Marek's is taking over my flock and I'm not sure what to do

[Rurumo]

I actually found this study on Baicalin/Marek's- https://www.researchgate.net/public...aicalin_on_Marek's_disease_virus_in_CEF_cells -while researching Baicalin (extracted from Chinese Skullcap) use for myself-I take Baicalin from Nootropics Depot for anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and sleep purposes. I don't want people to run out buying it thinking it's a cure for Marek's, but it's an interesting study, and Baicalin is also being investigated for use against Covid https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34934765/. The biggest problem I see for trying this is that the dosage is quite small at 250 mg Baicalin per kg of feed-I have no idea what the best way would be to mix a small amount of powder like that into a kg of feed, I would be curious to know how best to do that. Anyway, Marek's is terrible and I feel for those going through it with their flocks right now.

 

[NatJ]

I have no idea what the best way would be to mix a small amount of powder like that into a kg of feed, I would be curious to know how best to do that.

I assume that's just one way to get the right amount into each chicken? If so, putting one day's dose in a smaller amount of feed, then making sure each chicken eats their share of that feed that day, would also work. Putting the powder into a wet mash might work (chicken food plus water). Chickens usually like that well enough to eat it up promptly.

If it's important to have the medicine distributed throughout the day, then putting it in all the food might be better, but I don't know how to be sure the powder is mixed evenly. Mixing it into a small amount of feed, then mixing that small amount into a bigger amount, helps but is still no guarantee that it's really distributed evenly.

 

[Iluveggers]

I’m dealing with the same thing. I confirmed Marek’s in October through a Texas A&M necropsy. To date I have lost 8 chickens. 3 SL Wyandotte’s, 1 cream legbar, 4 Easter eggers. 5 of the 8 were vaxed. I still have 2 unvaxed barred rocks a year old that are well and the other 7 are all vaxed. I only have had to cull 2 that were holding on too long and suffering. The rest died on their own within a few days. Part of me feels like I should let this flock of 9 die out on its own without adding any new chicks, wait a few years or move and start over. The other part of me wants to try and breed for resistance but I don’t know how much more of this I can take. It’s extremely frustrating. I’m sorry you’re dealing with it too. I swear we need a support group for Marek’s flock owners

Ideal has a couple of types they breed for resistance, thr Ideal 236 and I think the production black or California grey. If you read the description it talks about it. If you do decide on chicks, maybe try those to start?

 

[Jewelschick]

Ideal has a couple of types they breed for resistance, thr Ideal 236 and I think the production black or California grey. If you read the description it talks about it. If you do decide on chicks, maybe try those to start?

I’ve been looking into Egyptian Fayoumis. I am thinking I will get just a few to see. I will look into Ideal as well. Thank you!

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[roheryn]

So a few months ago, I noticed one of my BCM was walking with a limp. I had a vet look at her and they suspected Marek's. A couple weeks went by and she started doing better, but my other BCM started having the exact same symptoms. The first still has a slight limp, but has been stable for a couple months. The other was slowly deteriorating, stopped eating, just had a poor quality of life, so I had my husband cull her a few days ago. It was very depressing. My other BCM is still OK, but she's just kind of "there". She eats, roosts, etc, but doesn't socialize with the rest of the flock and is always alone. Both BCM were unvaccinated. I had a Shetland hen that started to waste away similarly and she died on her own about a month ago. I took her to UC Davis to have a necropsy done and they confirmed multiple tumors with Marek's as the cause. She WAS vaccinated. Yesterday I noticed my Buff Orpington just not acting herself. She went to sleep in the run and didn't go roost. She is one of my alpha birds and it obviously was a red flag that something isn't right. I can tell she's off, but she's hiding it well.
I've ordered some chicks and many of them have died. I've never had this happen. The chicks are vaccinated, but I'm trying to limit their exposure to anything with my flock. I just feel very down. Culling is also really difficult for me. It's too personal, if that makes sense. I could probably shoot them, but it would be difficult (and illegal) to discharge a firearm here without alarming people.
I also spoke with someone at a local feed store and they said Marek's has been very bad this year. Are some years worse than others?
Anyways, I'm not sure what to do. Do I just automatically cull any birds that show any signs of illness? I'm sure each chicken has it, obviously. I've read some threads on here where people say to just keep the birds that are resistant to Marek's. It just seems like as soon as one dies, another starts to show illness. I'm just super down about it. Would love any advice or encouraging words. Thank you.

Culling is also really difficult for me. It's too personal, if that makes sense. I could probably shoot them, but it would be difficult (and illegal) to discharge a firearm here without alarming people.

