Moving Forward- Breeding for Resistance to Marek's Disease

[welasharon]

Another thing I realized last night thinking about this is that most if not all of the birds came to me as chicks. The others as juveniles or adults. More pieces to the puzzle.

 

[speckledhen]

Northie, in regard to your comparison to chicken pox. You don't get it a second time but, it can later be reactivated as SHINGLES. Would Mareks possibility return in a different form?

As kids two of us (my brother and I ) both got chicken pox as youngsters. I shared a room with my sister, she never got chicken pox. My brother has had shingles twice. Brother and I have had shingles shot within past couple of years - hope it helps.

Now, that is an interesting premise, diva. My doc is already pressuring me to get the shingles vaccine though I'm not at the right age yet and I told him I'd research it since I don't do things automatically just because some doctor tells me to.

 

[Northie]

Northie, in regard to your comparison to chicken pox.   You don't get it a second time but, it can later be  reactivated as SHINGLES.  Would Mareks possibility return in a different form?

As kids  two of us (my brother and I ) both got chicken pox as youngsters.  I shared a room with my sister, she never  got chicken pox.   My brother has  had shingles twice.   Brother and I have had shingles shot within past couple of years  - hope it helps.

Ya I thought about shingles after, not quite the example I was looking for I guess.... The virus that causes cold sores in people reactivates too... Flu viruses are changing all the time with new variations coming around all the time but, if you've had H1n1 (not fun) you shouldn't be able to get it again... At least that strain.

I was under the impression that once your birds have been exposed to strain____ of Marek's and survived they would be immune to that strain, but you should be careful about trading with other people with Marek's in the flock because they may have a different strain and it could set you back to square one with a new outbreak. From what I've read it sounded like it doesn't reactivate like the coldsore virus. Haven't seen much to do with old age in chickens... Soo not sure if it would come back like shingles... Could it be held at bay until the bird is sick or elderly? I'm ____________ on that one. Still digging

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Yup, that is a herpes virus, as is Marek's. That's usually an example I use to explain to folks how chickens remain carriers because they usually understand about herpes and HIV, helps them relate.


Coccidiosis can hit a flock who is immune to the types in their own soil if a new strain is brought in on shoes or some other way, so it would be the same with Marek's, though cocci is a parasitic ailment.


Got more information from Dr. Davis and I"m SO relieved!

Quote: Makes me wonder if the other hen just got into something poisonous, heavy metals or even had blackhead from eating infected earthworms-Lord knows there are tons of those here. Karen, what would you think? Since these two hens were "best pals", so to speak, wouldn't you think that I am most likely in the clear with this as far as the first hen goes since the second hen was completely normal, at least so far and if all other tests check out?

 

[Northie]

Yup, that is a herpes virus, as is Marek's. That's usually an example I use to explain to folks how chickens remain carriers because they usually understand about herpes and HIV, helps them relate.


Coccidiosis can hit a flock who is immune to the types in their own soil if a new strain is brought in on shoes or some other way, so it would be the same with Marek's, though cocci is a parasitic ailment.

Starting to split hairs a bit (my bad) but does Marek's disease come and go the way the human herpes virus does? With new episodes of symptoms reoccurring through out their lives?

 

[speckledhen]

Starting to split hairs a bit (my bad) but does Marek's disease come and go the way the human herpes virus does? With new episodes of symptoms reoccurring through out their lives?

The human herpes virus doesn't actually come and go, though. It is always in the person, the carrier, only that they become symptomatic when under stress. So, could be that Marek's positive birds can show symptoms that come and go, but always they remain positive since it's not curable.

 

[welasharon]

My first go round with mareks was with tolbunt chicks. Iwish I had known to mark the ones that stumbled, had curled feet and split legs. Some survived. Later near point of lay some died but I don't know if it was those that survived from earlier or if it was some that never showed symptoms as a chick.

 

[speckledhen]

My first go round with mareks was with tolbunt chicks. Iwish I had known to mark the ones that stumbled, had curled feet and split legs. Some survived. Later near point of lay some died but I don't know if it was those that survived from earlier or if it was some that never showed symptoms as a chick.

Yeah, I hate when I wish I'd kept track of certain birds for whatever reason. We all live and learn, though.

 

[seminolewind]

I'm only having an issue with only certain birds...sptizhauben and tolbunt polish. All my other birds....the golden laced polish, cuckoo marans, french copper marans, barred rock, breda, white faced black Spanish, serama, modern game, some silkies and some o shamo all live on the same ground around and about these others and have not had problems with marek symptoms.

I think the Tolbunt rooster I had and the Creles that I had had poor genes when it came to health issues. My silkies had seemed to be the toughest little buggers . My 6-7 year old chickens are 1 silkie, 4 Jerseys, 5 Polish, 1 BR, 1 Faverolle.

With the Polish, I have lost 10 chicks, 8 -one year olds, 1-three year old, and still have 11. The losses were from coccidiosis, enteritis, 3 from an eye infection within 3 days, and suspected Marek's.

I am certainly reducing by attrition. I'd like to get back to 20 chickens.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I sat down one night at work and started a list and found thru the dates on pictures, I could piece out most of information about birth , death, and supposed death. I was amazed that the more I did, the more I remembered. Pictures in the computer were the easiest because the computer dated the info in "properties".