3 people that were going to take them, but since this happened, I told them I didn’t feel comfortable giving them away. I thought maybe I’d keep them and let them live out their lives. But I cannot have 10 more chickens.

Here’s the part you will all probably think is stupid. And please don’t hate on me.
Do any chicken owners have Mareks flocks who allow their chickens to live out their lives? And do these people ever take in other chickens that may have the disease?
I’m not really a bleeding heart. I have been a Vet Tech for 30 years and here dealt with thousands of sad stories and euthanasia’s. But the thought of putting down 10 babies makes me cringe.

Lots of people do, and seem to just cull once they start showing poor symptoms

 

[MissE]

Let's not jump to conclusions before the lab results are in. It could be something else. Let's hope its something else. If not, you could just cull as needed, if needed.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

If it is Mareks you could consider giving the chicks the vaccine. It may help prevent a bad case of the disease, even if it’s given at their age and not at day 1.