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

[ochochicas]

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but when my Marek's hatch was about 5 weeks old they started to act lethargic one at a time. I'd give each one Corid followed with extra vitamins. I'd say six or so of the 20 showed signs of going off food and acting sluggish, all at slightly different times. By 8 weeks or so they were all doing well. Then at 11 weeks the first chick (an olive egger) that was sluggish at 5 weeks starting limping and that was the beginning of the end. She was the first pullet I sent in (at 14 weeks of age) for necropsy and it Marek's. She had sciatic never deterioration in addition to a ton of small and large tumors all over her internal organs. Good thing is she was eating up a storm and didn't seem to realize she was sick.

I didn't document exactly who was lethargic at 5 weeks, but I'm pretty sure they were the first ones to succumb to Marek's. Please do keep notes of your Silkies and let us know how they are doing over the next couple of months. Fingers are crossed for them!

 

[seminolewind]

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but when my Marek's hatch was about 5 weeks old they started to act lethargic one at a time. I'd give each one Corid followed with extra vitamins. I'd say six or so of the 20 showed signs of going off food and acting sluggish, all at slightly different times. By 8 weeks or so they were all doing well. Then at 11 weeks the first chick (an olive egger) that was sluggish at 5 weeks starting limping and that was the beginning of the end. She was the first pullet I sent in (at 14 weeks of age) for necropsy and it Marek's. She had sciatic never deterioration in addition to a ton of small and large tumors all over her internal organs. Good thing is she was eating up a storm and didn't seem to realize she was sick.

I didn't document exactly who was lethargic at 5 weeks, but I'm pretty sure they were the first ones to succumb to Marek's. Please do keep notes of your Silkies and let us know how they are doing over the next couple of months. Fingers are crossed for them!

I didn't know your name was Debbie!

 

[seminolewind]

On a serious note, Marek's is a downer. Anyone's experiences needs to be shared. I understand what you're saying and it's almost like which came first the chicken or the egg? I'll be trying to prevent them from getting sick, but I can't prevent Marek's any more than giving a vaccine.

I hope my silkies survive.

 

[saltandpepper2]

On a serious note, Marek's is a downer. Anyone's experiences needs to be shared. I understand what you're saying and it's almost like which came first the chicken or the egg? I'll be trying to prevent them from getting sick, but I can't prevent Marek's any more than giving a vaccine.

I hope my silkies survive.

I only have one silkie from my most recent batch of chicks, and will be absolutely heart broken if I lose her... The chicks range from 1-4 weeks, and so far, they have not showed any symptoms of illness or lethargy... hoping it lasts. I bought extra chicks just in case, and a have multiple rooster extras, I just hope it's not my new breeds that fall to it. Especially my ameraucanas, I've had horrible luck with their survival rate, hoping it's better this year. Might keep them in until after 10 weeks, maybe passing by that extreme danger zone that I always lose my birds in... fingers crossed.

 

[lalaland]

We need a spreadsheet to track ages of chicks showing symptoms, treatment, recovery, and outcome over the next two years or something.

It has been so helpful to hear what everyone has tried and seen and what has worked, or at least work temporarily - thanks to everyone who takes the time to post what their experiences are.

 

[seminolewind]

Lala, that's a good idea.

 

[saltandpepper2]

That is a very good Idea, though I wouldn't be much help in the treatment area. I treat the birds as well as I can until they go lame... then I put them out of their misery. Mine don't seem to recover after that point anyway. I have nurse a few back to health, which seems to stunt their growth, but over all, they go down hill pretty quickly, and I would rather get it over with than they suffer the pain, and me suffer the heart ache.

 

[lalaland]

The little legbar is not doing well. She seemed weak this mornng, and she had a stuffed crop. Just like before. I don't know if there is something about mareks that leads to the crop not emptying...she has been eating all week, and even this morning was stuffing more in. Typically, for an impacted crop, (if that is what this is?), I would administer olive oil, massage the crop, cage the bird and withhold food. but this one, she's starving!

When I feel her keel bone I can not believe she is still alive.

I tried a ground meat slurry but she refused it. then dove in and ate mash, choosing the big chuncks of corn.

 

[ochochicas]

The little legbar is not doing well. She seemed weak this mornng, and she had a stuffed crop. Just like before. I don't know if there is something about mareks that leads to the crop not emptying...she has been eating all week, and even this morning was stuffing more in. Typically, for an impacted crop, (if that is what this is?), I would administer olive oil, massage the crop, cage the bird and withhold food. but this one, she's starving!

When I feel her keel bone I can not believe she is still alive.

I tried a ground meat slurry but she refused it. then dove in and ate mash, choosing the big chuncks of corn.

My pullet Kettle Corn was the same way. I still tubed her with warm water and vitamins 3x per day and massaged her crop. She did eventually recover although she was 4 months old and only weighed 1.5 pounds. I'm not sure how she was still alive either.

A couple of weeks ago I weighed Kettle and she was up to 3 pounds. I thought was was going to recover. Apparently I jinxed her/myself by being too optimistic. I put her back out in the coop last week with the other chickens. The stress of being in with everyone else seems to have made her sick again. She won't eat and has lost a half a pound in the last 10 days. She's back in the "hospital ward" with two vaccinated pullets to keep her company. I've been tubing her with Corid/water/ground chick starter for the last 2 days. She is not having any trouble walking, her eyes are fine, no sneezing or respiratory bug. She's probably full of tumors, poor girl. She walks around find and pretends to eat, but her crop is always empty. She didn't even want any corn this morning. She also has the bright green poop that we all hate to see. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[Nambroth]

We need a spreadsheet to track ages of chicks showing symptoms, treatment, recovery, and outcome over the next two years or something.

It has been so helpful to hear what everyone has tried and seen and what has worked, or at least work temporarily - thanks to everyone who takes the time to post what their experiences are.

If I wasn't so darned busy this year that would be something I could do. I could set up a google survey form that people could enter data into every time they have a strongly suspected or confirmed Marek's case, which could be compiled into one spreadsheet to share.

Let's brainstrom what information would be useful to us?
Information such as:

• Breed, if known
• Source of Bird
• Sex of bird
• Location (State or providence works)
• Average yearly high/low temperature of your area
• Vaccinated Y/N/Unsure
• If vaccinated, which vaccine used, if known
• Age of first Marek's signs, if known
• Description of signs (use single, simple keywords such as ataxia, paralysis, lameness, anemia, deformed pupil, etc)
• Treatment, if any (use simple phrases such as "x dose of x medicine once per day" or "offered coconut oil once per day" etc)
• Bird's response to treatment(s) (Again use simple phrases such as "no visible improvement" or "slight improvement after 10 days" etc)
• If the bird is still alive, what age is it currently
• If the bird is still alive, what signs if any is it showing currently (use simple keywords)
• Age at death (if bird doesn't make it)
• Testing done, if any (necropsy, PCR)
• Testing results, if any