Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[fuzzybutt love]

Vacc older birds in a merecks attack is a hail mary and while it will save most it can not save all. Merecks is always changing and adapting, so vaccines don't stop them from getting it just makes it not as bad. If their system don't fight well enough they will still die. It is very widespread and though i don't think it is here i fear the day as i am pretty sure any long term flock gets it.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Thanks for the explanation lady...I guess the only way to know for sure would be a necropsy?
Is there a definitive test for Mareks?
Blood or feces while alive.... tissue after death?
Anyway to prevent it's spread within the flock...is the vaccination bomb proof.....if you know you have it will it protect new birds coming in?

Sorry for all the Q's.

No problem, ask away. I'm learning too. Dr. Fulton did not recommend a necropsy as it would be redundant an expensive. He just bluntly stated that I already had it, they already had it, it's everywhere. I'm guessing he's seen so many cases that it's more or less a lost cause to prevent it and a waste of chicken owner's money to have him prove what he already knows to be true and it doesn't cost a dime for his advice so... I'm grateful he is so open and available. Necropsy is the only way to verify I believe. Nothing while alive as far as I know. The vaccination, from what I understand, will not stop them from being carriers of the disease but will aid in preventing death from it. It doesn't allow the cancerous lesions to take hold or grow. But if they're exposed, they'll still be carriers.

And she is still hanging in there. She ate a cooked egg with yogurt this morning, while I held her steady because she flaps and flounders all over the place if I don't. We'll see...

 

[fuzzybutt love]

So to be clear no merecks vaccine keeps birds merecks free, only symptom free. Same with running them with turkeys. Merecks is not supposed to transfer via the egg, so eggs are a safer choice than chicks if you are buying new blood. Vaccinating newbs is still better than nothing, i wish i had better news to share.

Blackhead btw can be fixed with metronizadole aka flagyl; sold online for fish as "fish zole"

 

[fuzzybutt love]

So sorry lady. It is hard. Don't vacc your little gal, not while in an acute attack. You could try feeding her a raw yolk from one of your healthier hens? There are antibodies in them

 

[uchytil]

I had a chicken get Marek's about 5 years ago. I called Fulton at MI State and we talked about it. I read about how it can be airborne, like in dust (skin). It can blow down the road to another farm. Birds bring it with them when they are symptom free. It's pretty much a gamble with birds unless all of your chicks were vaccinated at birth and you never go where there's other birds, and etc. The bird I had died by my hand as once they are in the paralytic stage it seemed to me the most humane thing to do.

The good Dr. did say it was "probably" Marek's but the fee to find out is just too much I think.

The speech he gave at CS was outstanding and really laid it on the line about this very common malady.

 

[mindylee]

What symptoms dose Mareks have.

 

[ladyrsanti]

What symptoms dose Mareks have.

Here's a really good article about it. I suggest you read from top to bottom to get the full scope of the disease. It's complicated.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Mine started out with what I thought was sour crop. But it wasn't until it reappeared weeks later, along with her being off balance, that I realized that she didn't have sour-smelling breath.

 

[1muttsfan]

Mareks is a viral infection in the Herpesvirus family. These viruses target the nerves. It takes at least 3-4 weeks after infection for lesions to start showing up. Early-affected birds may show paralysis, or may just act sick and die; some may not show signs and recover. If the initial infection does not cause death, the virus settles in the nervous tissues and can show up later (many herpesviruses cause latent (inapparent) infections that reoccur later - think chickenpox/shingles, or herpes simplex/skin lesions). These are the older ones that develop tumors of the nervous system; they develop progressive paralysis and eventually die. So healthy birds can carry and shed the virus without themselves showing illness.

The virus is spread in dander from feather follicles and inhaled.

Vaccination is with a similar strain of Turkey herpesvirus that itself does not cause illness. For it to be most effective, is needs to be given in the first days of life. (Vaccination will not prevent infection, only disease - so vaccinated birds may still get the virus and pass it on to other, unvaccinated birds, although this is much less likely to happen).

There are different strains of virus, and some are more lethal than others.

Lady, as Dr. Fulton said, all of our flocks are likely exposed and eventually will be infected with Mareks. It is natural that some folks will feel uncomfortable regarding your flock, just as some avoid those with cancer or other serious diseases. It is good that you can share your experience here, and not everyone will feel that way about your birds.

 

[bigmrg74]

Man, I should have posted my worries about the girls not laying sooner! I got 2 little eggs this morning and with the addition of a store bought egg, made a wonderful omelette this morning.

 

[Caheen]

I would be happy to hook you up! I live in Lapeer

Just have to share a picture of the babies that came from LoveMyChicklets! They're so cute! Giggles is being a great momma!