Mareks experience needed. prelim results pg 9

[mysilkiebrood]

i have delved into more research today..and am pretty sure i have mareks. now to find somewhere to get the vaccine?? i assume i will lose more chickens but maybe i save some. i too will not go back to the animal auction. iam sure that a dozen copper marans chicks is what did me in they have all died except one, so that seems like a thread to the how. my form of mareks which affects the eyes and stuff is only one viral disease that mareks presents. most birds die from tumour inside that are unseen to humans until the bird just wastes away. this also is a virus that cause paralysis over a long period. also learned that this virus is a form of herpes but is a cancer. no cure only prevention. if done at a very early age can save most, but like myself ui can and will vaccinate but i am prepared that i will lose more that have already been affected. any hens carrying the disease will also pass it on through their eggs/ with a chance some will be carriers.the virus is spread by the infected chickens shedding the virus then others become affected. i never knew something so simple and fun would turn out this bad

 

[seminolewind]

mysilkiebrood, I'm sorry you are going thru this too. I've read that it can not be spread thru an egg. I hope that helps a bit.

 

[klf73]

I got mine @ twin city poultry.... let me look for the link but I saw one that said how to mix etc...if I can't find I will pm you what I was told...too hard to do with my phone...

 

[amenfarm]

I've been reading all your posts, to learn what to prevent in my future flock--Where do you purchase the vaccine? I'm seen it done on TV for large scale farms, but not for a individuals with a backyard flock. When you have the ag agent out do they have any experience with mareks? or is their only answer culling?
I'm so sorry for all the losses you all have experienced, it must be very disheartening. Thank-you for all the information you have shared--I've learned a lot about bio security though-out your talks and hopefully I've learned a little bit about preventing ( vaccinating and isolation for all incoming birds, wanting until chicks are at least 3 months old before introducing to mature flocks) disease in my future flocks.

 

[seminolewind]

Hi amenfarm! You can purchase the vaccine at poultry supply places online. Someone else will have to list the places, but klf said Twin City Poultry is one. You can only get it in 1000 dose bottles.

The vaccine does not prevent the chick from getting Marek's, just not getting tumors, and the effects. They can still be carriers and pass on Marek's. I, personally would only be using it if I was hatching chicks that will end up in a flock where there's been a positive.

You can quarantine new chickens for months, but if they are a carrier, they can still infect your flock because they carry it for life. It will not pass thru hatching eggs. But all it takes is one live bird coming into a flock vaccinated or not. Or possibly a wild bird.

The vaccine does not cover all the strains of Marek's.

Biosecurity is still very important, I have purely chicken shoes, wash hands, etc.

Hope I've helped you.

 

[kelar]

Someone told me recently that they purchased the vaccine through Randall Burkey. Also heard Jeffers is out of stock, but not sure about that. I learned recently that needle size is important when vaccinating. Apparently, if the needle is too small, it can shred the vaccine and greatly reduce its effectiveness. Recommendations are to use an 18 gauge needle to mix the vaccine and diluent and no smaller than 22 gauge to vaccinate. This is a real pain for me in vaccinating the tiny silkie chicks and took a bit of practice to prevent poking right through to the other side, but eventually I got the hang of it. Vaccine is only good for an hour to 1.5 hrs. and should be kept on ice while vaccinating. Apparently it is a very fragile vaccine and mishandling can cause a lot of vaccine failures. Although the vaccine is not 100% effective, I know that Mareks is now a very small blip on my list of concerns for the birds now. Because Mareks is so common and can so easily be transferred, I advise vaccination to anyone who will listen. It's just not always possible to identify whether or not it is already present in your flock because seemingly healthy birds can be carriers and be shedding the virus.

 

[klf73]

I did practice biosecurity, the affected bird was 6 weeks old when I thought it got it's "injury" and shortly after that I put some birds in a brooder next to it(that were here over 30days), so the 30 day quarantine definitely did not protect me here..

 

[klf73]

ok, so aside from the initial list, not birds from carrier flock I have lost..
I lost 2 orpingtons and now have 2 affected. I have one that has it's eye closed, head tilted to that side. I tried flushing it's eye and it is a grayish color inside? eye just doesn't look right, it also seems to have a neurological issue

I am at a point of wondering what to do. I will vaccinate but when the results come back from necropsy if it is positive I think I need to cull a LOT of birds. I was just recently going to give away about 75 chicks and 13 adults. Now I don't want to possibly infect someone elses flock

Most of these weren't staying and I can't afford to feed them for the rest of their lives which is why I was just GIVING them away..... *sigh* I just don't know what to do...I know dh won't sign off on a mass culling without lab results so it seems to be a waiting game now

I hate checking out my brooders now

 

[seminolewind]

I got another pokey eater, pale. He was pooping lime green. If he dies, he will be going to the lab.

I'm sorry, Krista.

I think my wasting away ones may have had Marek's nerve damage to the nerve that goes to the gullet. So the gullet just stops working.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
right back at you.....I am calling monday to see how to cull sickly ones without affecting test results....