Moving Forward- Breeding for Resistance to Marek's Disease

[Hamiam]

Y'all will have to excuse my ignorance. I only recently got chickens again after taking a 12 year break. (moved from acreage to lake lot & now back to acreage) When did Marek's show itself in the U.S. ? Until today, I kid you not, I have never had a sick chicken. I doubt seriously it's Marek's. However, I feel I need to learn more about this disease that until I joined this forum, I had never heard of. I do know that my pullets were not vaccinated.

 

[microchick]

I just found a reference that mentioned the year 1907 so it's been around for way too long without veterinary science finding a cure or at least a total vaccine for the virus.

Pretty darned pathetic is all I can say.

@Hamiam, what symptoms are you noting in your flock? Any deaths?

 

[Hamiam]

I have 12 Thirteen week old Pullets. In North Texas we've had 2 days of 90 degree weather with the heat index over 100. Yesterday I noticed "Butter Cup" with a slight limp & tail down & panting alittle more than the others. They hung out in the moist cool soil of the garden & I changed their water frequently. In the evening when it cooled off, Butter Cup was acting fine & forging with the others. This morning she appeared a little worse & I had to remove her from the coop when her sisters all ran out toward the garden. I checked her whole body & couldn't find any reason for the limp. No bumble foot, no mites, no lice, or injuries. Crop was empty. I gave her some electrolytes with a syringe & put some on feed which she ate. When I sat her down, she wouldn't lay, just stood with tail down. I turned on a sprinkler near by that helped lower the temp without wetting them. She finally laid down & appeared to relax. Each time I refilled the waterer with cool water, she drank & continued to eat moist feed. Again when it cooled off she foraged. I checked & she did get on the roost with the others tonight. I never saw her poop but checked the area she was in & no abnormal poops seen. Worried but hoping it's just the heat.

 

[chickengr]

thank you for your replays.

my other paralyzed chickens got well. my brahma expelled 4-5 round worms that I saw, maybe more that I didn't see and she was back on feet day 3. the araucana took 5 days to return to normal. she has been fine since. I had another araucana from another flock who couldn't walk for 2-3 days but she expelled round worms and turned to normal within about 3 days too. I have another hen that cannot walk properely, not sure why but she is getting better.

a young marans cockerel died recently and he was diagnosed mycoplasma. his eyes were literary boiling with bubbles running like a river.

I have 5 araucana chicks, probably my marek roo's kids. 1 is a runt or she has stunted growth due to infection. the little cockerel had a runny eye. I treated both of them with tylan and baytril together. the cockerel seems to be ok now, the runt still sneezing from time to time. 2 days ago we had a t-storm and I wasn't at home then to pick them up. they were with the broody in the safe corner but 1 araucana pullet was lethargic yesterday and has some difficulty breathing. I gave her tylan and vitamins that contain little oxytetracycline. in the evening she pecked very little food but she was still lethargic. it is morning here but we have another t-storm so I didn't go to let them out. I will check later how she is today.

the other 2 araucana pullets were fine.

I had another sudden death a few weeks ago. it was a 1 year old hen who had respiratory issues in the past. her only symptom was some bubbles in the throat. looked like some poisoning. we have a lot of centipedes here.

 

[microchick]

@Hamiam, sorry that you are having problems and I understand your concern. My 9 week old pullet that developed paralysis started with a limp that quickly progressed, worsening daily until she was dragging the leg behind her, using it for balance and walking on the tops of her toes. When she slept the leg was either stretched out behind her or in front of her. By day 4 she wasn't eating, was huddled in a corner and the older hens were picking at her and attacking her. That is when I made the heartbreaking decision to put her down.

I would be concerned about the limp without sign of injury. We have had temps in the 90s this month but my birds just find a cool place, ususally in the coop, and zone out till the heat of the day passes. Giving her electrolytes is good, providing plenty of cool water also good. I'd put her on the 'observe' list for now and see what happens next. If she worsens and you should find her dead I would get a necropsy done to diagnose the cause of death.

Unfortunately with Marek's once you notice symptoms or have one die without obvious cause, it is too late and the rest of your flock has been exposed. I've also learned that once they start that downhill slide, as th old saying goes, you may as well get your hand off of their right wing because God has his on the left and always wins in the end.

Were your birds vaccinated?

@chickengr. Chickens with Marek's can recover from the initial onset of the virus. The virus remains in their systems dorman until stress, parasite load or illness causes it to resurface and cause internal tumors or the paralysis returns with a vengence.

You said your hen passed round worms. Did you worm the whole flock at thate sp point?

Chicken carrying the Marek's virus are more suseptible to infections and parasites. Since your rooster has developed grey eye I would consider the whole flock to be at the least exposed to the virus which means it is in their systems and waiting for a chance to rise out of dormancy.

I have increased my worming schedule from twice a year to bi-monthly, rotating wormers to lessen the chance of resistance building up. Example: I last wormed with Corid for coccidia two monts ago. This month I will worm with Valbazen as the last worming for general was done with Ivermectin. I wormed with Wazine in the spring for roundworms as a preventative more than a treatment and I will do afollow up worming in the fall.

You have to remember that Marek's disease suppresses a chickens immune system making them more vulnerable to infections and infestations.

I've found that I have to be particularly observent for signs of illness in my birds. If I hear a hen sneeze and she sneezed again two days later the whole flock gets dosed with Terramycin.

I find that I'm always on the patrol for brush fires in my flock that can turn into forrest fires with little warning.

