Marek's Disease...?!

[AnimalGeek23]

Now I've heard of Marek's disease. And it sounds terribly traumatizing. Anyone who experienced Marek's disease?? How do you prevent it?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Now I've heard of Marek's disease. And it sounds terribly traumatizing. Anyone who experienced Marek's disease?? How do you prevent it?

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Marek's sounds much scarier than it is in my EXPERIENCE.

According to my state poultry vet at UC Davis, here in California... "Marek's is in EVERY poultry environment."

Even NPIP places could have had Marek's and NOT have to report since it isn't considered a threat to our food chain. It isn't a part of the NPIP testing. Layers are probably vaccinated and broilers don't live long enough for it to effect them in the industry.

It CANNOT be passed to hatching eggs. And is not a death sentence to a persons' whole flock. I lost 2 chicks at about 9 weeks old... 3 weeks apart, separate broods... out of 82 birds present at the time, and both were culled by me to stop it in it tracks. One survived 3 weeks in quarantine with me providing food water and cleaning until I decided it was Marek's as pupil changes finally started taking place and that's no life for a bird... or me. I select for vigor and disease resistance among my stock. Hard decision but I won't invite disease or weakness to live among my flock. First time in 8 years to see something like that.

If someone has vaccinated birds, doesn't mean they don't have Marek's! It means that IF they do have Marek's their birds didn't develop the internal tumors that press on the nerve and cause the paralysis that eventually lead to death from the bird not being able to make it to food and water or from flock pecking order brutality.

To me the best way you can avoid Marek's is by only buying hatchery (feed store) chicks and not inviting wildlife to you back yard with bird feeders and such.... It *may* be there already and hasn't yet reared it's ugly head.

If you simply wish to never know... get only Marek's vaccinated chicks... from the HATCHERY or other NPIP source and keep a closed flock. Most feed store chicks are not as there is a SMALL extra feed to do it... and can only be done VERY soon after hatch... which would be before their arrival time at most feed stores due to shipping speed.

The most truly informative and accurate information I have found regarding the subject is in the following article. It true experience is the mother of all teachers...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Please note... Marek's vaccine not welcome here. BUT I'm not an average back yarder... I have goals. Your's may be different than mine.

Hope this is helpful some!

 

[AnimalGeek23]

Wow, thanks!

 

[HonaHelp]

Research all you can is all I can say. I had a 'closed flock', like a dummy--I got 4 new birds...and while on week SIX of quarantine...lost 2, have one sick now. So--now--the virus is ON my property...if it wasn't already. It blows in on the wind, comes in on shoes, clothes, hair... Are my original flock resistant? Who knows. I guess I will find out eventually. I could lose them all, or not. This disease stinks. Marek's incubation period...from the time a bird is exposed to it--is 3 to 25 WEEKS before they show signs. So---a 4 week quarantine is NOT long enough for this virus to rear it's ugly head. Once you have it--you have it. A 'vaccinated' bird, CAN --although rare--still get it. ..once exposed definitely can spread it.... It lives for a very long time in the environment. I never even heard of it, until my new birds got sick. I'm no expert, but--have researched and am still researching...... never stop learning.

 

[orrpeople]

Research all you can is all I can say. I had a 'closed flock', like a dummy--I got 4 new birds...and while on week SIX of quarantine...lost 2, have one sick now. So--now--the virus is ON my property...if it wasn't already. It blows in on the wind, comes in on shoes, clothes, hair... Are my original flock resistant? Who knows. I guess I will find out eventually. I could lose them all, or not. This disease stinks. Marek's incubation period...from the time a bird is exposed to it--is 3 to 25 WEEKS before they show signs. So---a 4 week quarantine is NOT long enough for this virus to rear it's ugly head. Once you have it--you have it. A 'vaccinated' bird, CAN --although rare--still get it. ..once exposed definitely can spread it.... It lives for a very long time in the environment. I never even heard of it, until my new birds got sick. I'm no expert, but--have researched and am still researching...... never stop learning.

Just a quick clarification on vaccination. Vaccinated birds often have the virus - because it's really everywhere - they just don't tend to get the tumors that cause death.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...y-chicks-vaccinated-for-mareks-disease.73398/

 

[ehoneybee]

Just a quick clarification on vaccination. Vaccinated birds often have the virus - because it's really everywhere - they just don't tend to get the tumors that cause death.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...y-chicks-vaccinated-for-mareks-disease.73398/

So if it's everywhere is it just that some birds have stronger constitutions and combat it?

 

[HonaHelp]

So if it's everywhere is it just that some birds have stronger constitutions and combat it?

Beats the heck outta me. I know some that carry it---can become sick during stressful situations. ...but otherwise are happily spreading it everywhere.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

A 'vaccinated' bird, CAN --although rare--still get it.

It's true that they can still get it... and you just wouldn't know. It's the development of the tumors that is rare... once vaccinated. They could have it and you just won't know... again my point that the vaccine ALLOWS it HIDE in your flock... just a little bit easier than without... since it can hide even when not vaccinated.

I completely agree that a 4 week quarantine is NOT nearly enough for MANY things to present themselves. And more than that... many of us don't have enough space to truly implement a PROPER quarantine. It was 8 weeks after getting those chicks that Marek's presented. Did it come from them or already here??? One set of chicks I got I didn't realize were broody hatched until it was too late. Same time frame, none of them presented.

They say Silkies are more susceptible (not sure I buy it). Both my losses last year were a Silkie and a Silkie cross. Maybe coincidence. So far none of this years juveniles have presented. And I breed Silkies. Though I like to think I'm breeding and selecting for resistance... it's possible that the strain I saw was not very viral. My vet said I should still have sent the body for necropsy to check for any secondary issues even though I was pretty sure it was Marek's, as was the state vet I talked with by phone.

To me things like infectious bronchitis are far more scary than Marek's... now that I have dealt with it. MAYBE that would present in a 4 week quarantine. And you can take care of lice and worm type stuff.

Even if you buy at the feed store... you GOTTA know your feed store. Both mine to sell chicks from locals on occasion and that equals possibilities in my mind. Possible their site is contaminated.

 

[HonaHelp]

Just a quick clarification on vaccination. Vaccinated birds often have the virus - because it's really everywhere - they just don't tend to get the tumors that cause death.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...y-chicks-vaccinated-for-mareks-disease.73398/

Just a quick clarification on vaccination. Vaccinated birds often have the virus - because it's really everywhere - they just don't tend to get the tumors that cause death.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...y-chicks-vaccinated-for-mareks-disease.73398/

Yes...they are then carriers. Nice, huh?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So if it's everywhere is it just that some birds have stronger constitutions and combat it?

In my opinion YES.

Just like people... we all have differing immune systems with strengths and weakness. MANY times my family will catch a cold or the flu that the whole city might be suffering and I cruise along without a sniffle or ache. That noro virus kicked my hind end this year though... a few days after everybody else.

But also... some people feed their birds lots of scratch and other low nutrient foods. It's about overall health and condition in my opinion/experience.