Paralized Hen?? Ideas Please!!

[realsis]

You might want to speak to some folks dealing with this same problem before you decide to cull your flock. Search the forums and you will find some mareks threads and see how they are dealing with this issue. Culling is a option its a personal choice but its not mandatory. Also I believe the virus can
stay on the land up to a year.i highly recommend
speaking with some of these folks before you make
your decision to cull. Many are breeding for
resistance and finding other ways to move foward.
Just research your options before you make that
decision.i highly suggest speaking with some one
who is dealing with this disease. They have done
extensive research and are very educated in this
disease and can help you with alternatives. However
its up to you. Also I would get a confirmation of
mareks through testing before any decisions are made. I hope this helps you and I'm very sorry about your birds. However it would be wise to confirm the disease before proceding with any decisions.

 

[Pidgey104]

Yea but if our birds have it
That means no taking them to shows and no selling hatching eggs and chicks right?
Its what we do year round
Keeps our farm in business

 

[casportpony]

Yea but if our birds have it
That means no taking them to shows and no selling hatching eggs and chicks right?
Its what we do year round
Keeps our farm in business

That's how it should work, but many people have Marek's in their flocks and still go to shows, sell birds, eggs, etc.

-Kathy

 

[njwalter2004]

First off thank you to everyone for your help!! Because I was able to figure out what it was that was going on with our sick hen I think we may have succeeded at curing her!!

After the replies of Mareks Disease I looked into some cures for the disease on the forum since I would have been surprised if she made it another 24 hours with how bad she was. After I found this article about using Hypericum to treat them https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/135247/st-johns-wort I talked to our homeopath DR and explained what Mareks Disease was. He suggested using Collodial Silver 1ml ~ 3 times a day and also adding some to her water.

We gave her the first dose this afternoon and added some to her water. By about 6:00 tonight she was walking all around without flopping down, flying, and her stools are getting more solid. I am amazed that she is acting completely normal already. She is so anxious to get moving if she is better still tomorrow morning I may let her out with the rest of the flock. Any opinions about this? Also because she has only seen the rest of the flock for about 1 hour over what will be almost 48 hours do I need to reintroduce her to the flock again?

Pidgey: Please don't cull all of your hens there are things that can work to make them better!!

I do have a couple questions hopefully some of you educated chicken folks can answer for me about Mareks Disease.

1. Since the rest of the hens will carry the virus forever does that mean that they can just get sick at any point from the disease or only between the ages is shows up in chickens?
2. When we get hens next spring as long as they are vaccinated against the disease does that mean they won't carry the disease or does that mean all other chickens brought into our yard will just have the disease?
3. From experience where is the best place to purchase chickens from to ensure they have been vaccinated for this. Since we trusted the farmer we purchased them from we figured he was telling us the truth, from what was also said in this thread some of the online breeders can't be trusted either. Where is a trusted place from experience of others?

Thanks

Nicole

 

[seminolewind]

First off thank you to everyone for your help!! Because I was able to figure out what it was that was going on with our sick hen I think we may have succeeded at curing her!!

After the replies of Mareks Disease I looked into some cures for the disease on the forum since I would have been surprised if she made it another 24 hours with how bad she was. After I found this article about using Hypericum to treat them https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/135247/st-johns-wort I talked to our homeopath DR and explained what Mareks Disease was. He suggested using Collodial Silver 1ml ~ 3 times a day and also adding some to her water.

We gave her the first dose this afternoon and added some to her water. By about 6:00 tonight she was walking all around without flopping down, flying, and her stools are getting more solid. I am amazed that she is acting completely normal already. She is so anxious to get moving if she is better still tomorrow morning I may let her out with the rest of the flock. Any opinions about this? Also because she has only seen the rest of the flock for about 1 hour over what will be almost 48 hours do I need to reintroduce her to the flock again?

Pidgey: Please don't cull all of your hens there are things that can work to make them better!!

I do have a couple questions hopefully some of you educated chicken folks can answer for me about Mareks Disease.



1. Since the rest of the hens will carry the virus forever does that mean that they can just get sick at any point from the disease or only between the ages is shows up in chicken
Y
Yes, they can get symptomatic anytime, the older ones usually show wasting.


