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

[seminolewind]

I have lost 3 more birds in the last 2 weeks. None of the necropsies show mareks, though they've all but 1 shown the wobbly walking, stepping on their own toes, etc. and the wasting. 2 teenagers and also one older hen that had been vaccinated. She, however showed no symptoms at all, and her necropsy reached no conclusion. How is that possible?

And now another teenager is starting the bad walking. And is thin. I believe this is mareks as I can find nothing else that fits. 4 in two weeks! I'm exhausted and sick.

Will I lose my whole flock? Is it possible that any will survive? I've tried everything on this thread to no avail. I guess I have to mentally prepare for the worst. Does anyone have any survivors?

That's terrible. Are you sure a good lab is doing your necropsy? It sounds like Marek's.
It does slow down. In the past I lost 1 every few months , adults, to wasting. Most were less than 8 months old.
Some will survive. I have survivors. Most of my established flock survived it for going on 4 years. I still have about 10 of my oldest flock members. Marek's picks and chooses and sometimes there's no rhyme or reason. Even the symptoms are all over the board. Not walking and wasting are 2 biggies on symptoms.

You have to just get thru it. And know that from now on, any new chicks will be vaccinated. I also have some chickens who are from my eggs and hatched by my silkie and not vaccinated because they should be resistant. Time will tell.

 

[seminolewind]

If the vaccine warns against vaccinating sick birds, then it seems wise not to... I know others have suggested that vaccinating sick birds might help them but I am not sure I understand how it would. The body is already fighting as hard as it possibly can against the virus. I don't understand how vaccinating the turkey Marek's virus at that point would be beneficial, since the point of the vaccine is to help the chicken's body build resistance. The vaccine is not medicine. It is a harmless (to chickens) version of the virus that is given to help build the body's resistance in a "safe" way.

I'm sorry you are both going through this. I understand the want to just give up... I've been there myself. It's heartbreaking. We're here for you!!

QUOTE: Schnebbles'
Jennifer - I kind of got to thinking of that. You are basically injecting them with more disease. But, the doctor said it can help. I don't know what to think.

I decided to have my silkie put down today. Her legs were front out and back out and with the weird neck thing yesterday I didn't want to risk her having that happen again at a time when I couldn't get a vet. I hated to do it, but I think she was suffering. Its heart wrenching. It sucks and that's all I can say about it now. I am still going to vaccinate my others.


.......................................
So sorry about everyone. I think spring and fall are the times it happens the most.
I agree. It might be a vaccine but the body is treating it like more virus. It does no good. It's all about exposure and reaction. If exposed to a harmless Marek's virus, the body reacts prior to the harmful exposure. If the harmful Marek's virus is exposed first, then the body reacts, but it's too late.

 

[seminolewind]

My silkie roo is going on 6 years old and was one that was in the same coop with Typhoid Mary/ecks. He's good. But when he does go, I will need a roo, and good thing is I can get a vaccinated one from someone, or an exposed one. I guess.

 

[schnebbles]

Thanks seminole. I know you've been through a lot.

I think my silkie was a target because she might have had a weak immune system. With the sneezing/respiratory right after I got her due to a cool snap, she may have always been weakened.

I wish all breeders would vaccinate after what I've dealt with. None of the breeders I got my kiddos from do it, but I won't get another one who isn't vaccinated. I think many people (myself included) think it's not going to happen to them. I am thinking it should be mandatory, for the protection of ALL birds. Of course you have the farmers and people who don't do it, but maybe if vaccines were done more by private people, this horrific disease would not be as prominent.

of course, I think all people who have animals should be forced to have them fixed. This world does not need more homeless cats and dogs. I'm a big advocate for animals, I try to help the shelter when I can, and am currently fostering one of their dogs.

rant over!

 

[ranchokelly]

I AGREE - FIXED AND VACCINATED!!!!!
I think there's a lot of people getting into small backyard chicken-raising, who don't know anything about the diseases out there or about vaccinations. I know I didn't. When offered the choice ordering chicks, I just did a little online research and vaccinating seemed like a wise choice. It's baffling that people would choose not to.
I read somewhere a quote from a vet: " There are two types of chicken coops - ones that have been exposed to Marek's, and those that haven't been exposed to Marek's YET." Supposedly it can travel up to 8 miles in the wind, in microscopic particles.

I posted about my dead hen that may have eaten a daffodil plant - she was the daughter of a rooster positively necropsied with Marek's. Today I put down her sister, and that was the last un-vaccinated chicken I've had - all of them died. However, I gave some of the first batch of chicks away (unplanned hatching, and before I knew about the Marek's) , and spoke to the woman down the road that took some, and two are still doing well after a year old. Hopefully they are the small percentage that have good genes.

 

[ranchokelly]

to elaborate - I started with vaccinated chicks, after a year I took in a stray rooster a friend found, and he introduced the Marek's but bred with my hens before I figured it out.

 

[CeeJ]

 That's terrible.  Are you sure a good lab is doing your necropsy?  It sounds like Marek's.
It does slow down.  In the past I lost 1 every few months , adults, to wasting.  Most were less than 8 months old.
Some will survive.  I have survivors.  Most of my established flock survived it for going on 4 years.  I still have about 10 of my oldest flock members.  Marek's picks and chooses and sometimes there's no rhyme or reason.  Even the symptoms are all over the board.  Not walking and wasting are 2 biggies on symptoms.

You have to just get thru it.  And know that from now on, any new chicks will be vaccinated.  I also have some chickens who are from my eggs and hatched by my silkie and not vaccinated because they should be resistant.  Time will tell.

 

[CeeJ]

I bring them to the Dept of Ag lab closest yo me. I wasn't thrilled with the vets inexperience with chickens. But then I found he had each one transported 3 hoirs to the vet that specializes in chickens. He definately knows his stuff. He said he gets unexplained necropsies from time to time. My case has him stumped, and I am very sure he has done everything possible to determine. I have 2 that I will have to put down today. Timing is bad with the weekend, but the vet wasn't in yesterday so I couldn't do it then. I will put them in the frig until Monday when I can take them in for necropsy. We are hoping that one of these necropsies will lead to an answer. He did say Mareks is a very strong possibility, but he has no scientific evidence from the necropsies already done.

I suspect at least one more hen in the near future as she was one bleeding quite badly. Though it has stopped, I'm afraid it's temporary.

From these hatching eggs I bought 12 hatched and I'm down to 6 after today, and probably five before long. Sadly each has looked fine one day, then start with the limping the next. I just never know who is next.

 

[LilRedRoo]

I tried reading through much of this thread for an answer to a questions I've posted last night and noticed a few mentions about vaccinating adult/sick/exposed birds. I have been advised by a vet that this would not be useful, as the exposure has already occurred except in cases where you have a mature flock that has never been exposed (not likely if you're searching for answers on Marek's).

Just my 1/2 cent.

In case you missed my question and have advice, I'll ask here. If I have had a Marek's outbreak and have some birds that did not show symptoms, but are exposed, can I add vaccinated chicks to the flock? I have a back coop that will house a new crop of fowl for 5-6 weeks, at which time the rotation is to move them to the big coop up the hill with the others...

 

[ranchokelly]

After losing 3 chickens in what I think was a coyote attack, I bought 3 adult vaccinated hens from a local on craigslist. She said she bought them from McMurray's and they came vaccinated as chicks. I think she was down-sizing because her coop was overcrowded , as two of the hens had their butts pecked bald. None of them ever had any issues, and almost a year later now they have big fluffy healthy butts!
Only one of my vaccinated hens got sick, and she eventually recovered after staying inside with me for a month.