Negative Marek’s Test-What Could It Be?!

[ddboersma]

I feel for you, I’ve had similar issues in the past. Have you cleaned the coops? You can use activated oxine or Virkon S has been proven to kill off Marek’s. This seemed to help in my situation. Also, if it turns out to be Marek’s then any sick birds will shed it in their dander. Good luck, I hope you get it figured out.

I have only cleaned with vinegar and water in the coops. My kids are so sensitive to harmful chemicals I hadn’t considered that also wondered how much that could/might hurt birds? Did you have a lot of sickness that went away after cleaning??

 

[Kiki]

I’m in Michigan and I was not aware of that! I was more inconvenienced by the driving 2 hours than the price, so I had no clue I could ship!

Call these people tomorrow.

Forget wasting time and money on the Marek's swab.
Get a necropsy.
https://cvm.msu.edu/vdl

 

[ddboersma]

Call these people tomorrow.

Forget wasting time and money on the Marek's swab.
Get a necropsy.
https://cvm.msu.edu/vdl

Thanks!

 

[ddboersma]

Well, I had one with respiratory symptoms who tested positive for infectious laryngo tracheitis. My others tested negative even though it is highly infectious.
I also tested for mycoplasma.
I did not test for AI because a positive would have meant destruction of them all and I wasn't ready for that.
However, our cases are different - only one of mine went lame and it was a vitamin B2 deficiency that I nursed her through over about 2 months and she is one of the survivors who runs around on those long beautiful legs that now work perfectly. Honestly, if it wasn't for my success with her I might have given up. She positively skips around now - but it did take massive doses of B2 for many, many weeks, along with a boot and leg massage/physical therapy.

Wow! Did your lame hen have funny poop or anything?? I’m wondering if not Mareks is something is causing severe vitamin deficiency and I haven’t treated long enough.

 

[ddboersma]

Mycotoxins in food is high on my list of possible causes for my own losses - I tried but failed to find a lab that would test for that on a small scale so I just threw out all the food and started over.

Did you feel things improved with change of food?

 

[RoyalChick]

Wow! Did your lame hen have funny poop or anything?? I’m wondering if not Mareks is something is causing severe vitamin deficiency and I haven’t treated long enough.

No. She just lost the use of one leg. I saw positive results after about a week of super high vitamin B2. After another week I stopped the supplement and then her other leg went lame.
And so it went for a couple of months.

 

[RoyalChick]

Did you feel things improved with change of food?

Well they all died so fast. I have only lost one since I changed the food but she had been laying lash eggs and so I think she had reproductive issues and was a one off. I miss her - she was a best buddy.

 

[Eggcessive]

Scratch and peck feeds may not provide the best nutrition if they pick out the best parts, leaving behind the parts that may contain vitamins and minerals. A uniform crumble or pellet feed would be better. I called my Ohio state vet pathologist once after I thought they charged $100 for a necropsy. To my surprise they would do one for a backyard chicken for $23, but then would charge extra for testing. In CA they charge $30 including testing, unless it has changed. With all of the problems and deaths, I would get a necropsy on a bird with symptoms.

 

[ddboersma]

Scratch and peck feeds may not provide the best nutrition if they pick out the best parts, leaving behind the parts that may contain vitamins and minerals. A uniform crumble or pellet feed would be better. I called my Ohio state vet pathologist once after I thought they charged $100 for a neceopsy. To my surprise they would do one for a backyard chicken for $23, but then would charge extra for testing. In CA they charge $30 including testing, unless it has changed. With all of the problems and deaths, I would get a necropsy on a bird with symptoms.

Thanks for that info!
I do get the pellet they offer (and crumble for younger ones). I went to Purina organic when they were babies and I first learned that, but they have since come out with other options

 

[ddboersma]

You can of course get false negatives. What RAL suggested to me was to do an environment swab or a multi day/ multi-chicken swab and re-test.
Just an idea.
I am sorry I cannot be more helful on your specific situation. I too lost a lot of my flock this summer and I know how devastating it is.

I also meant to ask you….did you submit a swab or swab and blood to RAL? I did both, and I thought the blood helped rule out the environment factors but maybe I’m wrong.