marek's disease

[msshepherdess]

After losing most of my new flock to what the diagnostic lab called Marek's, I realized they couldn't be right! They are too old and are already laying. What I did find out is that I started feeding laying mash way too early and that could be causing all their problems. I thought we were through (6 out of 10 are dead) and today there's yet another one stumbling around. Bless her, she stumbled right into the laying box and laid an egg. Now she can hardly walk. Is there something I can do to counteract this overdose in calcium? I feel so awful, I just couldn't figure out how to keep them out of the other birds food.

 

[dlhunicorn]

There is very little info here to go on... did a vet diagnose the cause of deaths or did a lab... (so do you have a proper necropsy result finding and if so what did it say)

 

[msshepherdess]

It was a necropsy report, but I've heard from the vet and another big farmer that they (the lab) has a pretty bad rep.
BUT they diagnosed Marek's in one and the other with gout and coccidiosis and other stuff (I haven't picked up the report from the vet yet). The research I've done on Marek's all says they were too old to show symptoms, they'd just be carriers. A reputable hatchery I talked to said those were the same symptoms - leg paralysis mainly.
See my post from 11/4

 

[ruth]

I'm no expert but I would find it very hard to believe that feeding laying mash would cause 6 out of 10 laying hens to suddenly drop dead. A little extra calcium doesn't kill or mine would have been long dead. I've fed mine shredded cheese by the bagful daily since they were babies. If the lab found disease, I would go with that. Or, could be a vitamin deficiency or a contamination in the feed source. Try a fresh bag of feed and other healty "treats" as well as adding a vitamin supplement to their water.

 

[dlhunicorn]

if the report states they found tumors then it is between Mareks or Avian Lymphoid leukosis (a virus that causes tumors >it is often difficult to differentiate between the two)
yes...feeding laying mash too early has in many cases caused death... the amount of calcium in the layer mash (when fed too long to young birds) will cause gout / kidney failure.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Wow, learn something new every day. Thanks. However, yet another reason I don't rely on commerial feeds except as a supplement and don't confine my chickens. I feed all natural veggies, fruits, breads, rice, oats, etc. etc. and they free range our woods and 8 acres of property all day so they gets lots of exercise. I also buy live crickets and meal worms for them as well. So far, healthiest, happiest chickens you've ever seen - not so much as a mite.