So my best advice is to worm your entire flock for roundworms if you haven't already and follow up with a broad spectrum wormer for general infestation followed by treatment for coccidia.

Welcome to the world of the chicken owner dealing with Marek's.

 

[Hamiam]

I just found a reference that mentioned the year 1907 so it's been around for way too long without veterinary science finding a cure or at least a total vaccine for the virus.

Pretty darned pathetic is all I can say.

@Hamiam, what symptoms are you noting in your flock? Any deaths?

You probably read my note from last night. This morning, Butter Cup ran from the coop normally & is acting fine. However, that was 7:30 am & the Temp was in the high 70's already. I'll keep a close eye on her. Thank you for asking!

 

[Hamiam]

@microchick, you & I must have been typing at the same time. No, they were not vaccinated for Marek's. I did vaccinate them against Fowl Pox almost 3 weeks ago. But after reading about Marek's Vaccine, it seemed to be saying if a newborn chick isn't vaccinated, don't bother to vaccinate later in life. I'm I right on that?

 

[Hamiam]

@microchick, It is my plan to sell these 12 girls as laying hens & change my entire flock to green egg layers. ( My last name is Ham & someone on the forum gave me the idea) Should I only buy Vaccinated Chicks?

 

[chickengr]

@Hamiam, sorry that you are having problems and I understand your concern. My 9 week old pullet that developed paralysis started with a limp that quickly progressed, worsening daily until she was dragging the leg behind her, using it for balance and walking on the tops of her toes. When she slept the leg was either stretched out behind her or in front of her. By day 4 she wasn't eating, was huddled in a corner and the older hens were picking at her and attacking her. That is when I made the heartbreaking decision to put her down.

I would be concerned about the limp without sign of injury. We have had temps in the 90s this month but my birds just find a cool place, ususally in the coop, and zone out till the heat of the day passes. Giving her electrolytes is good, providing plenty of cool water also good. I'd put her on the 'observe' list for now and see what happens next. If she worsens and you should find her dead I would get a necropsy done to diagnose the cause of death.

Unfortunately with Marek's once you notice symptoms or have one die without obvious cause, it is too late and the rest of your flock has been exposed. I've also learned that once they start that downhill slide, as th old saying goes, you may as well get your hand off of their right wing because God has his on the left and always wins in the end.

Were your birds vaccinated?

@chickengr. Chickens with Marek's can recover from the initial onset of the virus. The virus remains in their systems dorman until stress, parasite load or illness causes it to resurface and cause internal tumors or the paralysis returns with a vengence.

You said your hen passed round worms. Did you worm the whole flock at thate sp point?

Chicken carrying the Marek's virus are more suseptible to infections and parasites. Since your rooster has developed grey eye I would consider the whole flock to be at the least exposed to the virus which means it is in their systems and waiting for a chance to rise out of dormancy.

I have increased my worming schedule from twice a year to bi-monthly, rotating wormers to lessen the chance of resistance building up. Example: I last wormed with Corid for coccidia two monts ago. This month I will worm with Valbazen as the last worming for general was done with Ivermectin. I wormed with Wazine in the spring for roundworms as a preventative more than a treatment and I will do afollow up worming in the fall.

You have to remember that Marek's disease suppresses a chickens immune system making them more vulnerable to infections and infestations.

I've found that I have to be particularly observent for signs of illness in my birds. If I hear a hen sneeze and she sneezed again two days later the whole flock gets dosed with Terramycin.

I find that I'm always on the patrol for brush fires in my flock that can turn into forrest fires with little warning.

So my best advice is to worm your entire flock for roundworms if you haven't already and follow up with a broad spectrum wormer for general infestation followed by treatment for coccidia.

Welcome to the world of the chicken owner dealing with Marek's.

I worm chickens every 2-3 months.

I am confused about marek's. it is supposed to be contagious and I have never seen symptoms till this roo's eye. I have a 2 yo hen I don't know what her problem is but I now think she might be a marek's survivor. I usually deal with respiratory issues, IB and canker. too many sparrows and doves in my area.

the chickens that died had respiratory symptoms, some had bubbles in the eyes, some had puss in the eyes, some hat rattle sound, etc. I lost very few chickens and not at the same time.

I have 16 chicks at the moment. 3 of them got sick but again with respiratory symptoms. I am really worried now about marek's. they are separated from the araucana flock but I am not sure that helps as they all are on the same small plot.

 

[rebrascora]

@microchick

Interestingly, I'm the other way to you. I don't worm routinely or treat with Corid (although I have some on hand for emergency use) or use antibiotics (I'm in the UK and they are not readily available) and my Marek's exposed flock do occasionally have respiratory issues, but they cope with it remarkably well unmedicated. My view is that those medicines and administering them, stresses their system and stress triggers Marek's, so I just support them with good nutrition. I ferment feed for them and they get to free range whenever possible....I'm pretty sure part of the reason I lost that 2 year old hen was because I had to confine them due to bird flu restrictions for 3 months. She became lame shortly after they were moved to a new coop with covered pen with no free ranging and being a leghorn cross, she didn't take well to confinement.
I do necropsies whenever possible on birds that die and also excess cockerels are processed, so I check them too and whilst I find the very occasional round worm in their gut, it is just that and most have none. I may just be lucky that the environment and climate here does not support worms and other parasites (I don't know) .... apart from red mites which are proving a bit stubborn at the moment but treating hens every couple of months when they don't need it, would be a huge waste of eggs.

I'm not saying you are wrong to do what you are doing, but just that medicines have side effects and an impact on the immune system too, so it is not a good idea to use them unnecessarily.