Questions about Marek's

[Kimberly13]

I just had a four month old lace wyandotte die on me. I have been researching for two days and it may or may not have been Marek's. The first thing I noticed was her laying over sideways and not getting up. She wasn't really eating, had green diarrhea and her left eye crusted over. She never got up after that. She could sit up, but would wobble and fall over. She died after two days. I couldn't get her to eat or drink. Ok, questions. If this "was" Marek's, are the other chickens at risk? I separated her as soon as I noticed her weird symtoms. Also, a bit of history...I have seven Americaunas and the one lace after a horrible issue with a raccoon. I decided to increase my flock and bought six chickens at a swap in the area. Today is 11 days since I brought them home. They are in a coop of their own inside my larger coop. The lace is the only one that had contact with them. Is it possible that they brought it with them? Basically, what do I do now? Should I sanitize my coop? I am at a loss. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Wyandottes7]

It may have been Marek's Disease, as the inability to walk/not eating/green droppings are three common symptoms. Its possible that she had several things wrong, too, as a crusty eye would make me think a possible respiratory infection or eye infection.

I just had a four month old lace wyandotte die on me. I have been researching for two days and it may or may not have been Marek's. The first thing I noticed was her laying over sideways and not getting up. She wasn't really eating, had green diarrhea and her left eye crusted over. She never got up after that. She could sit up, but would wobble and fall over. She died after two days. I couldn't get her to eat or drink. Ok, questions. If this "was" Marek's, are the other chickens at risk? I separated her as soon as I noticed her weird symtoms.
Yes, the other birds were/are at risk. Chances are they've already been exposed to the disease, as a bird with Marek's is constantly shedding the disease in its feather dander. However, they may not get the disease-- different birds have different resistance levels to the disease. Some will get it, while others won't.
Also, a bit of history...I have seven Americaunas and the one lace after a horrible issue with a raccoon. I decided to increase my flock and bought six chickens at a swap in the area. Today is 11 days since I brought them home. They are in a coop of their own inside my larger coop. The lace is the only one that had contact with them. Is it possible that they brought it with them?
I personally doubt that the six chickens from the swap brought the disease. Generally, the incubation period of Marek's is 2 weeks, and birds might not show symptoms for a while after that. Since your bird showed symptoms nine days after the new birds came, I find it to be unlikely that the swap birds brought the disease. Marek's is basically everywhere; you could have just had it on your property for a while now and only just lost a bird to it.
Basically, what do I do now?
First, I'd read up on more information on Marek's Disease. Here is a great article on it:

There are several options.

• You can start vaccinating every new chick (and only getting Marek's vaccinated birds). This will minimize your losses if it is Marek's Disease, though the vaccine isn't 100% effective and birds can still carry the disease.
• You can start breeding for resistance (only keep the birds that survive and breed those). Slowly, you would develop a resistant flock. Not many people try this option, as they don't like losing many birds before finally acheiving resistance.

Should I sanitize my coop? I am at a loss. Thanks in advance for the help.
Using most common cleaning materials, you will be unable to eliminate the Marek's virus from your coop. It is an extremely resistant virus that can take years to dissapear. It can be in the ground, the air, and everywhere that your birds have been and more (as it spreads on the wind). Some products, like activated Oxine, can eliminate Marek's, though. However, if you still have birds that have been exposed to Marek's, they'll continue shedding the virus and one cleaning won't be enough.
With that said, it wouldn't hurt to clean the coop. Even just reducing the amount of shed virus will help prevent other birds from succumbing to it.

 

[Nambroth]

I just had a four month old lace wyandotte die on me. I have been researching for two days and it may or may not have been Marek's. The first thing I noticed was her laying over sideways and not getting up. She wasn't really eating, had green diarrhea and her left eye crusted over. She never got up after that. She could sit up, but would wobble and fall over. She died after two days. I couldn't get her to eat or drink. Ok, questions. If this "was" Marek's, are the other chickens at risk? I separated her as soon as I noticed her weird symtoms. Also, a bit of history...I have seven Americaunas and the one lace after a horrible issue with a raccoon. I decided to increase my flock and bought six chickens at a swap in the area. Today is 11 days since I brought them home. They are in a coop of their own inside my larger coop. The lace is the only one that had contact with them. Is it possible that they brought it with them? Basically, what do I do now? Should I sanitize my coop? I am at a loss. Thanks in advance for the help.

Hello,
So sorry for your loss! I responded on the other thread as well, but will go a bit more in depth here since there is more history in your post here.
Here's a Marek's FAQ: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

That said, given what you are describing, I would be looking at other diseases before I looked at Marek's. Could it be Marek's? Yes. But I am suspicious of a few things and this seems more like a different ailment, to me.

