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

[jgoldy2]

Maybe, I had a rye neck and unknown disease, but we are on lock down right now, no friends except show friends. I have taken a big risk and entered her sister and brother with my fingers crossed

 

[mightymax]

OK...Hold on a minute here !!!
Just because a few of your chickens died of a 'mystery' disease and wry neck, doesn't make it Marek's. In fact, the odds are actually against it being Marek's at all due to the fact that there are so many more diseases out there that mimic Marek's, but that are not Marek's, that really the only sure way to know if your flock has it or has been exposed to it, is by a sending a previously symptomatic bird out for a necropsey. And a true lock down doesn't discriminate by letting only the 'popular' birds come over to play. As a matter of fact, in a real lock down, no one comes over at all and there is definitely no playing !!! I'm not trying to sound harsh, mean or too critical here, but when I went back and read over some old posts, I found that once, in a year's time, you lost something like 12 birds...but sent not one of them off for a necropsey. May I ask why not? It's my opinion that you've had enough chickens die on you of 'unknown causes' to warrant a whole slew of necropsies, yet you've not sent off even one of those birds for testing. Don't you want to know what they died from??? After more that a dozen deaths in a single year? Because I'll tell you if that had happened to some of my chickens, I'd want to know what I'm dealing with and I'd want to know how to fight it and I'd want to know after just one or two deaths, not wait until I racked up a baker's dozen !!! And I really do hope that it's not Marek's Disease. because if it is. God only knows how many of your chicken's show friends that came over to play got it and then went to a show, and gave it to more chickens, who then went back home to molt and drop dander all over their coop, through which the caretaker who feeds them must walk several times a day, until finally, his job complete, he heads towards home, where he'll quietly unwind with a cold one before he goes out to feed and water his own flock of chickens...

-kim-

 

[lalaland]

jgoldy,

I'm a little worried, I admit, that your chickens would be at a show ,,,,,,if they have mareks or someother disease, wouldn't you expose every other person's show birds to whatever got your birds? And then their show birds go home to possibly infect their entire flock?

Maybe you have had them tested... does the show require any testing before you bring them? NPIP?
( http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publicati...lpingYouPoultryBreeder-PA1708-FinalJuly09.pdf )

That testing doesn't involve mareks but does cover a couple of other devastating diseases. I don't remember the symptoms your birds had, other than wry neck. Since I dont show birds I haven't bothered to learn about them or the proper protocol for ensuring diseases aren't transmitted.

The blood test in texas for Mareks is only 30 bucks.

I know you wouldn't wish the troubles you've had with your flock on anyone else, and more than likely you have taken these precautions and just haven't mentioned them here.

 

[seminolewind]

OK...Hold on a minute here !!!
Just because a few of your chickens died of a 'mystery' disease and wry neck, doesn't make it Marek's. In fact, the odds are actually against it being Marek's at all due to the fact that there are so many more diseases out there that mimic Marek's, but that are not Marek's, that really the only sure way to know if your flock has it or has been exposed to it, is by a sending a previously symptomatic bird out for a necropsey. And a true lock down doesn't discriminate by letting only the 'popular' birds come over to play. As a matter of fact, in a real lock down, no one comes over at all and there is definitely no playing !!! I'm not trying to sound harsh, mean or too critical here, but when I went back and read over some old posts, I found that once, in a year's time, you lost something like 12 birds...but sent not one of them off for a necropsey. May I ask why not? It's my opinion that you've had enough chickens die on you of 'unknown causes' to warrant a whole slew of necropsies, yet you've not sent off even one of those birds for testing. Don't you want to know what they died from??? After more that a dozen deaths in a single year? Because I'll tell you if that had happened to some of my chickens, I'd want to know what I'm dealing with and I'd want to know how to fight it and I'd want to know after just one or two deaths, not wait until I racked up a baker's dozen !!! And I really do hope that it's not Marek's Disease. because if it is. God only knows how many of your chicken's show friends that came over to play got it and then went to a show, and gave it to more chickens, who then went back home to molt and drop dander all over their coop, through which the caretaker who feeds them must walk several times a day, until finally, his job complete, he heads towards home, where he'll quietly unwind with a cold one before he goes out to feed and water his own flock of chickens...

-kim-

Kim I like your advice and wow! I didn't know how emotional you get over this. But I should, you've been a down to earth open book when it comes to helping others.

How to send a bird for a necropsy

 

[jgoldy2]

I know only on died in October, and I had a rye neck case this summer. All are vaccinated

 

[jgoldy2]

When saying lock down meant I don' have a show pen, and a non show pen no non show friends right now

 

[seminolewind]

I think that sometimes it's hard to communicate without a face to face conversation. I had a chick with wry neck, about 5 weeks old and she was vaccinated and it just showed up one morning. I tube fed her for a week and she just kept losing weight and I euthanized her. I don't know where wry neck comes from or why some get it. I personally wish I knew more, like is it a bacteria or virus? Is it something that can be avoided?

 

[lalaland]

wry neck is a symptom - of certain diseases, vitamin deficiencies, injuries, etc:
"it is a symptom that occurs in connection with many different illnesses and conditions. Among the illnesses that can cause the symptom of torticollis are Marek's disease (a virus), a deficiency in magnesium, a deficiency in vitamin E, a deficiency in thiamine (medicated chick feeds can interfere with thiamin uptake), avian encephalomyelitis (a virus), food poisoning (such as botulism), heavy metal/lead toxicity, encephalitic listeriosis (a virus), some presentations of aspergillosis (a fungal infection), otitis (ear infection), or even head injury."

 

[seminolewind]

I guess I just don't understand why I've had two chicks in 7 years have it. It's pretty difficult to figure out what's causing it I guess. And also if it will fix itself. Anyone have a recoverer?

 

[ochochicas]

My limping pullet is still in the house. I'm not convinced it isn't Mareks, but I'm not convinced it is, either. My best guess is that she had a severe soft tissue injury to her back when our unruly rooster tried to mount her. There are 10 week old chicks and 5 weeks old chicks that have been exposed to her, but no one is sick. She is learning to walk better, but still has limited use of her right leg and now her right wing is starting to droop. It has been more than a month, so I'm assuming that if it were Marek's she would have died by now. Her appetite is good, but she is getting very picky about what she will eat. At this point I guess we'll just keep doing what we're doing (vitamin therapy, limited activity, monitor food intake and weight, separate living quarters) and give her time to recuperate.