Mareks

[unbaked pegga]

I have posted her many times when I started losing my juvenile hens. I had a necropsy on the last one that died. She had mareks, giardiasis, and pneumonia. The one hen left of the original 4 (abt 5 mo old) seems ok but she IS losing a lot of feathers like the others but that might just be a coincidence. She and the others were raised in a large crate together. She doesnt show symptoms but is she a carrier of Mareks? I have called the pathologist office and he didnt know. I called my vet and he said he wasn't sure. So this is my last stop. I am going to have to put her in with the others soon because the way I have cordoned part of the yard off, I dont have free access to the back door. My other 3 hens are 4 years old and are unvaccinated against Mareks but they have MG and I know she will get that. Can I give them the mareks vaccine when they are full grown like this? I dont think I am capable of culling them. I guess I could just let what ever happens, happen. And I have taken such good care of them

 

[azygous]

Marek's is one of the most long lived pathogens in the environment. If your chickens were exposed to the chickens that was identified as having Marek's, they are now carriers of the virus. Even if they never met the Marek's chicken, they will pick up the virus from the soil and other surfaces that the Marek's chicken came into contact with. Even the soles of your shoes have the Marek's virus on them.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi
I'm pleased to hear that you got a necropsy and diagnosis, even if it is Marek's. It helps to know what you are dealing with so that you can know your enemy and plan a strategy. I have Marek's in my flock as will an awful lot of other people, many of whom just have not had it diagnosed.
I'm not entirely sure what you are concerned about here. If it is the risk of exposing your older girls to Marek's, then as mentioned, the likelihood is that they have already been exposed. It can travel on your skin, hair, clothes, shoes and even the wind. There does not have to be direct contact between birds although obviously that will increase the risk.
The virus will lie dormant for a period of time after infection before an individual bird will experience an outbreak(symptoms)..... that can be weeks, months or occasionally years. There is no way of knowing which birds are infected, so it is simplest to assume they all are. Stress is usually the trigger for an outbreak of Marek's, so aim to keep your hens happy and as stress free as possible. Unfortunately integrating your lone pullet into the flock will cause a bit of stress, more for her no doubt than the older girls, so you might yet lose her unfortunately, but if you cannot bring yourself to cull her, then the best you can do is ensure that they have lots of space and extra food and water stations during the integration period.
Good luck.

 

[unbaked pegga]

I have learned so much from y'all. It is just a great resource group. Yes I know it will be hard integrating one hen like that. They free range so I am hoping that will help the process a little bit. I will always leave her an escape route and will keep her area cordoned off as long as it is necessary. But I also know that apparently this was not a real good place to purchase chicks from.with shipping it was a pretty penny. I didnt realize mareks could stay dormant for years. Oh my

 

[Kiki]

I have posted her many times when I started losing my juvenile hens. I had a necropsy on the last one that died. She had mareks, giardiasis, and pneumonia. The one hen left of the original 4 (abt 5 mo old) seems ok but she IS losing a lot of feathers like the others but that might just be a coincidence. She and the others were raised in a large crate together. She doesnt show symptoms but is she a carrier of Mareks? I have called the pathologist office and he didnt know. I called my vet and he said he wasn't sure. So this is my last stop. I am going to have to put her in with the others soon because the way I have cordoned part of the yard off, I dont have free access to the back door. My other 3 hens are 4 years old and are unvaccinated against Mareks but they have MG and I know she will get that. Can I give them the mareks vaccine when they are full grown like this? I dont think I am capable of culling them. I guess I could just let what ever happens, happen. And I have taken such good care of them

The vaccine has to be given at hatch.
Day one.
It isn't made to use on adult birds.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

But I also know that apparently this was not a real good place to purchase chicks from.with shipping it was a pretty penny. I didnt realize mareks could stay dormant for years.

If they were incubator hatched and shipped as day old chicks... then the Marek's may not have come from them but got it at your place.

Sorry you faced that.