Not an Emergency...Marek's in the Flock

[casportpony]

FYI, UC Davis told me that they have a special tool to measure temps in chickens and that taking their temps from the vent was not a reliable way to do it.

-Kathy

 

[salt and pepper]

Curious as to how you knew bird had a fever? Their normal body temp is around 107 degrees Fahrenheit. I have found that we may think the bird has no issues,but it is in their nature to hide any and all illness,meaning they may act fine when in reality they are very ill. Birds will die if they are not eating/drinking,their body requires food for energy in order to maintain their fast acting metabolism,no food no energy,body temp drops(they cannot regulate body temp when ill)and death is usually within a few days. The most important issues to remember when dealing with ill birds are extra source of heat and tube feeding to meet the requirements their body demands to function. All the medications in the world will not help if these basic requirements are not met.

her feet felt like an oven. I'm guessing that that was a fever. How warm is warm? It was eighty outside that day.I've always made sure that if mybirds are acting off, that they get some time away from the flock to eat, drink and sleep. I do all I can under the circumstances

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:

Diet Marek's,
What is the one for paralysis?

 

[seminolewind]

My 2 Polish, one vaccinated, one not, have stopped pooping lime green.

. I've already had one vaccinated bird recover, so maybe this vaccinated one will recover. The roo, well he's pretty quiet. But both are eating small amounts.

I have an "oopsie". I have a Polish girl in with a pair of silkies. There was a very young Polish cockerel in with them for a while. I found an egg under my silkie who broods most of the year. I was going to toss it, but I candled it and there's a 10-12 day chick in there. So I put it back. It's like with all the birds that get lost to Marek's, a life becomes more valued to me. Should hatch prior to the 18th. Kinda cool, tho.

 

[BigECarter]

And now, my bantam cochin is sick.  Not the mareks but something respiratory, her breathing is strained and mouth open sometimes.  I've had them on duramycin and took off about a week ago.  She's very thin I noticed today when I picked her up.  Very thin.  Worried about her now too.  She is inside now too.  I feel like this cold weather just sucks for them!  I'm watching her and I can see her breathing is very heavy- moving up and down a lot.  

This is making me very upset and I don't know what to do.  Now I have to figure what to give the cochin.  

Several of my Marek's birds had respiratory issues. If it's a secondary issue, maybe antibiotics will help. I never had any luck with saving any of mine.

There are a few posts on this thread about vaccinations. My flock was vaccinated, so that means: Bad vaccination (not stored correctly, out of date, etc.), ineffective vaccination for the strain of Marek's, exposure prior to full immunity, or something other than Marek's.

I have chicks coming from McMurray in two weeks. Vaccinated for Marek's with the newer vaccine (the one we don't have access to) and cocci. Crossing my fingers.

 

[julie0477]

Well, my vet called today. My roo was the one that one day was completely fine and then one evening he was out under a tree and couldn't walk to the coop - immobile. Could move his legs but couldnt steady himself to stand or walk. No other signs of illness. I had him euthanized as the vet saw what she said looked like injury to his spine on X-ray and didn't think he'd recover. The necropsy showed no signs of disease or parasites but also no obvious injury. Whaaaat? So now Im wondering again ... I suppose the only thing to do is have the blood test done if another chicken goes down. So far so good. It's been about a month.

 

[crazyhen]

You can get the agriculture Dept in many states to have someone come to your farm and test the hens. I am on the A1 checks here in NC. and for $5.00 more I can get them to ck for almost anything. I love this program. I have been on it now for yrs. and have my flock tested reg. It gives me peace of mind.
My first flock got MG/MS. I had it destroyed and cried for ever. Then i cleanned for all I was worth. Now (after yrs more of hens and roos) hopefully I am free of disease. I do add new birds occ. but from hatching eggs or someone I trust to have one day old chicks shipped to me. If one starts to sneeze etc. They are out then , no question. It was hard and I feel for you. If you get them vacinated they will give off the germs but not get the disease. You must vaccinate from then on to keep a healthy flock.

 

[ten chicks]

Well, my vet called today. My roo was the one that one day was completely fine and then one evening he was out under a tree and couldn't walk to the coop - immobile. Could move his legs but couldnt steady himself to stand or walk. No other signs of illness. I had him euthanized as the vet saw what she said looked like injury to his spine on X-ray and didn't think he'd recover. The necropsy showed no signs of disease or parasites but also no obvious injury. Whaaaat? So now Im wondering again ... I suppose the only thing to do is have the blood test done if another chicken goes down. So far so good. It's been about a month.

Your roo may not have had anything seriously wrong with him. Several issues can fit what you described,some are stress(fighting another rooster or defending his flock from predators),not eating/drinking properly(dehydration),heat stress,etc.

 

[fuzziecreatures]

Partial Report from Penn State

Diagnosis : Marek's Disease - visceral form
Lab Findings
Greatly enlarged, pale, liver with irregular white foci which takes up almost 90% of the coelomic cavity.
Enlarged pale pink spleen with multiple irregular white foci present.
Greatly enlarged, pale, mottled kidneys.
Irregular, enlarged, pink harderian gland
Mild yellow peritonitis with white pinpoint foci present
Ovary appears to be infiltrated with irregular cream-colored neoplastic tissue. No follicles are present.
No visible lesions in peripheral nerves, bursa or other tissues.

Histopathology
Liver, spleen, intestines, trachea: neoplastic lymphocytes had largely disrupted and overtaken normal tissue architecture. The neoplastic cells show diffuse degeneration, but appear to be somewhat pleomorphic.

Microbiology
Aerobic culture and salmonella culture - no growth
Mycoplasma pending

Virology
Avian Influenza - pending

Parasitology
Positive for ascarid type ova at a count of 1,400/gram of feces using the Modified McMaster Technique

So, yes it's Marek's.

Deworming everyone with wazine 10/3. Or maybe I should do Ivermectin.... What is the withdrawl on meat and eggs with Ivermectin? I plan on sending boys to freezer camp... oh, I can use the meat right? Just not any organs with tumors right?

Final report
Mycoplasma gallisepticum PCR - Negative
Avian Influenza Virus AI VI HA 2 separate samples - Negative

No other cause of death except Visceral Marek's Disease except maybe the roundworms. She was wasting away and the roundworms didn't help her out. Now I'm going to do a twice yearly deworming schedule with Wazine. They found no other worms.

Now I just need to figure out my cleaning protocol now. I used to don goggles and a dust mask and leaf blow all the dust out of the shed and coop area twice yearly.... Now I guess I'm not doing that. The whole shed is probably 20x20 and 1 and 1/2 levels. Ventilation upstairs is a fan pulling air through. There isn't good drainage inside. I do plan on getting Oxine in the spring to do our spring cleaning and see how power washing goes with the drainage. Need to figure out how to not get water in all the electrical outlets and light sockets. I did want to replace the nest boxes with those metal roll out ones and the floor needs leveled and new flooring, tougher vinyl (the stuff now just gets holes in it easily with the bedding fork and it doesn't have sharp tines!). There is pics in my album. I'll take any suggestions recommended and see if it will fit into our planning.

Thanks in advance. So far no one else is deathly ill. Our miscolored Salmon Faverolle hen with the swollen eye is a little more swollen. She is now also thinner than she was a month ago. She will be going with the freezer camp bunch later in the month but likely just examining her insides.

 

[schnebbles]

I'm sorry I'm sure I have it too. SUCKS