MM Sick Chicks Official Diagnosis In...

[ZykloniaDark-GothikRanchr]

Will do! You are probably right! and Thanx

 

[Corey NC]

I have chicks from MM they arrived the weak of Feb. 18th they are now 6 weeks old. They all have been healthy and w/o any signs of problems but is there still a possiblility of them getting sick?

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

There is the possibility of all chickens getting sick with this, all ages. However the illness is worst in those younger than 4 weeks who were passed the disease maternally or brooded with those that had it passed to them. Yours are now unlikely to get so sick that they show major symptoms or have high mortality. You may not have any of the effected chicks at all.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Is everyone allowed an opinion? If so, here is my humble opinion - based on the following articles, it is my opinion that those who choose to keep their sick chicks isolated, warm and well cared for can expect some to recover and those that recover will be immune to this "naturally occuring virus" that exists world-wide and normally only affects chicks less than 6 weeks old because after that they have developed their own immunities. Again this is my opinion, offered solely as help to those trying to make a very difficult decision. I have never told anyone NOT to report this if they live in a state that says they must report the outbreak. I am only trying to post information for those trying to make a decision to cull or not (especially if their AG Dept. puts the decision back on them).

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C853 - AVIAN ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

Nature of the disease

Avian encephalomyelitis (AE) is a viral disease of young chickens caused by a virus from the Hepatovirus family and characterised by central nervous system signs (Epidemic Tremors).

Susceptible species
AE occurs naturally in chickens, turkeys, pheasants and Japanese quail.

Distribution
AE has been reported from virtually all developed countries, including New Zealand, Australia, USA and New Caledonia.

Clinical signs
Chickens of all ages are susceptible, but clinical signs of encephalitis only develop in those younger than four weeks. The disease is similar in turkeys and chickens. Under field conditions disease is most common in the 1–2 week age group. Following initial dull expression of the eyes, the following signs are seen:

- progressive ataxia with the chick losing control of legs, sitting on its haunches and falling onto its side;

- tremor of the head and neck.

Ataxia progresses to paralysis and death results from inability to feed or drink, or through being trampled.

Some birds recover, and others may survive with persistent clinical signs.

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From article in "The Poultry Guide":

Most prevalent in chickens 1 to 6 weeks of age. Susceptible chickens more than 5 weeks old will develop antibodies to AE, but do not show clinical signs at the time of infection.

Chickens of all ages are susceptible, but clinical signs of encephalitis only develop in those younger than four weeks.

Prove good nursing during outbreaks will help with mortality. Lifetime immunity is acquired through vaccination or recovery from a natural outbreaks.

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From Univ. of Fla. IFAS Extension site:

Clinical signs: Signs commonly appear during the first week of life and between the second and third weeks.

Transmission: The virus can be transmitted through the egg from infected hen to chick, accounting for disease during the first week of life. The disease can also be spread through a flock by direct contact of susceptible hatchlings with infected birds, accounting for the disease at 2-3 weeks of age. Recovered birds are immune and do not spread the virus.

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Thank you for allowing a different opinion - little fuzzy butt lives literally depend upon it.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Of course your allowed your opinion. I only took out the bashing and the content related to diseases other than AE due to the confusion it was creating.

Here is the link to The Poultry Guide you sited.

http://www.ruleworks.co.uk/poultry/Avian-Encephalomyelitis.htm

 

[pepperluvsmee]

Quote:
So now without ordering from MM, my chicks are able to get this disease, even though I keep them in the house until they are 8 weeks of age? When is the cut-off age? (Sorry, I have a hard time remembering all the info I have read about this disease.) Am I taking ALL CHICKS too literal?
-Theresa

 

[healingdeva]

pepperluvsme, your chicks could only get sick if
* their mother had the virus active at the time the egg was layed, or
* if they are exposed to other chicks with the virus, or
* if you had chicks with the illness and their feces is still present on your premises as the virus can live up to 4 weeks (or longer?) in the feces

In practice, breeding chickens are immunized prior to becoming layers to prevent this disease. We can only assume there was a bad batch of immunization which the chickens in this case had or somehow a breeder who did not immunize.

That is why there are also many healthy chickens in the midst of the sick ones - both in different batches and within the same batch. I have one chick I received from the local feed store who has been with my 3 others since they were a week old. She is fine and shows no symptoms even though the rest of my chicks do. I assume she carried the immunity from her mother.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Yes, sorry I should have said all chickens exposed to this. That is a great list of the exposure routes. Add only the vaccine, as it is a live virus, so it exposes them to the real disease, not just a modified or killed virus. That is why it's important to use it at the right time or the hens can lay eggs that will hatch out these sick chicks.

Those chicks that have maternal immunity will loose it about 5 weeks. That is why it's important to be right on top of cleaning and disinfecting, as well as burning bedding to avoid them getting sick after 5 weeks. Well they will not usually get really sick with it they might even at that age. Most to the papers I saw said to cull the effected chicks under 4 weeks or at least separate them totally till 10 weeks to avoid this time period for the ones with maternal immunity. Between 5 weeks (the loss of maternal immunity) and 10 weeks when they can be vaccinated I mean.

Some are opting to let these chicks get sick to create immunity. That just means you have to keep them isolated to protect the rest of your flock. It depends on how many you have in and out of the brooder, your set up, and other factors. Same for the rest of the flock, some have chicks that were never isolated so now have to let it run through the flock. Just don't collect any hatching eggs as it will just start over. One study showed 2 years of vaccination in a row did eliminate disease from properties but breakthrough had happened in some follow ups in again 2 years. Immunity is not forever it seems with this.

 

[carousel]

I think we have to be careful about making assumptions. About how AE may or may not "work".

It is possible that some vaccinated pullets the first time around did not develop immunity there are dozens of reasons other than shorter lasting Immunity (including longer lasting maternal immunity that can override and make a vaccine ineffective) this is why people with new puppies give a seires of vaccines - they are trying to protect a puppy w/o knowning when the maternal immunty will drop off.
The reason that puppies are not vaccinated any sooner than 6 weeks is because the pups can't mount an immune responose. But maternal immunity in a puppy could drop off at 5 weeks or 20 weeks! most commonly between 8-16 weeks.

as far as AE
I would think if Immunity was not "life long" there would be a "re-vaccination" protocol?

I would also think that the reason pullets are vaccinated at 10 weeks is that is the "outside window" of when they think materinal Immunty will have worn off? Maternal immuinty is not a hard - static think it is much more fluid. levels drop off and reduce over time vs 1 day they have immunity, next day "none".

So I'm trying hard not to draw too many conclusions.....
it is easy to make leaps? but I'm trying to leave those thoughts "open" w/o drawing too many conclusions unless a vet well educated on the topic can show me research and numbers.

CS

 

[farm_mom]

Hi April, can you share your sources? (Or did you already and I missed it?) Because all the articles I've read, including my own books say if they are exposed and survive they will have lifelong immunity. Some go so far as to say they will pass that immunity on to their babies. All warn that the survivors may be unthrifty or poor layers/breeders. So far, I've made the decision to keep my survivors because they are improving and because of the information I've read. If I could see the info your talking about I would have more to consider. Thanks.