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

[Nambroth]

From my life expirians I can say that you should never expect that some one ells will resolve your problems! Especially governments in all its level. If you have a problem think about the most effective solution, and the ways to achieve it and act Tirelessly to achieve it! Seat and waiting approach will not resolve the problem. So I would not relay on the agriculture department, the eggs and meat industries, and others. only on other friend and people that share with we the same problem and interest!

Trsut me, I'm not. I went out of my way to research this problem for over a year, and wrote an article about it...
I have gone to great lengths in terms of biosecurity of my flock since I learned about Marek's, and have worked personally with my avian vet and others to get as much information as I could to the general public.
I have a very small flock and can not reasonably breed for resistance, nor do I have access to labs, funding, nor the academic areas that I would need to do further research on Marek's. I am not sure what else I could possibly do except try to educate others and push as much as I can for further research on this disease.

 

[ochochicas]

Hello to all
To establish a long lasting parents breeding flock, you need 20 resistant hens and 3 resistant roosters from each breed. I don't think that it is a unachievable goal.

It is not un-achievable, but it is not something I am going to do, either. I don't plan on keeping 20 hens of one breed, and I don't have the resources to build a whole new coop for a whole new flock of chickens. Now, if I got a grant to do it and could hire someone to build me a coop, then by all means, show me the money!

 

[ochochicas]

Ocho, If you feel like it, you could call them and ask why they charge 100 bucks, but your friend only pays $30.00. Maybe we should incorporate this thread and see if we can get reduced rates, LOL.

The virus isolation is $100. PCR sequencing is listed at $110. I don't know who charges $30. I'm pretty sure the lab here sends the samples out. Additional tests are billed later and all the prices are on the lab's website. Everyone pays the same price.


Dang! I just went to their fee schedule and all their prices went up last month. Necropsy used to be $10 and now it is $60. OUCH!

 

[seminolewind]

I pay 30 for necropsy and $30.00 for a pcr.

 

[mightymax]

Quote:
I don't think anyone here on BYC, and not on this thread in particular, comes anywhere close to achieving a wait and see approach where Marek's and their chickens are concerned. I also don't recall anyone saying, or even implying, that those of us with Marek's in our flocks are just sitting back on our laurels, resting and waiting to see what all of the mucky-muck yo's-yo's over on Agricultural Hill will be doing next to help us out of our dire situation(s). On the contrary, I feel that the mere existence of this site, more specifically, this thread, indicates an overwhelming commitment to the health and well being of our backyard flocks. I can think of no other forum (outside of a university or some such similar institution) where so many voices can be so easily accessed and more importantly, readily heard. All one has to do is log on and start reading to understand the lengths and depths that a lot of us will go to in order to save even just one more of our beloved pet chickens. Perhaps it is different in your country, but here in the United States, us regular folks, well...we have a tendency to give our pets names. Names like LuLu Littlebutt and Roaring Rodney Roostertoes. Names that may or may not, mean anything in particular to us or our pets, but what the names do is they seem to make the pet a little less animal and a little more human. (or perhaps it's really the other way around ???). However it's achieved is unimportant. It's the final product that I feel you and I would constantly be disagreeing on because I choose to 'humanize' my research animals (my pets) and you, who might give them names like red hen number 21, do not. So in closing let me assure you that I, for one, do not expect, nor will I ever expect, somebody else to come along and solve any of my problems for me (including my chicken ones), nor do I think that is what the rest of the BYCer's are on this site for. They (We) are all here to share our knowledge about a situation that is at times exhilarating and at other times exceptionally frustrating, heart breaking and sad. As has already been said, most of us here are regular lay people, not acclaimed scientists or published professors.Not even mild mannered moderators, such as yourself. My acclaim to science fame was winning first place in the science fair at my school in the 7th grade (I made a model of an atom, with neutrons circling it and everything) and I don't consider 3 copies of How I Spent My Summer Vacation as being 'published'. On the other hand, I do consider myself fluent in at least 5 different languages...all of them English (those of you with varied aged children will know what I mean...lol !!!) So if you've nothing further to add in the way of constructive helpfulness to this thread, might I implore you to look within yourself and the pages upon pages of other enchanting threads within BYC to figure out just what it is that you want out of our meeting like this.

-kim-

 

[mightymax]

RIP...My dear young Ronnie.

A beautiful black and shiny silkie hen with a top knot bigger than any cheerleader's pom pom I've ever seen, and boy didn't you wear it proudly. You had been foundering a bit, but today I found you not wanting to leave the nest box, gasping for breath, one leg drawn up tight to your chest, the other one awkwardly turned upward and out, like you were trying to give God a funny 'High Five' but missed. Well my beautiful girl, you will be greatly missed...by all of your siblings that are still here with us and, especially, by your constant companion and loving mama...the one and only Riley Roo. Sleep well my child and know that all of your unanswered prayers will shortly be answered.

 

[lalaland]

Kim, I"m so sorry. She was surely beloved.

 

[saltandpepper2]

I'm so sorry for your loss... she sounded beautiful.

 

[seminolewind]

RIP...My dear young Ronnie.

A beautiful black and shiny silkie hen with a top knot bigger than any cheerleader's pom pom I've ever seen, and boy didn't you wear it proudly. You had been foundering a bit, but today I found you not wanting to leave the nest box, gasping for breath, one leg drawn up tight to your chest, the other one awkwardly turned upward and out, like you were trying to give God a funny 'High Five' but missed. Well my beautiful girl, you will be greatly missed...by all of your siblings that are still here with us and, especially, by your constant companion and loving mama...the one and only Riley Roo. Sleep well my child and know that all of your unanswered prayers will shortly be answered.

Kim I am very sorry

. We are all here for you.

 

[ochochicas]

Sorry to hear about Ronnie.

You write so poetically that we can all feel how you are feeling at the time.