Marek's Vaccine in adult chickens

[Chknldy]

I have had several mature roosters die of apparently Marek's. I had the last one diagnosed at a labratory in San Bernardino so I know for sure now. I know there is no cure once symptoms begin but I would like to know if I could vaccinate the rest of my chickens. The commercially available vaccine is labeled for day old chicks but would it work on adult chickens as well? Also are there any management techniques to reduce the incidence?

 

[threehorses]

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I think this article might answer all of your questions. If it does not, please feel free to ask more here, or email me and we'll see what else we can do.

I'm sorry to hear of your losses. However, I commend you for taking a bird in to get it tested! I wish more people would take that initiative.

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/poultry-health/mareks-disease.html

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

Hi there. Sorry to hear about your birds. I am glad that you had your birds tested. I am going trough a pullorum deal and had my pos bird tested for MG and MS and she was pos for that too.

What signs did you see with your birds?? I have a banty that today is stumbling around and is very thin. I did not know. I have her isolated and she is eating, drinking good.


Also

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[threehorses]

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I'm very sorry to hear about your birds, PhlyinPheBee. May I ask you a question about the MS? Did your vet tell you anything about treating for this? I'm assuming that your one bird was culled.

Did they test the rest of the flock, including your stumbling bird?

 

[Chknldy]

Threehorses,
Thanks for the link thats just what I needed to know, I'm going to order some vaccine and and try to save the rest of my birds.

PhilyPheBe,
The symptoms start with the roo stumbling or limping and progress to him being unable to perch, losing weight despite access to food. Eventually they are completely unable to walk but will eat when hand fed. We are able to keep them alive for while but eventually they all die. We have had several roos but only one hen die this way. It is not an epidemic usally only one chicken at a time and not usually young ones but 1-2 year olds. The roo we had tested was also positive with MG but I think that was secondary to the Marek's. We have lots of sparrows and probably all our birds have it but only display symptoms when stressed.

 

[threehorses]

You know - both MG and it's related MS cause problems with joints (and thus ambulation). It's a lesser known symptoms, as is the airsacullitis that is also involved often. But it's there if you read up in texts about it.

 

[mypicklebird]

The point as I understand it is to vaccinate right at hatch, is to vaccinate before they come across the real virus. If some of your birds have died from Marek's, and the rest of the flock is in the same area- they are already exposed. Vaccinating an adult bird should not be harmful, it is just not useful. They have been exposed- and they are immune or they are incubating and just don't look ill yet. The Fort Dodge product, which is the one most back yard folks are using is a live virus vaccine- it stimulates the chick's immune system so if/when it sees the 'real' disease- they have antibodies present to avoid getting the disease.

What do you mean by mature? Most Marek's deaths occur before 6months old- if they are older- this is unusual.

You really cannot get rid of the virus in the environment- it is long lived and will hang out in the dust around the farm in an inactive state- waiting to be inhaled by a chicken.

Good management for a Marek's contaminated farm is to purchase vaccinated chicks, and brood them away from any exposure (ie not with broodies in the regular house) until they are 4-5 months old. At minimum keep them in seclusion for 10+ days until the vaccine has a chance to work. The point of this is not to challenge their immune system with the real virus until they have protective antibodies from the vaccine. If you hatch your own eggs- use a clean incubator, vaccinate at day 1, and brood them away from the flock until 4-5 months if possible, but at least 10+ days.


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[BayCityBabe]

At the risk of highjacking... (forgive me):


I have a 12 week old pullet that is very weak. Took her to the vet & she is on antibiotics. The vet suspects Marek's, but we won't know until necropsy.

The vet AND our state poultry vet have advised me that vaccinating the young, unvaccinated birds in my flock won't work because they have been explosed already. "Doc Brown" from First State Supply advised me to go ahead and vaccinate them. Any opinions on this?

 

[BayCityBabe]

Another thing: I read that the Marek's vaccine is not like other vaccines. It doesn't prevent the virus, it just suppressed the lesions caused by the virus.

 

[fourfeathers]

Is there any risk to your older chickens BY vaccinating them? I have 4 that are 8 yrs old and the rest are between the ages of 3 mos and 1 1/2 yrs. If you vaccinate only the younger ones, does that endanger the older birds at all?