North Idaho / Eastern Washington

[Saris]

That may be true, but I have to keep enough quality birds alive to be able to breed them. I will be looking into breeding for resistance. This is going to be a hard year watching all the chicks I have hatched either make it or die.

Is it a strain you can vaccinate for? To help with the chicks so they can build immunity.

 

[CyndiD]

As of today I now have a closed flock. Sadly I was given a confirmation of Mareks on a necropsy. I guess the first one did not show enough signs. I am going to have the tissue samples done for complete assurance. Too bad because I have chicks due tomorrow from my Isbar and bielefelder pairs. I am going to look into the selling of hatching eggs from a mareks positive flock. Maybe I can salvage my dream of having breeders. I am just so sick about this.. I hope I don't lose too many more. I have some really cool babies. It will be hard to watch them die one by one. Some have made it, but I have lost hundreds of dollars worth of rare breeds.

I am so sad for you and your flock. I can only pray for your flock to not suffer any more. i read about Mareks and it is a highly contagious viral neoplastic disease. It can occur in our flock as well. I wish i could help somehow.
This is such a helpless time for you, for this i am sad for you. hugs to you; stay strong in faith & hope, this too shall pass with you hard work and diligent attention.

 

[UGLYFOOT]

Thank you for the hugs and prayers. I don't know if I can vaccinate the chicks I have now. I have to find out if they can be done past day old. The multi strain vaccines are expensive, and they can still get it if you don't cover the right one. I will keep researching but I think that I will probably just let the ones that live have the best life I can give them and be done. I don't think I can risk more lives going on from here.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Well, I will not send any birds your way, but keep us informed...

 

[Scram85]

As of today I now have a closed flock. Sadly I was given a confirmation of Mareks on a necropsy. I guess the first one did not show enough signs. I am going to have the tissue samples done for complete assurance. Too bad because I have chicks due tomorrow from my Isbar and bielefelder pairs. I am going to look into the selling of hatching eggs from a mareks positive flock. Maybe I can salvage my dream of having breeders. I am just so sick about this.. I hope I don't lose too many more. I have some really cool babies. It will be hard to watch them die one by one. Some have made it, but I have lost hundreds of dollars with of rare breeds.

Thank you for the hugs and prayers. I don't know if I can vaccinate the chicks I have now. I have to find out if they can be done past day old. The multi strain vaccines are expensive, and they can still get it if you don't cover the right one. I will keep researching but I think that I will probably just let the ones that live have the best life I can give them and be done. I don't think I can risk more lives going on from here.

You are in my thoughts as well. I am glad you were finally able find the cause but sad with the outcome.

 

[Leigti]

Thank you for the hugs and prayers. I don't know if I can vaccinate the chicks I have now. I have to find out if they can be done past day old. The multi strain vaccines are expensive, and they can still get it if you don't cover the right one. I will keep researching but I think that I will probably just let the ones that live have the best life I can give them and be done. I don't think I can risk more lives going on from here.

I am sorry to hear about your chickens been sick. I don't know basically anything about that disease. So excuse my stupid questions but if it can't be passed from the head to the embryo in the egg then does that mean you can keep the ones that haven't hatched yet separate from the others and they will be fine? Will it run its course eventually and the ones that make it make it and then you can put all the surviving chickens and newest chicks together?
Your last sentence made me think that you are wanting to give up on chickens. I hope you don't. But I can understand how you would feel that way. This would be very devastating to me also.

 

[CyndiD]

That may be true, but I have to keep enough quality birds alive to be able to breed them. I will be looking into breeding for resistance. This is going to be a hard year watching all the chicks I have hatched either make it or die.

I hate to ask, but how is your silkie (your avatar)? i sure hope she/he makes it.

 

[UGLYFOOT]

I am sorry to hear about your chickens been sick. I don't know basically anything about that disease. So excuse my stupid questions but if it can't be passed from the head to the embryo in the egg then does that mean you can keep the ones that haven't hatched yet separate from the others and they will be fine? Will it run its course eventually and the ones that make it make it and then you can put all the surviving chickens and newest chicks together?
Your last sentence made me think that you are wanting to give up on chickens. I hope you don't. But I can understand how you would feel that way. This would be very devastating to me also.

The Mareks virus can last up to 5 years in the soil, coops etc. It is shed thru the feathers and dander. It can be carried on me, the wind, my cat etc anywhere on my property. So separating to prevent exposure is basically impossible. Any chicken that has been exposed is now a carrier, if they do survive they are carriers. I will not vaccinate against this, because I believe it is the vaccine that has helped make this disease as widespread as it is. Vaccinated chickens shed the live virus. Some people believe that it is not the same, I do not share this belief. Also the vaccination does NOT PREVENT THE DISEASE!! It only lessens the symptoms so the chicken may or may not still die from it. There are at least 5 known strains also. If you don't cover them all then your chicken can still get another strain and die, so what is the point?

I am researching on how others have gone forward and are raising resistant flocks. That will be my goal. At this point I have lost around 40 chickens. I honestly do not know how many because I stopped counting. My only choice at this point it to put my precious babies out there and hope they will be resistant and live. That is so hard to do, but must be done. Then I will breed the survivors hoping the offspring will be strong also. I am not planning on bringing any new chickens in until I get the all clear in testing, which could take 5 years! I will only have babies from my birds that have survived.

I am hoping that I can at least sell hatching eggs. I am not sure who would buy eggs from someone who's flocks has Mareks, even though it is not transmitted thru the egg. I guess I will find out, because I intend on being totally honest about that. Precautions will also be taken with the eggs being dunked in an Oxine solution before being packaged.

@CyndiD

So far my Showgirl has survived this, I am thinking Priscilla may be a Percy after all. I will know if it starts crowing soon.. LOL

 

[CyndiD]

@UGLYFOOT e so glad to hear this about Priscilla/Percy. i sure hope she doesnt start crowing, cuz i love the name Priscilla. She is beautiful.
I drempt about you and this awful Mareks disease. i drempt that my birds starting having these wing and leg symptoms... i truly feel for you and your flock. keep strong!!

 

[UGLYFOOT]

I am happy to announce that my Bielefelder breeding pair (maybe trio , not sure if the other pullet is laying yet) has produced their first off spring! Just hatched two pullets!! There are two more sets of eggs in the bator, due in the next two weeks consecutively. This news is bitter sweet of course with the recent Mareks diagnosis. These Bieles have made it through so far, so I am hoping the babies will be resistant. That is my goal going forward, is to build a resistant flock. I have Isbar the same age that have survived also. I hatched four eggs from them too. Only time will tell if the babies will make it. Sad but necessary.