If you are close to UC Davis, you can have them euthanize the bird in addition to testing, so you don’t have to do the deed yourself. It’s a sad drive, but I’m glad to not have to dispatch my pets. I did that once. Unfortunately, I’ve had to do the drive to Davis many times in the past year, we have lost all but two in our flock, so I feel your frustration, pain and concern

 

[RuffIedFeathers]

If you are close to UC Davis, you can have them euthanize the bird in addition to testing, so you don’t have to do the deed yourself. It’s a sad drive, but I’m glad to not have to dispatch my pets. I did that once. Unfortunately, I’ve had to do the drive to Davis many times in the past year, we have lost all but two in our flock, so I feel your frustration, pain and concern

I am close to UC Davis. I've had them do necropsies for me a couple of times (which is how I confirmed Marek's). I've been able to euthanize them myself so far, but it is so hard. It's such a bummer. I've purchased all my birds from places I believed to reputable sources, so I'm not sure how it made it's way into my flock. I'm guessing from a wild bird or a nearby flock.

 

[cityeggs]

I'm so sorry. I have no answers yet on what comes next - just that I can relate . I too just got a default diagnosis of Marek's from UC Davis very recently and am trying to process this. I'm all in for a Marek's support group/thread

This was the first death and case in my flock (and she was 1.5yo), but I have 4 x 3 month old chicks who are in peak high-risk period, and at least according to the big Marek's article here, also weren't vaccinated early enough to be considered "fully" vaccinated (4 days old instead of within 36 h of hatch), so I'm anticipating the next few months may be really hard - similar to what you've described.

It's possible we got it from one of our neighbors - she mentioned her hen had died from some neurological issues in the last year, and at the time I didn't know that was a Marek's symptom when I had her take care of my flock when we went away. But it also easily could've come from anywhere - I do have "chicken shoes" and clothes, and generally change after going to the feed store, but where exactly those shoes that go to the feed store get stored and getting the rest of my family to pay attention to any of that that has fallen by the wayside. And while I changed clothes/washed hands and didn't wear my chicken shoes to take care of the neighbors' chickens, I didn't ask the same of them...

 

[Bkaye]

X3 for a Mareks support group thread. I’m in the same camp as others here. I hatched out 13 babies last September. We got our diagnosis in February after one started with paralysis. Out of the 13 babies hatched we only have 2 remaining. Not sure where we got it from. All our older birds we had prior to the babies hatching have done well including a Silkie and a couple cochins.

To top of off we when got our diagnosis and before our little girl started with paralysis we had a cochin go broody so we have her some eggs. So far those babies will be 15 weeks old this weekend and so far no issues.

I’ve come to learn in a short period of time how devastating Mareks can be.

 

[pugspigchicks]

I’m dealing with the same thing. I confirmed Marek’s in October through a Texas A&M necropsy. To date I have lost 8 chickens. 3 SL Wyandotte’s, 1 cream legbar, 4 Easter eggers. 5 of the 8 were vaxed. I still have 2 unvaxed barred rocks a year old that are well and the other 7 are all vaxed. I only have had to cull 2 that were holding on too long and suffering. The rest died on their own within a few days. Part of me feels like I should let this flock of 9 die out on its own without adding any new chicks, wait a few years or move and start over. The other part of me wants to try and breed for resistance but I don’t know how much more of this I can take. It’s extremely frustrating. I’m sorry you’re dealing with it too. I swear we need a support group for Marek’s flock owners

Cheers! Sorry about your struggles. Out of curiosity did your vaccinated ones come from a breeder or a hatchery or did you vaccinate yourself? I’ve now had 3 separate vets including A&M tell me that my hen who was covered with internal tumors and diagnosed with visceral Mareks was not vaccinated correctly in their expert opinion. Vaccinated properly as in no exposure whatsoever before immunity. A&M said field challenges said chicks were immune at 5 days. I’ve heard 1 week by another vet.

They all said they don’t see the tumors in vaccinated chickens with Mareks. If the vaccinated ones get it then it’s rare but typically presents as the neurological form. I’m intrigued though because you lost so many vaccinated ones.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I'm interested in any results ya'll have had with Chinese Skullcap/Baicalin.

I had chickens dying from Marek's Disease left and right. I've read everything I could get my hands on, from clinical studies to academic research.

I started out with various forms, experimenting at various stages.

So far, I am having positive results, but not every case resolves. It seems very effective for the neurological symptoms. Not so much for one that affects the eyes with cataracts.

It's still early, but it's something to try other that "cull".

For dosage and administration, I have come across various protocols. They have common threads.

The prophylactic dosage is daily and should be administer through feed. Because the dosage is so small, I am switching to non-concentrated Chinese Skullcap powder. Per the manufacturers certificate, it has 14.6% Baicalin. Making dosage for a 50lb bag of feed 2.3 tablespoons instead of 1 teaspoon. I mix it first with a few lbs of feed and add sesame oil to it to make it stick to the feed. I then mix that feed back into the 50 lbs.

Other than being bouji, I use sesame oil because it has a pleasant, pungent, easily recognizable scent. I may not be able to see the Chinese Skullcap, but if I can smell the sesame oil, I am more confident that feed has Skullcap on it.

I also realized in one of the studies it referred to a 96 hour efficacy. This would mean the prophylactic dosage builds up in the system. So eating a little more or a little less from one day to the other would not have a detrimental effect.

With that being said, I also that dosage is for ALL feed. So if you put out layer feed and scratch, or serve chickens scraps...it should ALL be dosed.