Mareks experience needed. prelim results pg 9

[goldeneggtees]

I had a hen last year that seemed to develop quick a nerological disorder. Twisted neck acted wierd, very sudden onset. I brought her in tried to feed and water her. Didn't work too well. Had my husband cull her. I think she ate something toxic. Haven't seen anything more like that one.


My hen developed this very same thing, around the same time my neighbor's hen's were sick. I shipped my hen (who we culled, actually euthanized because I can't cull - I am a wimp

) to Cornell and while they had no conclusive cause of death, the blood tests showed my hen had an elevated lead level and they recommended we stop eating their eggs. Well, I had another hen's blood tested who wasn't sick (but has always had a weird neurological twitch with her head and neck) and her egg tested as well. She still had some lead in her blood, but somehow it was not transferred to her egg. We are back to eating their eggs after having to throw out about 100 eggs. We had our water tested, soil tested and ourselves tested. So far, we are fine, the water is fine and are still waiting on the soil results. I think they were pecking at an old coop door over the winter and that was the source of my lead troubles.

 

[klf73]

well, my original "victim" is isolated and still alive(improved from not being able to walk,now staggering), I just haven't had the heart to cull, but when conclusive results come back she is the first cull

. She is half the size of her hatchmate polish, skinny, vibrates and walks like she is drunk. She cries a lot, not sure why, she does have company since they were already exposed to her. I am going to check her either today or tomorrow, if she is emaciated I am not going to wait any longer, not sure why the lab is taking so long

.

I am starting to lose count....
I have lost(losing) at least 15 birds and dread opening up the coops and going to the brooders every day.

well Sem, if you need more vaccine at a later date I would go back to twin city, I just ordered and it was in stock again, sorry they were out for you

not sure where you got your syringes, I got mine at the pharmacy, short 1 cc diabetic needles, do 5 birds with one... (.2cc ea), you can get 10 without a script(in my state anyway), not sure how often as I haven't gone back yet to get more.

 

[nonsuch]

I just discovered and starting reading all the posts yesterday. I am absolutely HORRIFIED at what what you are going through. What heartache and how helpless you feel. We exchanged a few posts about Swedish Flower Hens, and I was stunned to see that it was you, with all of your super rare Chickens, to have to experience this horror.

I currently have a Black Birchen Maran Pullet that started limping last Wednesday. She hasn't gotten better, but also hasn't appeared to have gotten worse. After reading the posts on lameness, I'm ready to panic. She looks normal, except for the limping. What should I be looking for? Her wings appear fine, the poop looks normal and she eats/drinks. Should I call the Vet? How long does it take for others to show symptoms? I'm going to check with her Breeder to see if she was vaccinated. So, if they are vaccinated, if exposed to Mareks they could speed it but not show symptoms?

 

[goldeneggtees]

Have you checked the bottom of her foot for a black looking scab, could be bumblefoot.

Quote:

 

[goldeneggtees]

klf73, sorry to read of all the troubles you are going through. And sorry if my earlier posts hijacked your thread, didn't mean that. I wish you the quickest recovery with your flock.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Krista, I can get the supplies at work, just not sure what caliber needles will let the fluid flow thru. I don't know if the thickness of the vaccine needs a 25, 22, 20.

Well, #7 died on his own. He was so skinny yesterday. The roo before him had paralysis, complete both legs, recovered for 2 weeks, then had paralysis and depression and was culled.

I can't believe you still have your first victim. That's a long time.

Nonsuch, I would wait on the limp. Yes, vaccinated chickens can be carriers and even have the disease, but don't get the tumors. The vaccine prevents tumors, but I haven't read anything yet that says it prevents inflammation of the nerves (paralysis, or the digestive nerve). Mine seem to get those.

Howling, I've heard of the lead poisoning, something to think about. And I don't know what causes wry neck

The bad thing about Marek's is that any chicken can be a carrier, even vaccinated.
People mostly think Marek's is either tumors or paralysis. There are many more symptoms and 6 strains. The only way to tell is by necropsy, seeing the tumors or enlarged nerves. And still have to rule out other things.

I've learned that it's helpful to guess if you take a history into consideration. Like I did have 1 chicken pullet bought 2 years ago, not hatched on my property. The roo in the pen was first to die, with paralysis up to his neck and a gray eye. Then within 2 years I had 1 every few months just waste away for no reason. Now these new chicks were in with the flock that the pullet and my first roo were in, which are carriers, since the chicks died , one a week. And then realized that the wasting away and/or paralysis were both Marek's. They were all under 8 months old. My older chickens were unaffected. So a history is a really good idea.

 

[nonsuch]

Thanks for the suggestion on possible "Bumblefoot" I'll check again tonight. I'm building a secure predator proof run and know some small shards of metal may have dropped on the ground.

In the meantime I've been reading everything I can on Mareks and all common Poultry diseases. It's scary that Mareks is so widespread and can strike at almost any time - it's heartbreaking.

 

[karma]

Had a confirmed case of Mareks in 2 year old hen. Original hen lasted the longest-I finally culled after seeing the classic posture of one foot forward,one back & then sent body for necropsy. Started with lose of balance, poor appetite, lethargy, cried out in later symptoms, lose of weight. Thought she was getting better, then would take a turn for the worst. I force fed a breakfast of oatmeal, scrambled egg, honey, yogurt, applesauce for weeks.

 

[nonsuch]

I checked my Pullet tonight and no sign of Bumblefoot. It would have been so nice to find something treatable. Now she looks worse. Both legs are bending out slightly. Am I reading too much and imagining symptoms? For what it's worth I'm calling the Vet tomorrow. I'm also checking with her Breeder to see if she was vaccinated. If not I feel like ordering the vaccine and vaccinating the ones I know never got any. For certain 12 of my 19 Chickens were vaccinated at one day of age. My question is if they start showing symptoms is that it? Do they ever recover or will they need to be put down?

 

[#1California Chick]

A year ago, my alpha hen (Black Australorpe) died at 14 months old. She had laid many "double yolks", so I suspected that she was "egg bound". Because I was concerned about my other 8 hens, I took her body to University of California at Davis for a necropsy (free!!)

I was stunned to learn that she had Mereks in multiple organs. The report said"

1. Distal oviduct, egg impaction (“egg bound”) with intracoelomic and intrapulmonary yolk accumulation.
2. Marek’s disease with mixed lymphoid infiltrates in multiple organs including kidney interstitium (severe), lung
(moderate), heart, liver, brain, proventriculus, ovary, oviduct, (mild)."

My vet said that #1 may have actually been caused by #2!!

I bought all 9 of my chicks from a local breeder who claimed to vaccinate the chicks. However, it is my understanding that the vaccine "tube" will vaccinate a thousand chicks --- BUT must be used in one day. My breeder hatched a hundred or so chicks every week or two. I highly suspect that she used the vaccine over several weeks -- and that it might not have been completely effective.

Here we are one year later. My three RIRs have lost their tail feathers and this description is from WikiPedia is very familiar"

"Cutaneous Marek's disease causes round, firm lesions at the feather follicles"

They all have round lesions at the follicles.


Here is the interesting thing:

My two Buffs, 1 remaining BA and 2 BR show no problems what so ever. Lots of feathers, no lesions.


However, I am currently getting only about 2 eggs a day from 8 hens that are 26 months old. Since these are my "FIRST" chickens, I don't know if that is "NORMAL". Or is Marekes the problem???? Should I cull them all and start over next spring??

I know that I will have to make sure that ALL future chickens are vaccinated because of the "contamination" in the coop.

Any other thoughts??

Cindy