Mareks?

[2ndTink]

I've been putting vitamin b2 capsules in an egg every day causing that bright yellow. But the blood just happened today.

While on corid, stop the vitamin supplementing.

 

[Eggsandbeyond]

Quite likely it is Coccidiosis, get some corid into them, I'd do a drench (double check the dosage please...) 1cc straight into their beak, then dose the water as instructed on the bottle.

Secondary infections are very common with Mareks as it taxes their immune system.

Thank you. I'll update when I get the test results back, and I gave them corid the drench and in their water. So anxious.

 

[2ndTink]

As of right now it's just these 2, they were from the same place. Same breed. I got a test kit to see if it is mareks. But I am pretty certain that it is. I've been such a mess for 2 weeks now going back and forth on this. They are my pets and I love them all dearly. I hate to see them like this. One day they'll seem to improve and the next decline again. They eat and drink and try to get around, but one leg is paralyzed and toes curled. It is the same leg on both birds. When the test comes back and it is positive I need to make the decision but I have no idea where to even begin. I obviously don't want them to suffer and I can't afford a vet to put them down. But idk if I have it in me to cull them. Especially once it does start showing in the rest of my flock if it hits my "special" birds. How many do you have? Typically, how fast do others start to show symptoms? It's been about 2 weeks now they've been isolated, but the first one to show symptoms started with a limp and was with everyone for a few days while limping before I isolated because I assumed it was just a minor injury. So if that's what it is I can assume its already throughout my entire flock. Some are vaccinated some are not.

Mareks sucks, I 100% understand where you are at, it will get "better", you'll learn more, put a plan together, you'll have ups and downs, but yes, especially the first fee weeks are HORRIBLE. My chickens are my pets, and I had these plans to raise purebred chickens and sell wonderful chicks, and hatching eggs, and it was going to be fun! Then along came Mareks. So many tears, disappointment, second guesses, what ifs, everything. Money spent on the necropsy, PCR testing, more PCR testing...

My hubby does most of the culling, but there have been a few times when he wasn't feeling well and a chicken needed to be culled, so I had to heft up my big girl pants and get it done. I can share the video I learned from if you'd like. It is quick and effective, just be prepared for the movements after they are gone, I don't like to leave them alone, but it also bothers me to see it, so my compromise is to put a towel over them and look away. I've never timed it, but they seem to move for ever before stopping.

When I first found out my silkies had Mareks, I had I think 16 silkies and another 20 or so layers. They weren't housed together but I wore the same clothes and shoes between them all. When I started treating symptomatic silkies with vitamins, I'd hold then, then go hold my favorite layer hen. I did PCR testing on 5 birds a few months ago, 2 silkies tested positive, 1 satin tested negative (he grew up with the positive ones but I had moved him to the layer coop about a week after the second silkie showed symptoms), and the 2 layers I tested were negative. There is hope

 

[2ndTink]

As of right now it's just these 2, they were from the same place. Same breed. I got a test kit to see if it is mareks. But I am pretty certain that it is. I've been such a mess for 2 weeks now going back and forth on this. They are my pets and I love them all dearly. I hate to see them like this. One day they'll seem to improve and the next decline again. They eat and drink and try to get around, but one leg is paralyzed and toes curled. It is the same leg on both birds. When the test comes back and it is positive I need to make the decision but I have no idea where to even begin. I obviously don't want them to suffer and I can't afford a vet to put them down. But idk if I have it in me to cull them. Especially once it does start showing in the rest of my flock if it hits my "special" birds. How many do you have? Typically, how fast do others start to show symptoms? It's been about 2 weeks now they've been isolated, but the first one to show symptoms started with a limp and was with everyone for a few days while limping before I isolated because I assumed it was just a minor injury. So if that's what it is I can assume its already throughout my entire flock. Some are vaccinated some are not.

I had birds showing symptoms about 2 to 4 weeks apart for about 6 months, all were unvaccinated, all in the same flock, raised together.

From what I've read, even if they are exposed to Mareks, doesn't mean they'll get it, if they get it, doesn't mean they'll have symptoms.

I don't think my layers are vaccinated, and I haven't lost any of them to any Mareks symptoms.

A conclusion I came to (I faltered from it several times) is that I wouldn't worry about Mareks, I would enjoy the time I had with them as long as it lasted.

There's no cookie cutter answer on what to do with your flock if you get positive results back. If your other birds are healthy there's no reason to cull them unless that's the path you want to take. If they are positive, just be very careful about biosecurity onto, and off of, your property. You don't want you or anyone else to carry Mareks from your flock to another. I have coop boots, and farm store shoes. Sometime I spray them with Odoban. Chicken clothes don't go to town, town clothes don't go to the coops.

 

[Eggsandbeyond]

I had birds showing symptoms about 2 to 4 weeks apart for about 6 months, all were unvaccinated, all in the same flock, raised together.

From what I've read, even if they are exposed to Mareks, doesn't mean they'll get it, if they get it, doesn't mean they'll have symptoms.

I don't think my layers are vaccinated, and I haven't lost any of them to any Mareks symptoms.

A conclusion I came to (I faltered from it several times) is that I wouldn't worry about Mareks, I would enjoy the time I had with them as long as it lasted.

