Repopulating after hot mareks??

[Sseckel]

Wow - I didn't realize that there were strains different enough to require a special vaccine! Thanks - DOUBLE thanks - for the education!

I didn't realize that that could be done. I spoke with the local extension office and a vet to ID Marek's that way but didn't have it tested. Wish I had now. I didn't even know there were different vaccine's that were available OTC.

 

[Kiki]

I didn't realize that that could be done. I spoke with the local extension office and a vet to ID Marek's that way but didn't have it tested. Wish I had now. I didn't even know there were different vaccine's that were available OTC.

Your state lab, for testing, is listed here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-and-disease-testing-lab-info.1236884/

Marek's is diagnosed by a necropsy.

 

[Kiki]

I didn't realize that that could be done. I spoke with the local extension office and a vet to ID Marek's that way but didn't have it tested. Wish I had now. I didn't even know there were different vaccine's that were available OTC.

So since you didn't have it diagnosed it is possible you don't even have the disease on your land.
They could have had something completely different.

 

[Sseckel]

But is it a different strain....or an active vs inactive(dormant) status.

Hot kills them faster.
Basically.

Exactly, hot is a more aggressive onset and death. The time between the emergence of signs in a hen and death averaged about 24 hours for most of my flock younger than 1year. My oldest ones didn't die quickly they just wasted away until I culled them.

 

[Sseckel]

Your state lab, for testing, is listed here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-and-disease-testing-lab-info.1236884/

Marek's is diagnosed by a necropsy.

I understand that part however it didn't seem necessary at the time after speaking to the extension and vet's office. Both of which said they were outbreaks in our area that had tested positive via necropsy. I just didn't realize the necropsy would give you the exact strain vs just a positive or negative.
At the time I thought "I know they are ducks in my area, looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, save a buck."

 

[chickendreams24]

There are different strains but as far as I know there is only one vaccine. At least when we were looking there was only one vaccine and that was only 2-3 years ago.

We had a moderate strain with only a handful of birds developing it but those that did died quite quickly or we culled them. Our strain did kill some before signs even showed or within 24 hours. However the most frightening thing was that in most of the birds that developed symptoms the diaphragm ended up being effected and we culled to save them from suffering.

Ours also seems to happen in the fall mostly. Although initially we saw it in the spring I believe.

 

[chickendreams24]

Also we did send in to a lab and they did not tell us a strain. We got a simple positive for Mareks and in all my research I've never heard of such a thing as identifying the strain and buying the specific vaccine.

Only Marek's vaccine or not.

Also our flock has a great deal of immunity to the Marek's and we only have a handful of birds a year that we lose to it. Also we have a large - very large number of birds.

 

[Sseckel]

Who knows. I haven't researched it enough just yet.
It's on my list.

There is a really great article on the site simple titled Marek's disease that is VERY long but has excellent information in it. My understanding is that there are several mutated strains of Marek's with the more agressive strains being referred to has "hot" via lay people like us and the strains with a higher survival rate being referred to as "cold".
There are 3 vaccine's available for Marek's but only one that can be bought over the counter from what that article said.

 

[drumstick diva]

I have heard that Fayoumis are very resistant to Mareks. I wonder if this is true. I know some breeders have brought them in hopes of bringing some resistance into their lines.

On the opposite end have heard seramas & silkies are especially prone to Mareks. My friend had 3 house chickens 2 serama hens -one silky hen all about 5 years old. The silky was the only one let out in the yard because she didn't fly. One by one they couldn't stand up but ate well if hand fed.

A serama died, a day later the silkie died, next day the last serama. Friend just found them dead. It was very hard for her to take. So far she hasn't gotten any new birds.I hope she doesn't.

Have no idea if it was truly Mareks. She has never taken any of her birds (over a 25-30 year span of house chickens) to a vet. The vet for her dog actually HAS chickens. But my friend won't spend a dime on them. She , herself will not see a doctor or a dentist so I guess this is her way of life.

 

[Sseckel]

So my husband has graciously agreed to let me put a hutch style coop in a corner of his workshop to help give an extra layer of protection to the replacements. This way they will be inside and away from the wind and soil where most of the virus is present.
I'm so excited!! I know there is still a risk but I feel like this helps mitigate it a little more.