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

[BigECarter]

It is so very sad.  To have a stunning rooster who loves his 2 girls, can't walk so he sits there while they groom his spikey hair do (Polish).  Tonight was the first night he did not climb up the ramp.  He's on my patio now in a cage.

It's hard to believe that one purchased pullet caused this nightmare.

Sorry you lost Frizzle. 

Mine started limping last week. It's like he can't put any weight on one side. DH thinks he injured is leg somehow but I'm pretty sure it's Marek's. For now, he's confined in the coop with the babies while his two girls free range.

 

[schnebbles]

Seminole - that makes me so sad reading about your boy. Mareks just puts me at a loss for words.

I come to this thread for encouragment and people who understand, then some days it just depresses me so bad to see all of the losses due to it. People are hurt, chickens die, it's just awful.

BigE - that sounds exactly like my silkie Patch...I hoped for a while it was just an injury all the while knowing it wasn't.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: Yea, mine limped for a week before it got worse. Today, he can only move by his hocks.

Big, are you sure your limper should be in with babies?

 

[ChicknsRock]

Okay. I'm just going to post this, and PLEASE do not say it's not true.

Most of you know that I have a barred rock pullet that has Marek's. I was giving her St. John's Wort pills (only a tiny pinch) with hemp oil and she started improving a lot. Then she started to go downhill again. I started giving her tumeric, with hemp oil, and now--she can balance herself, almost walk, and even perch on my fingers!

 

[BigECarter]

Yea, mine limped for a week before it got worse.  Today, he can only move by his hocks.

Big, are you sure your limper should be in with babies?

I have nine babies, 8 weeks old. They have been exposed/in the coop for 4 weeks. The roo is very sweet and has not picked on the chicks at all. I don't have anywhere to move the babies, and think the roo will be happier with them than in the house.

ChicknsRock, what dosages are you giving and where did you but the hemp/turmeric from?

E

 

[Nambroth]

If a bird is symptomatic, is it shedding more virus? Does it make any difference to separate him out? My 2 hens are with a symptomatic roo and I hate to take him away from them, but I don't want to hurt the other two.

I'm not an expert, but it is factual that an actively symptomatic bird is shedding more virus, because the virus is actively replicating itself in the chicken's cells when they are showing signs. So yes, I'd say it's fair to say he is dropping more virus than a bird that is exposed but not showing symptoms.
Does it matter, to health birds that are already exposed anyhow (your 2 hens)?? No one really knows. We can only guess. They are already exposed and HAVE Marek's. It's uncertain if exposing them, as healthy birds, to larger amounts of virus will cause a greater chance of active infection or not. Maybe?? Use your best judgement!

 

[BigECarter]

He's been somewhat symptomatic for a while - loose poops. At this point, I think the chicks will have had maximum exposure anyways. If nothing else, it will give us some data as to how well vaccines protect. :/

 

[ChicknsRock]

Quote: 1/16 teaspoon of turmeric 1/8 teaspoon of hemp oil. I buy the hemp at The Apple Crate (it's probably at any health/food store) and I buy the turmeric at the grocery store.

 

[schnebbles]

I have the help oil too.

I guess time will tell if that stuff keeps your chicken well. I've been told and people here have said chickens can recover. So, I believe it can happen. I haven't had luck, but it sure doesn't mean I won't keep trying those things. I have about everything for mareks that I've read can help! I give my chickens tumeric in their water (which reminds me I forgot it when I mixed the last gallon), and the Super B in every gallon of water I mix in. I guess I should mix SJW in the gallon too. I know if I don't go overboard, it's not going to hurt them. I also run heat in the cold because I figure less stress. I'm trying to do everything I can but it still happens.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Thanks, Jennifer. I would say you're right. Unfortunately, Freddy has gone downhill and is in a crate on my patio. My hubby will help him along in the morning. He's one I just can't do.

This was one of my potentially resistantly born . I have another roo that was from resistant parents, hatched in an incubator, went outside after a month. He seems to be resistant. 9 months old. 9 months is a good sign.

I pretty much don't believe all these herbs and spices save anyone that has paralysis from Marek's. It's not been medically proven, and they've been working on this virus for over 100 years. However, there are times like with my roo right now where I feel like I should have tried everything under the sun and more.
I hope Texas A&M comes out with some new info. I'm tired of going thru info on the web that's so outdated.