First, it is in your best interest to always quarantine new birds in different air space/location than your existing flock. Most people recommend 30 days but I like to recommend 60 days unless you really trust the source. Since yours came from a swap, there is NO knowing what they have been exposed to. They could have been exposed to anything both before the swap, and at the swap itself. Many chicken diseases are airborne and it does not take much. I am not trying to build paranoia in you, but it is very important to consider bio-security. There are so SO many sad tales on this forum of "I brought home a new chicken and now my entire flock is sick and/or dying!" .. it is very depressing. So, quarantine is your best idea.

If you have already broken quarantine, and have mixed the new birds with your current flock, what is done is done.

The reason I am thinking this might not be Marek's is
1) The symptoms you describe could be several different diseases, as Marek's is sadly not the only one that causes weakness/paralysis, and
2) If your new birds brought disease in, you shouldn't be seeing signs of Marek's yet. In my research, it should take the disease at least 2 weeks, and closer to 3, to show acute symptoms.

I would personally be much more concerned that you may have brought in MS (Mycoplasma synoviae) or MG as it can cause the lameness, but also discharge and the crusty eye that you saw. MS is very, very easily spread from flock to flock when bringing in new birds. http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...nfection_in_poultry_infectious_synovitis.html
MS tends to have less respiratory distress, while MG has more, but there are no hard and fast rules.

Keep a close eye on your other birds, and if it makes you feel better you can separate out the new birds from the old, though the damage may already have been done.

There is also a chance that the bird that died had problems from before you brought new birds in, and the stress of acclimation to new flock members "brought out" the symptoms and weakness.

How are all of your other birds? Did the one that died have any other symptoms?

 

[Kimberly13]

Many thanks to both of you for your responses. I had seven chickens to start with, then bought six chicks at rural king. Through the activities of a lovely raccoon, we lost five of them. The lace is the one that lived. She had her own separate coop on the ground. We then bought the six swap chickens and had nowhere to put them, so added them in with the lace. They are inside the run of the other chickens, but separated by fencing. The lace however, was in with them. (So, sharing water, food, etc) She had no swelling or injuries anywhere that I could find. She would sit on her legs, but fall over and use her wings to prop her up if she moved. When I sat her on my hand, her claws would not grip...they were all curled up like fists. She was not really eating or drinking, but pecking at it. Then the left eye crusted completely over, but the right one was normal. I spent last night researching. I didn't think it could be Marek;s either because of the timeframe, but I don't know enough to be certain. I am absolutely totally paranoid about it though. Ok, so that's where I am at now. The other chickens are still separated and my never come out of that little coop. The MG fac didn't mention anything about the weird leg thing though. And is it me, or do all these symptoms kind of sound the same? Thanks again!

 

[Nambroth]

Did you see the link about MS ( Mycoplasma synoviae )? It is known to cause leg problems in chickens, and sometimes respiratory problems too. I have never had experience with it so perhaps someone else could tell you more.

It still could have been Marek's... your laced hen could have contracted it before you brought the new birds home, and then the stress of introducing them could have brought the symptoms to a head, so to speak. This is all speculation, unfortunately, as without more clues (such as a necropsy or other symptoms in other birds) it is just guess work!

Since they are separated, at least physically (though sharing airspace) I would continue to keep them separated for a while just to be sure no other symptoms show up.

If (heavy emphasis on the IF) it is Marek's, then your other chickens have already probably been exposed. It is spread via airborne dander.

There's no chance any of the newcomers could have injured her?

 

[Kimberly13]

We looked pretty carefully and could find no injuries. I read both FACs...the Marek's and the MS/MG one. I am hoping it is not Marek's...am kind of waiting to see if any of the other chickens come down with problems. I am also dusting them for parasites and worming them all. "Just in case". And yes, they will stay physically separated until I can make sure the other shoe isn't going to drop. Thanks again! You have been wonderful.

 

[Nambroth]

Best wishes!! Figuring out chicken illness is sometimes a huge puzzle, and some of the pieces are missing. We understand! I hope everything is okay for you. If you have more trouble let us know and maybe someone can help.

 

[Kimberly13]

I have noticed I haven't gotten any eggs from the other chickens sharing the "airspace". I read someone in one of the FAC's that mature hens stop laying with some disease. Can someone help me out and tell me which one? I have read too many pages to keep them all straight. And just for the record, this sucks. Thanks again for the help guys. Maybe one day I can get this straightened out.