Mareks experience needed. prelim results pg 9

[NewToFarming]

Gosh, this is really devastating to me!!! I have a bunch of broodies with newly hatched chicks and more sitting. I have show quality silkies and this will mean now showing or selling of birds? I did add 2 new hens about a month ago to the flock and they seem fine.
So, do I do another necropsy on this newest one and make sure they test for Mareks? The state did mine before. I guess they have to do here from what the vet told me.
My first one showed up in February and this one now out of all of them. They both seem about the same age when it started though 2 1/2 to 3 months. It is just strange how the ones affect by this have both been silkie/brown leghorn mixes. All of their hatchmates are fine. They are not showing symptoms.

Wow, so what to do from here?? Apparently it has to be in the ground here. From your postings I have been following, the healthy ones are carriers so I could never sell, show give away....nothing.

 

[seminolewind]

Yes, devastating!

It's good we have this thread tho, it is bringing alot of education in. Most people know very little about Marek's other than paralysis and tumors.

Your broodies, if they are hatching your own eggs, the chicks may be immune, but still carriers. My silkies hatched their own, and they were resistant. But they hatched bought eggs, and those chicks started dying at 8 weeks, one a week, or so.

Now I have to put purchased eggs in an incubator, vaccinate them and quarantine them for 2-8 weeks.

I had a hatch of JG's, 8 hatched all fine, from purchased eggs. They were kept pretty much in a separate pen. I guess they didn't have a massive exposure all at once. I lost 1.

You need to read read read. That's what we all are doing now.

 

[NewToFarming]

Oh My Gosh Yes! I am so glad for this and I have been reading all the posts on this!!! I am calling the vet tonight to make another appointment for my newest girl and go from there. I cannot watch her suffer like the first one, I know that. BEfore I had been told by a different vet that my first girl had a possible vitamin deficiency. I found the second vet a bit too late but he also did not think it to be MAreks either when he saw her.
I do need to look into this better. I will let you know what the vet says about the new girl when I am able to get her there. It is a 1 1/2 hour trip but the only one to see chickens besides the one I won't go to anymore!

 

[klf73]

Another lav orp can't walk

....dh doesn't want me to quit but I can't keep doing this

 

[leadwolf1]

I am so sorry you are still having to deal with this!

 

[klf73]

Thanks...

unfortunately I had my bator going most of the year so I still have chicks that are very young. Told dh I am considering culling all... but he feels bad culling because they "might" get sick. It's so hard to try to distance yourself and still take care of them

 

[leadwolf1]

I can't even imagine what you are going through! I've lost a couple due to just because...no real sign of illness...and that just about killed me. Distancing can only go so far, babies need attention and it's hard not to provide that and stay detached. I don't think I could cull healthy birds. I have a frizzle that I bought from a local feed store...or should I say frazzle. He is 70 percent bald, a roo and has an attitude but otherwise, healthy as a horse. I can't do him in. I have no idea what I am going to do....who wants a half bald frizzle?

My thoughts are with you. It's such a tough thing you are going through. Hold onto hope...hope lies in the babies

They are the future....maybe the worse is over!

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
Two vets (one exotic/avian and another from the state university) said any chicks raised on a property but kept away with a modicum of biosecurity, will likely have immunity. But they both said to keep chicks/young birds away from infected areas and adults birds until they were about 20-24 weeks old. Would you be able to do that?

I can only imagine how hard it is for you to keep going

, but how can you look at those sweet little faces with the possibility they could be your strongest birds yet? It's so hard to cull a healthy bird. It's a tad bit easier when you know they are sick and culling is actually the kindest course of action.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I, too, have another, I think, she's skinny. I gave her alot of bread today. She ate that. I'm not waiting so long to cull anymore.

2 of mine during the year wasted away, both under 6-8 months old, both from different hatches, both blue, one orp , one JG

 

[KatieBugg]

I just wanted to say that my heart really goes out to you and your DH. I could not imagine dealing with what you guys are. I have always lived by "Everthing happens for a reason" in my life, sometimes you just can't fathom why something like this could happen, then something else GOOD happens, and it makes it that much sweeter