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

[barnyardmommy]

Thank you so much for the replies to my questions. I will be getting vaccinated chicks in the spring. I don't want to take any chances with my baby girls.

 

[casportpony]

I think I have another showing neurological symptoms, this one walk like her legs are tie together and spends most of her day sitting.

-Kathy

 

[schnebbles]

oh no! I hate reading that.

 

[realsis]

I have a question for you experts on mareks. I vaccinated my chicks for mareks myself about three days ago and I was wondering how long does it take for them to produce antibodies so I can take them outside to play? I've read conflicting information on this where some articles say one week and other articles I've read says a full 14 days before they develop their immunity.i was wondering which answer is correct? I don't want to take them outdide before they have the proper antibodies. I'm probably being over protective here but after reading your stories my heart goes out to you all and I want to do this vaccination the proper way. If the reasearch I've done is correct you can't just vaccinate then put them outside if you do you run a risk of them contracting the disease BEFORE they had a chance to produce the proper antibodies. So my question is how long does it actually take for the antibodies to become effective. Like I said I've read conflicting information and some say one week while others say a full 14 days. Could one of you please tell me which it is? I don't want to let them outside until the proper waiting period. I appreciate your help. Thank you kindly.

 

[seminolewind]

14 days would be the absolute minimum. The longer you wait, the more antibodies they may have. I wait at least 4-6 weeks. Really.

 

[seminolewind]

I think I have another showing neurological symptoms, this one walk like her legs are tie together and spends most of her day sitting.

-Kathy

I'm sorry to hear it. Is she vaccinated?

 

[casportpony]

I'm sorry to hear it. Is she vaccinated?

Only a few of mine that came from hatcheries are vaccinated. Just can't justify vaccinating stuff hatched here.

-Kathy

 

[realsis]

14 days would be the absolute minimum.  The longer you wait, the more antibodies they may have.  I wait at least 4-6 weeks.  Really.


ok Thank you for the reply.i didn't realise it was that long of a wait. Thank you very much. I want to do this the correct way. They haven't been outside yet. I'll wait until their antibodies build up.i don't have any cases of mareks yet Thank God but I want to try to be safe. As I understand it that it IS every where so I might as well figure its on my property. And use precaution. It can even blow in from the wind if what I've read is correct. So I will wait for some time before they go outside. Thank you for your answer. God bless.

 

[schnebbles]

I agree, 14 days minimum, the longer the better. And yes, do what you can because Mareks is awful. I started out with 8 bantams this spring and have 5 now I'm new and no clue how I got it. None were vaccinated from the breeders.

 

[Haunted55]

The vaccine needs 4-8 weeks to fully develope inside the bird it was given to. Anything less than 4 weeks is asking for trouble. I kept my birds separated for the full 8 weeks and then put them outside into their new construction building where they are still separate from the original flock. At 6 months separation now, they will be added into the main flock. So far everything has worked very well. The only sign of Marek's has been the 1 bird who rapidly went down after being picked on by the others in her flock. This bird was part of my breeding for Marek's resistance groups and was unvaccinated and obviously already carrying the virus inside.

My advice is keep your birds separate for a full 6 weeks and practise biosecurity to the nines. The vaccine isn't fool proof but it's the best we have right now.