Moving Forward- Breeding for Resistance to Marek's Disease

[feather13]

X2 with rebrascora.

I talked to a University of Missouri pathology doctor who told me that the only way you can tell if a bird is resistant is if they manage to live 3 years or more without the disease killing them. By then many hens are not laying as well and considered to be elderly birds and some roosters will be less fertile. Still it should be possible to get fertile eggs from them.

Marek's is a game changer and wrecker of plans and dreams. I don't want anyone to go through what I've gone through with my chickens.

Thanks for posting this. X2 with Marek's being a wrecker of plans and dreams. Out of our eight three+ year old hens, only three have laid in over two years (a Sex Link, Buff Orpington, and a RIR). I've always wondered why and now I know. Never, ever will I take in abandoned chickens, although it's too late now since the disease is present and it sounds like will be in the soil for years. I recently got nine chicks and so far one has died of what I think is Marek's and I fear that very few will be layers later on. So discouraging.

 

[microchick]

Thanks for posting this. X2 with Marek's being a wrecker of plans and dreams. Out of our eight three+ year old hens, only three have laid in over two years (a Sex Link, Buff Orpington, and a RIR). I've always wondered why and now I know. Never, ever will I take in abandoned chickens, although it's too late now since the disease is present and it sounds like will be in the soil for years. I recently got nine chicks and so far one has died of what I think is Marek's and I fear that very few will be layers later on. So discouraging.

 

[alibabba]

X2 with rebrascora.

You need to close your flock. None in unless they are chicks that you breed from your own resistant birds or if you wish, vaccinated chicks, and do not sell or give away your birds if hey have been exposed to Mareks and showing symptoms.

I talked to a University of Missouri pathology doctor who told me that the only way you can tell if a bird is resistant is if they manage to live 3 years or more without the disease killing them. By then many hens are not laying as well and considered to be elderly birds and some roosters will be less fertile. Still it should be possible to get fertile eggs from them.

I'm one of those people who naievely bought chicks from 'resistant' birds and am now fighting the disease.

I had also planned to sell off extra chicks and roosters but no. Absolutely not now that I know what my birds are carrying. I have a pen full of beautiful and friendly Old English Game Bird cockerels that are young and symptom free at this time. They will not leave the property but will live out their lives here as pets.

Marek's is a game changer and wrecker of plans and dreams. I don't want anyone to go through what I've gone through with my chickens.

Please do not sell your birds. Use them to breed your own resistant flock. You will rest easier if you do.

I have bartered some chicks with a friend who also has Mareks's.
I can only go by what I have bred here, and is working for me, at least for now, because the chicks mature, crow, lay, brood. Now well into 2nd year. Of course, that could change.

 

[alibabba]

Oh, also... the main roo, Pumpkin, is now around 4. The cockerel in the back is his. AmeraucanaxBreda.

My Roos usually go to the sale, unless they work for what I'm breeding.
Guess I could start vaccinating....?

Personally, if I was buying chicks, which, I probably won't do much of. (I'm cross breeding for what I like to look at.)
I have had very very good luck with vaccinated birds.

 

[microchick]

You are sending birds to the sale barn that have been exposed to Marek's?


You are aware that Marek's can and is spread in the dander of exposed birds even though they may be asymptomatic?

You are also aware of the fact that different flocks can be infected with different strains of Marek's and you may be exposing your birds to a new to them strain?.

Oh, please, please do not let birds leave your property to spread this horrible disease unknowingly to others.

 

[alibabba]

Yes, extensive Marek's research. State Avian Vet. Endless peer reviewed articles... Including ALL types of herpes virus. As much as a person who digs research can do...

If I was really struggling with it, I would still be at it, researching, trying different treatments or would possibly have given up chickens. Last Marek's loss was last fall, bought two chicks locally to keep a lone home bred chick company, the Welbar died at POL. (splits). The homebred and the Cream Crested Legbar are fit and well. The Homebred is a AmeraucanaXBreda, she just raised her first brood, 8 chicks to 14 weeks. No losses.

However, since I am having success... And this was my main point...Might be a shame to just keep it to myself. Might be worth an experiment or something to try with folks who are having huge losses.

That's why I bought those older Roos to begin with. Crossed them with my vaccinated Hens and boom...worked great. Although, I did read that Marek's actually does not survive as long in a wet environment. And my property is the lowest around, stays pretty damp for longer than a normal property.

My coop is only cleaned a few times a year, never sterilized(omg!). They free range 95% of the time. I feed in feeders that many times sit right on the ground! (omg!) They drink from muddy puddles(omg!). Wild birds everywhere.

(The nest boxes are hosed and left to dry in the sun (best germ killer) every few months)

 

[alibabba]

You are sending birds to the sale barn that have been exposed to Marek's?


You are aware that Marek's can and is spread in the dander of exposed birds even though they may be asymptomatic?

You are also aware of the fact that different flocks can be infected with different strains of Marek's and you may be exposing your birds to a new to them strain?.

Oh, please, please do not let birds leave your property to spread this horrible disease unknowingly to others.

ETA:
Sale barn to eat. Sold by the lb.
For fun reading... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23901761

 

[alibabba]

If I wanted a particular bird... Oh, wait, I did that, hatch shipped eggs by my broody. Sultan unvac, laying like a champ...keeps up with my fox attacked, recovered, Vaccinated Leghorn.
It's a gamble. My theory is this. If your birds are all vaccinated or kept apart from all other birds...as in, a warehouse, garage type setting. You might not have Mareks. Otherwise... you do.

I would feel totally comfortable bringing home a chicken I like from my local, horrible, deplorable, sale, separating for a month...and then letting them go. And have done that as well.

 

[alibabba]

Gosh, sorry I killed the thread. Unvaccinated mailed egg excellent specimen Sultan is currently brooding! And doing a great job, although she doesn't have much spread, had to give eggstras to a cross bred unvaccinated Ameraucana. Who is also killing it!

 

[alibabba]

FYI, I have very minimal losses to Marek's. Now, my yard is wet... and my breeds are crosses. I could never guarantee difference in strain of Marek's, I just know that these crosses, with this roo...very minimal losses. For me 2ish a year? Roo is a Blehm line (who does not vaccinate) and is approximately 4 years old. Hens are variety from Sultans to Breda to Brown Leghorns.

I have 7 chicks on the ground so far this year, 3 more broodies at the moment- with maximum eggs under each. I would give hatching eggs also from various crosses, if it's less about breeding and more about survival, beauty and eggs... My feeling is it's more about the slight exposure from broody and flock rather than genetics. But I am no scientist.