Marek's incubation

[nanasbitties]

I was wondering does anyone know the incubation on the Marek's Virus?

 

[downsm75]

I think I have a hen with merks..

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

It starts affecting chicks at 10-12 weeks old....and downsm75 if one of your hens have it everyone of you chickens have it

 

[downsm75]

She can't hardly stand, but when she does, it's one leg WAY behind the other. Her pupils are dilated, making her eyes look black. She's hungry and will eat, she just looks like she is drunk all the time. I keep feeding her water through a dropper and she will find her food and eat. She's getting vitamins in her water as well as Duramycin-10. She's 14 weeks, none of my other chickens are sick

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

yes that sound like mareks...sometimes they will get better for a few days and then do the same thing over again...how long as she been doing this?

 

[leadwolf1]

The incubation period for Marek's ranges from 6 - 16 weeks and sometimes longer. I've found that 12 -14 weeks is the time that you really start having problems. However, I have also discovered that 14 - 16 months is another time when chickens are greatly effected. Unfortunately, I have alot of first hand experience.

In all my Marek's cases, when standing the effected leg is always held out front. But, Marek's has no rules.

If you suspect that your pullet has Marek's. Find a state lab that will do a necropsy. You can find this information from your local government extension office or, online. This is the only way that you will know for sure what is going on and how to proceed in the future.

Any other questions, please ask.

 

[downsm75]

She started falling over on Friday. I have 9 other chickens. How long before they get sick if this is Merks?

 

[leadwolf1]

I would suggest that you make a mash with crumbles, water and yogurt. She will greedily gobble it up. She will obtain all the moisture she needs from the mash and you won't have to worry about getting water into her. One thing I have noticed repeatedly with Marek's is that the chicken stops drinking. The mash really helps them.

I would also start with this vitamin protocol:

.5mls poly vi sol, without iron, daily
400 ius vitamin E twice daily.

This will help boost your pullet and it will also rule out any vitamin deficiency she might have. Keep her in a quiet place where she can rest. Is there any posibility that she was injured? Dilated pupils is not necessarily a symptom of Marek's...it can be a sign of pain and injury. As a matter of fact, out of the 40+ chickens lost to Marek's, only one had strange looking pupils.

 

[Folly's place]

You might want to have a postmortem done; when you have a diagnosis you can make a plan! Mary

 

[leadwolf1]

You may never get another one that shows symptoms or, it can take up to 4 months for someone to show signs. You really need to find out if it is Marek's you are dealing with. If it is, it will change the way you raise and handle your chickens forever.