2. When we get hens next spring as long as they are vaccinated against the disease does that mean they won't carry the disease or does that mean all other chickens brought into our yard will just have the disease?

Vaccinate and quarantine for 3 plus weeks. All chickens that are exposed will carry it. Even the vaccinated ones. All the vaccine does is prevent the cancer from growing.

3. From experience where is the best place to purchase chickens from to ensure they have been vaccinated for this. Since we trusted the farmer we purchased them from we figured he was telling us the truth, from what was also said in this thread some of the online breeders can't be trusted either. Where is a trusted place from experience of others?

Most people selling chicks either don't know, or don't vaccinate. Some people think that NPIP is Marek's free. It's not. Aside from yourself and a popular hatchery like Murray McMurray's , Ideal, etc, I would assume they are not. A big popular online hatchery I would believe more than anyone but myself.

Thanks

Nicole

 

[seminolewind]

I agree sadly this sounds like Mareks disease. This does NOT mean all your chickens will succomb to this disease and become ill. But it DOES mean that all the chickens that have been in contact with this virus ARE carriers of the virus. meaning that although they are not ill they can spread the Marek's virus to other birds that you bring on to your property. Mareks can also travel miles in the wind. They're are many folks here on this forum dealing with mareks and they have done substantial reasearch and are very educated on this subject and I'm certain they can help you move foward and deal with this. One thing I suggest you do is take a bird for testing. Unfortunately I believe they take fresh dead or put the animal to sleep for testing. This way you can get a conformation on exactly what your dealing with And know without a doubt that its mareks disease. I would do some research on the mareks virus and look on these forums for help moving foward and managing it. I do wish you The best .

I believe Texas A&M can do a Marek's test off blood.

 

[seminolewind]

Ok after I cull all my pricey show birds :--( how long do I have to keep birds off property before bring more on
Also I have ducks, geese, pigeon, and emus would it affect them

You might as well not cull your show birds, and chances are that no matter what you do, Marek's will be on your property for years, not one year. All the cleaning in the world is not going to eliminate it from your property. Other types of birds are not affected.

 

[realsis]

If you bring your chickens to show with mareks or mareks carrier exposed chickens you are exposing every chicken at the show to mareks.it would not be right to knowingly do this. This is how things get spread to others and it would be more than wrong to do. You should maintain a CLOSED flock and not
expose others to this disease.to know you have
mareks in your flock and bring a carrier to a show
knowingly would be very very wrong. You would be
litterly infecting hundreds of other peoples chickens
and I know you wouldn't want to do that. Reason I'm
saying this is because you mentioned taking them
to shows. You recieved a answer that said it
shouldn't be done but some do it any way. You
wouldn't want to be one of those people who
knowingly infect other peoples birds. Mareks is a
highly contagious disease. To bring a carrier chicken
to a show would be the worst thing you could do to
others. It would be very irresponsible. I'm sure you
wouldn't wish this disease on others and I'm sure
you will make the right decision and NOT bring those
birds to show.

 

[Pidgey104]

Ok I'm not even sure it was mercks now
After one day of putting vititams in her water the buff orpinton pullet is walking again like nothing even happen
I have hatched some rir chicks and silkies from my birds 2 weeks ago and have not lost any
Maybe my cochins are not cold hardy and that's the reason I'm losing them

 

[realsis]

I really URGE you to get a bird tested in your flock. This way it will let you know for certain if you are dealing with Mareks or not. Then you can feel confident in knowing if you have it or not. Guessing that you don't have it can be dangerous for other birds you bring on your property or hatch not to mention showing birds that have been exposed. I think it will benifit you and others greatly if you get one tested then you will know with absolute certainty weather or not this disease is present. Because your dealing with the public and your birds are in public and will be around other birds it would be a very responsible thing to do. Then you can know without a shadow of doubt that your birds are safe. I highly recommend you do this for YOURSELF and for OTHERS who maybe in contact with your birds. This way your not taking any chances on spreading the virus and you will have a piece of mind knowing for certain you do not or do have this in your flock then you can move foward in a positive direction either way. I really hope this helps. And I wish you the very best. I do think at this point testing would be the right thing to do. For your flock and for others. Good luck to you and God bless.