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

[seminolewind]

Quote:
You are so right, Haunted, we gotta keep the faith. My chicks have gone to the stable that I keep my horse at. 2 went next door.
The stable chicks have a nice pen. A roof, and a 8x10 foot area under it and wired completely in. Down here we worry about the heat, not the cold. They got lucky and are in a place with a nice breeze all day. I still have 2 Polish chicks here with the silkies.

 

[Haunted55]

Seminole, wanted to ask you how you and your roo made out. I hope all is well with him.

 

[seminolewind]

Baby roo died. He hung on so long. I had him in the bathroom on a bed pillow with a towel rolled up around him. I was tubing him medicine water.

I must have a terrible strain here because last year, the 3 I lost were on medicated feed. Man, with these Marek's birds, they are poorly immune to opportunistic bacteria.

 

[salt and pepper]

Baby roo died. He hung on so long. I had him in the bathroom on a bed pillow with a towel rolled up around him. I was tubing him medicine water.

I must have a terrible strain here because last year, the 3 I lost were on medicated feed. Man, with these Marek's birds, they are poorly immune to opportunistic bacteria.

I also ended up going through Cocci, thankfully they all recovered... Treated with sulmet. Sorry you lost your bird =(

 

[Haunted55]

Baby roo died. He hung on so long. I had him in the bathroom on a bed pillow with a towel rolled up around him. I was tubing him medicine water.

I must have a terrible strain here because last year, the 3 I lost were on medicated feed. Man, with these Marek's birds, they are poorly immune to opportunistic bacteria.

Ah Seminole, I'm so sorry. All of my birds have always been on the medicated feed as well. Doesn't matter though. If it's out there, they're gonna find it.

Have you looked into the Lysine that Caco was talking about on another thread? I haven't finished researching it yet but from what I have read it does make a lot of sense. We've got nothing to lose, lol, and everything to gain.

 

[salt and pepper]

So happy, I put one dose of the frontline on my chickens, and all signs of mites has vanished!!! This has never happened with any other treatment.

 

[ten chicks]

I have reached a point where I need input from those of you who are also facing this problem. I have 4 Marek's hens left and one is suffering from severe prolapse and her keel bone is extremely prominent. These girls eat as if there's no tomorrow and will never be anything except what they are due to the disease. I have some of their offspring hatched and at the 4 month age. One roo from this group just died a few days ago showing the leg paralysis and constant eating. No cocci, no respiratory issues, happy until he was no more. The others in this group are normal sized and very healthy so I guess there is merit to raising for immunity. I guess what I need to know is if it is worth it in the end, or should I just say goodbye and cull the poor girls left. I know this has to be a personal choice but I would really like some input.

It would be easy to cull the ones affected, but then what? Replace them? Okay, but how long do they have to stay apart even if they're vaccinated for Marek's? 6 months? A year? What about my original flock of layers and roo? They will be 2 years old in April. Do they go as well? They never had any symptoms of Marek's, but have been living with these survivors for months now. A lot of questions that I hope some of you can help me work through.

I would let them live out whatever time they have left. I do believe it is always worth giving a happy life to any animal. I have a special needs cat,the vet recommended that i should put him down. I didn't and he is still alive 4 years later,he is happy and that is enough for me. It is a personal choice,but what do you have to gain if you cull them? If Marek's is still in the soil,what would be the point? You have given them so much already,you have given them life, why are you questioning yourself now?

 

[Haunted55]

So happy, I put one dose of the frontline on my chickens, and all signs of mites has vanished!!! This has never happened with any other treatment.

I have never done this, how do you dose them? One drop?

 

[Haunted55]

I would let them live out whatever time they have left. I do believe it is always worth giving a happy life to any animal. I have a special needs cat,the vet recommended that i should put him down. I didn't and he is still alive 4 years later,he is happy and that is enough for me. It is a personal choice,but what do you have to gain if you cull them? If Marek's is still in the soil,what would be the point? You have given them so much already,you have given them life, why are you questioning yourself now?

This is the lament of a Marek's bird owner. Every so often it comes to the fore and you wonder if you are doing the correct thing for your birds and secondly, yourself. This thread, as long and drawn out as it is, has been a place for others, as well as myself to talk and hold each other up through everything that goes along with being the keeper of these birds. Then there are the times when shoulders are needed, as sometimes it really does seem like it's just too much for one person to bear. When I started this thread, I was at that point. So much necessary culling and death because of this nasty little virus. All of us that face this, whether old hand on BYC or new, need places to vent and get their head straight. This is one.

 

[ten chicks]

This is the lament of a Marek's bird owner. Every so often it comes to the fore and you wonder if you are doing the correct thing for your birds and secondly, yourself. This thread, as long and drawn out as it is, has been a place for others, as well as myself to talk and hold each other up through everything that goes along with being the keeper of these birds. Then there are the times when shoulders are needed, as sometimes it really does seem like it's just too much for one person to bear. When I started this thread, I was at that point. So much necessary culling and death because of this nasty little virus. All of us that face this, whether old hand on BYC or new, need places to vent and get their head straight. This is one.

I understand the frustration,anguish and emotional toll this must take. For what it is worth,i do believe in doing whatever one can to give whatever quality of life is available to Marek chickens. I commend you,it takes a special kind of person to cope with the challenges faced by this disease. You have been able to keep these remarkable animals alive by your sheer will and determination. Never doubt or question yourself,you have given them the most precious gift of all life and love.