On a really depressing note... I live in the woods, kinda sorta. We have wild turkeys through all the time. I got chickens, not knowing all the different stuff that one should consider, like vaccines and such for mareks, cocci, mg... Well, never had a problem, and my understanding is it is probably thanks to the turkeys that I haven't. That and letting the mommas raise the babies from my stock, which seems to be more resistant to the big "M". And the strong possiblity that the birds are a "b" blood type.
However, seems that my beautiful phoenix are not as resistant. I had to do the terrible task of culling a golden pullet tonight. Looks like her sister will be next, and possibly the bbr pullet. Both boys and the lemon girl, and the jap all seem to be fine. I did some searching tonight, to see if there was anything I could possibly do. One of the things I came across was vaccinating all the birds, including the adults, even though they've already seem to have resistance naturally. This way, if the other phoenix don't exhibit signs of it now, they'll hopefully never develop the tumors. There is some double sided ideas, that if they are already exhibiting, it'll possible halt it, but other say if they are exhibiting, to cull. There is also a school of thought that giving hypericum to all the birds now, several times a day could stop the progression if they are exhibiting. There are several other suggested treatments, but to not get the hopes up, as a bird that survives it, could relapse, never be a strong bird. However there are also those that say a bird that recovers and is of robust health, and never has another occurrence, you can breed them. The disease does not pass through the egg. However, that bird is still a carrier, will be for life. Birds that are vaccinated, can still get it, but never develop the symptoms, and not shed the virus like an unvaccinated bird... It is all so confusing...
Well the fact of the matter is this, in my case I have 3 options... 1, cull all the birds. Wait till after winter, possibly get new birds, but never allow chicks to be hatched here, and have to purchase new birds every season that are already vaccinated. 2, never have birds again. or 3, vaccinate all the birds I have now, including the remaining phoenix. Vaccinate any chicks that are hatched here, and hope the immunity they get from their moms will be enough to protect them until they've built up a resistance, while maintaining a closed flock, This means, no new birds in from outside, and no birds out unless it is in the form of an egg.
Fact of the matter, unless I am willing to put my birds in a sterile confinement, which I am not, there's going to be the probability even with vaccinating, that I am going to experience mareks problems with a bird or two over the course of my chicken keeping.
On another note, though, the vaccine is only like $20 a bottle, and the cost of a box of needles to give each bird a dose, so even though I'll be losing 900 doses at the end of vaccinating, it's still cheaper than losing birds that have been fed for 4 months.
Hope I made sense... Didn't sound to much like a back hick idiot.
OK, so I have some time to contribute. I only know what I learnt about, and what we have put in place has worked for us, but it's not for everyone.
I am yet to find any conclusive evidence that vaccination after the first day works. From the material I kept finding, it all stated that the immune system begins on the first day, if it's not challenged then, it won't be effective. How ever, I have not yet found anything that says harm will come to the bird if they are injected at a later date. Up to you, since it's so cheap for you might not be a problem, but here it cost me a packet!
Some birds can recover, true but that number is very slim. I was reading another thread about someone that thought they had MD in their flock, and had some great success with adding Vitamin B to their water as well as some good care. We tried the hypercium (St Johns Wort) and did not see a single change, was worth a shot but we saw no effect.
Honestly, I don't see any treatments really working. Looking at how this disease works the lesions can't be reversed once they begin. By the time we see the most prominant symptoms the lesions are so big they are crushing organs and nerves. There are two early warning signs that I know of, one is wasting and the other is the eye. I will try find a pic of what to look for but it is an indicator to look out for before paralysis.
Also, there seems to be certain types of MD, and they strike at different times of life. All seem to be closely related, but the firs wave seems to be around 6-8 weeks, then the next is just before or after laying begins and the final one is when the bird is quite old. I have read that stress is a big factor or trigger. Around 6 weeks they get put outside full time, POL they begin to play piggy back games with the boys as well as punching out eggs. All these are stressful times, and when stressed the immune system is not as strong.
As for creating a sterile environment, I think it's too late. If it's there it is there. As long as there are birds, there will be feathers and dander and the ******* disease will hang on. Other healthy birds with excellent immunity will still be carriers. When a bird comes along that can't cope it will go down, even some vaccinated birds, (but they are MUCH less likely to grow the lesions) You can pretty much bet they have all been exposed. I see your options a little differently;
It is only responsible to now have a closed flock until you are certain the issue has been dealt with. Nothing but eggs in or out, no live birds. As you say, it is not transmitted vertically (bird - egg)
1. Cull all, sterilise everything and start over next season (booooooo, and, IMO pointless, your neighbors have birds and if they have MD in their flock it will be back)
2. Cull sick birds, breed from the survivors in the hope that 'only the strong survive' (many do this, but the losses are great, and it takes so long to recover. Not to mention you still have MD around.
2.1 Cull sick birds, INCUBATE and VACCINATE your new chicks. ( If you use broodies when they have MD, they will pass it on day 1, and the vaccine will not work as the immune system is bombed before it has a chance to build resistance.
3. Cull sick birds, do nothing. You could let the losses happen, some only loose a few percent, others suffer much harder losses.
4. Cull all, buy puppies or ducks. (Boooooooo some more)
I would lean towards something like 2.1. While it's nice to think they will recover from illness, set a time frame and give it your best shot, after that time maybe make the decision to cull. That way you are not exhausting stock and energy on something that is only prolonging pain and suffering.
It really is hard, we only had a few birds in our flock when we went through this, so we started over, hatched our own, sterilised the coop and run. So far so good, but I am not going to say "we are MD free" until our non vaccinated birds are all laying. Then I will be confident.
Well, that's my points of interest. Use what you like, ask any questions and I can do my best to find some links or offer what ever I can.
