Probable Marek's

[kittybethaustin]

I have a four month old pullet who has had a bad eye ever since she had a "cold' in May. Took her to vet for the eye and got antibiotics for conjunctivitis. A few days later she started having trouble walking straight. And the next day her roost mate did the same. I have 28 hens ranging from 4 months to 8 months old. These are the only two with symptoms and the only two Welsummers I have. I have them isolated to a dog cage. They're eating and drinking as far as I can tell but can't walk. My flock was not vaccinated because they didn't come that way where I bought them and I didn't know better since this is my first year with chickens. I have a vet who treats chickens but I can't tell how avian knowledgeable they are yet.

I'm making the assumption this is Marek's of both occular and neurological type. Inclined toward having the vet put them down and send one off for testing.

What are the odds of my other hens catching it or showing symptoms if they're already carriers now?
What does the future hold for me regarding having new birds down the road?

I also have some chicks in a brooder in the chicken yard. Also not vaccinated. Wasn't going to keep all of them but do I need to now that they've been exposed?

I know there's a lot of info on Marek's on this board but the more I read, the more confused I get about what I should do about the rest of my bird down the road.

 

[Eggcessive]

If one of your chickens has Mareks, then they are all likely exposed to it through the dander in the environment, but they only way to know for sure what is wrong would be to have for tested or a necropsy done by your state vet. These 2 links may help you find testing or your state vet:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/states/texas.pdf
http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/

 

[snoopysflock]

i would keep the sick birds in isolation. if you see any symptoms in the flock you may be looking at loosing the flock. p.s the vaccination does not always work of even worse can give them the disease.

 

[kittybethaustin]

Doing a necropsy on one this week. My vet thinks separating them is too late to prevent exposure at this point. They are separated however since I didn't want the others picking on them. So looking at losing the whole flock or having to operate a closed flock. Vet said they could have been exposed to the virus while still in the egg since the only ones sick are from the same hatch. Impossible to know. So my chicken career my be over before it really gets started.

 

[kittybethaustin]

So how are you supposed to keep this horrible disease out of a flock if even vaccination isn't a certainty?

 

[kittybethaustin]

Spoke to a vet at our state poultry lab and feel better about the potential outcome now. Even if this is Marek's disease, probably not a virulent strain so won't lose the whole flock. I can necropsy one of the birds myself and look for tumors and send the lab photos. If I don't find anything I can send the second bird for necropsy and lab tests. Cost is much cheaper if I deal with the lab directly than if I go through my vet.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like you have a good plan. These are some of the best links to read about Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502