Mareks experience needed. prelim results pg 9

[boogiedog]

This is truly a heart-breaking thread. I am so sorry for everyone who has had to deal with these tragic outbreaks. I encourage those of you whose hearts have been broken not to give up - try again and continue to indulge your passion of raising these amazing creatures.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Here's some good information. http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/content/view/17/37/

Coop-la, it's a horrible disease, reminds me of the plague.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Boogiedog, you're right, it's all our passion. I am getting thru this, I know Klf is too. We are just trying to start everything right again, vaccinating, cleaning cleaning cleaning with Oxine, and not selling chickens. AND trying to pass on CORRECT information about Marek's, and vaccinating every new chick.

 

[Lucysmom002]

That article states that older birds can be vaccinated too. Even a bird that has been exposed, it can't hurt.
Where and how do I get this vaccine?

 

[seminolewind]

You can buy the vaccine thru twincitiespoultry.com . Or Jeffers, or First state veterinary supply. It has to be shipped cold and used cold.

I tried vaccinating a silkie that didn't look so good, and she died anyway of Marek's. Once your chickens are exposed to Marek's, the vaccine is pointless because vaccines work by giving a chicken a tiny bit of exposure from Turkey Marek's so they can build their defenses in advance. I wish I had heard of someone having luck with vaccinating adults, but I haven't. But I tried anyway, and it didn't do anything. Maybe someone else has had luck with it.

 

[ChickChick0811]

I'm new to this thread and NEVER thought I would ever have to post on it. I was so excited today to find my first egg. Unfortunately, it had no shell and felt like jelly. As I was there I noticed ne of my hens pecking at her back and when she lifted her feathers I saw what looked like a skin tag. When I took her out and really looked the skin tag has 2 small feathers coming out of it. I'm freaking out know and I'm afraid of Marek's Disease. If it is I believe it would be the cutaneous mareks disease. Does this kind cause death? We hatched the chickens ourselves back in April. My husband built them a huge coop and even though they are free range there are no other chickens around (I do know that people down the road have chickens, but that's pretty far away. I have a 4 year old daughter who watched all 16 chickens hatch (we only kept 5 of them). She is so afraid of animals, but for some reason fell in love with these girls. At any given moment you will find her sitting with them or bringing them over to her sandbox to "play" She will be devastated if she finds one dead. What should I do?! HELP!

 

[boogiedog]

Are sure its not her oil gland? They are located on their back, above their tail area. You may want to google, and compare. Don't despair yet!

(soft-shelled, even shell-less eggs are not uncommon in new-layers. Sometimes you even get some pretty funky shaped eggs too...)

 

[seminolewind]

There' s no test for marek's , and your hen probably has a skin tag. The only way to make a good guess is by having more than one death that looks like it, and a history of where they got it from.

 

[kelar]

Quote:
I just wanted to comment on the above because according to many sources, the vaccine, once reconstituted, is only good for 1 to 1.5 hours and should be kept on ice during this time. I think that two -2 1/2 hours is too long although I don't have the vaccine insert in front of me right now. Also, according to the manufacturer of the vaccine, it should be mixed using a 16 to 18 guage needle (they are large) and the vaccine should be given using a needle no smaller than 22 guage in order to prevent the shredding of the virus as it exits the needle. Somewhere on here I posted a link to the manufacturer's information on this "shredding" effect and the subsequent reduction in effectiveness of the vaccine. Inappropriate handling, storage and administration of the vaccine may account for many vaccine failures down the road. I also do not advise dividing the wafer for many of the same reasons - the vaccine is extremely fragile, the diluent is easily contaminated and the risk is just too great.

 

[seminolewind]

Hi Kelar, wondered where you were!

SERIOUS...... For people who don't think we have a serious backyard Marek's problem....An article was written about Marek's in a LOG CABIN magazine!!!! When I get the copy, I'll post it.

Vaccinate!!!