There's no cookie cutter answer on what to do with your flock if you get positive results back. If your other birds are healthy there's no reason to cull them unless that's the path you want to take. If they are positive, just be very careful about biosecurity onto, and off of, your property. You don't want you or anyone else to carry Mareks from your flock to another. I have coop boots, and farm store shoes. Sometime I spray them with Odoban. Chicken clothes don't go to town, town clothes don't go to the coops.

You are such a blessing and exactly what I needed to get through this. So, thank you wholeheartedly. I am preparing myself for the worst, but as you said just enjoying every day I have with them all and not taking any for granted. I have one specific girl, she's a crossbeak and lived inside with me for months that is part silkie and has a silkie best friend. I am literally losing sleep thinking of having to cull her or see her or her companion go through this. They're bantams and so tiny and follow me literally everywhere. I'm hoping I separated them in time, but they were together a few days while showing symptoms. And together months before that. Do you know if its dormant before symptoms start? Or if carriers they can still spread it? Taking one day a time...I'm so sorry you have to live with this. But appreciate all your help. Even if it's just listening and sharing your story.

 

[2ndTink]

You are such a blessing and exactly what I needed to get through this. So, thank you wholeheartedly. I am preparing myself for the worst, but as you said just enjoying every day I have with them all and not taking any for granted. I have one specific girl, she's a crossbeak and lived inside with me for months that is part silkie and has a silkie best friend. I am literally losing sleep thinking of having to cull her or see her or her companion go through this. They're bantams and so tiny and follow me literally everywhere. I'm hoping I separated them in time, but they were together a few days while showing symptoms. And together months before that. Do you know if its dormant before symptoms start? Or if carriers they can still spread it? Taking one day a time...I'm so sorry you have to live with this. But appreciate all your help. Even if it's just listening and sharing your story.

From what I've read, there's no way to know if they are shedding the virus or not, but the assumption is that symptomatic birds are definitely shedding and asymptomatic birds can spread it but dont always. Mareks can travel 3 to 5 miles in the air, so whether you have then housed together or separate likely doesn't make a huge difference. But, I still feel like distance, changing boots and clothes can only help, along with keeping the coops clean and hitting them with sanitizer every once in awhile. Keeping that viral load down makes sense to me, but I'm not backed with any studies.

TwoCrows and Debbie292d have gotten me this far, I couldn't have done it without their support and advice. Debbie's whole Odoban experiment was to help me, I'm just blown away with their love, help and support. I thought about just getting out of chickens several times, or getting out if silkies and just keeping layers. But, I have my silkies, about half are now properly vaccinated (any I hatched this year!), new layer chicks that are all vaccinated, I know I can sanitize hatching eggs with Odoban without issues. Mareks still sucks big time, but I'm finding ways to still pursue my modified dreams.

 

[2ndTink]

Thank you. I'll update when I get the test results back, and I gave them corid the drench and in their water. So anxious.

I was crazy anxious too, I called to make sure the samples arrived at the right place, the folks there are so kind. They answered all my questions before sending the samples and about the results as well.

 

[tripletfeb]

Hi @Eggsandbeyond I'm sorry you are dealing with possible mareks in your flock. My flock was just diagnosed with ocular mareks two days ago. I'm devastated but doing my best to deal with it. Ocular mareks is a little different than what your flock could have, my birds aren't losing the use of their legs, they will go blind. The one who received the diagnoses is already blind in one eye. Mareks is shed in a chicken's dander and even if they were vaccinated, they will still shed it. I'll tag @microchick , she has been really helpful in helping me deal. And the others on my thread have been helpful too, of course. It's just nice to hear from someone who deals with mareks daily. I'm very new to it so won't be much help. Good luck to you

 

[Barnette]

As of right now it's just these 2, they were from the same place. Same breed. I got a test kit to see if it is mareks. But I am pretty certain that it is. I've been such a mess for 2 weeks now going back and forth on this. They are my pets and I love them all dearly. I hate to see them like this. One day they'll seem to improve and the next decline again. They eat and drink and try to get around, but one leg is paralyzed and toes curled. It is the same leg on both birds. When the test comes back and it is positive I need to make the decision but I have no idea where to even begin. I obviously don't want them to suffer and I can't afford a vet to put them down. But idk if I have it in me to cull them. Especially once it does start showing in the rest of my flock if it hits my "special" birds. How many do you have? Typically, how fast do others start to show symptoms? It's been about 2 weeks now they've been isolated, but the first one to show symptoms started with a limp and was with everyone for a few days while limping before I isolated because I assumed it was just a minor injury. So if that's what it is I can assume its already throughout my entire flock. Some are vaccinated some are not.

I'm so sorry. This is hard. I love that you love them so much

 

[microchick]

Thank, @tripletfeb for the tag and @Eggsandbeyond, I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this. Rest assured you aren't alone. It is a club nobody wants to belong to but a lot do.

It's late here so for now I'm going to invite you to read my article on my experiences with Marek's Disease from the POV of a flock owner who was (and still is) in the same place you are in right now. You can find it here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/

I have had three forms of the disease in my flock, visceral (causes tumors) Ocular (causes blindness) and Neurological (causes seizures and leg paralysis) The trifecta of MD. The only form I haven't seen is the cutaneous form that causes skin tumors....oh lordie I just jinxed myself. Anyway, I'll check back in tomorrow and try to catch up on the posts.

For the time being, hang in there. You didn't cause this to happen. It is just the luck of the draw. Now you just need to take a deep breath, regroup and figure out how to carry on in spite of your suspicions.

Hey, @tripletfeb, how is Peggy doing?