Rookie backyard chicken keeper...with Marek's

[Airyaman]

One of my oldest girls, a CCL (if you consider 35 weeks "old"), died last week. She had diarrhea for a week or more, and then she passed. I sent her off for a necroscopy and judging by what they've reported thus far, it seems she had the visceral form of Marek's. The report is not complete as they sent her off for further testing at the Auburn University lab, but what they reported looks pretty convincing:

For the last weeks of her life, she ate and drank but she became less active. The night before her death I saw she was breathing harder than usual.

Just today I had another death in a different flock. This time a 34 week old Barnevelder. She too started having diarrhea, so I can consider that one of the signs. Knock on wood, I don't have any others with diarrhea yet, but if I do...well, let's just say I'll know it could be just a matter of time.

I thought maybe this one was different. The CCL's diarrhea had alot of urates in it while the Barnevelder's did not. So I was hoping it was something else. I thought maybe she had crop issues, because it was not empty this morning, so I was going to treat her for that. When I got back from some errands and picking up some miconazole, I found her laying down and she started spasming as I got close. She died within 10 minutes after that.

I will send her off for a necroscopy to be sure, and so I know more about this awful disease that has ruined my chicken keeping experience.

I stated in post #26 that I was done with it. When all of these chickens were gone, I would be done. But even after this, I really like keeping them. So sucker that I am, I just recently got a shipment of chicks from Meyer's and of course I made sure they were vaccinated. None of my birds were because almost all were hatched from eggs and I never thought I'd have to deal with this disease. Time will tell if the vaccine is effective against the strain I have which seems to be quite nasty.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

One of my oldest girls, a CCL (if you consider 35 weeks "old"), died last week. She had diarrhea for a week or more, and then she passed. I sent her off for a necroscopy and judging by what they've reported thus far, it seems she had the visceral form of Marek's. The report is not complete as they sent her off for further testing at the Auburn University lab, but what they reported looks pretty convincing:

View attachment 4254337

For the last weeks of her life, she ate and drank but she became less active. The night before her death I saw she was breathing harder than usual.

Just today I had another death in a different flock. This time a 34 week old Barnevelder. She too started having diarrhea, so I can consider that one of the signs. Knock on wood, I don't have any others with diarrhea yet, but if I do...well, let's just say I'll know it could be just a matter of time.

I thought maybe this one was different. The CCL's diarrhea had alot of urates in it while the Barnevelder's did not. So I was hoping it was something else. I thought maybe she had crop issues, because it was not empty this morning, so I was going to treat her for that. When I got back from some errands and picking up some miconazole, I found her laying down and she started spasming as I got close. She died within 10 minutes after that.

I will send her off for a necroscopy to be sure, and so I know more about this awful disease that has ruined my chicken keeping experience.

I stated in post #26 that I was done with it. When all of these chickens were gone, I would be done. But even after this, I really like keeping them. So sucker that I am, I just recently got a shipment of chicks from Meyer's and of course I made sure they were vaccinated. None of my birds were because almost all were hatched from eggs and I never thought I'd have to deal with this disease. Time will tell if the vaccine is effective against the strain I have which seems to be quite nasty.

They really do get into our hearts, don’t they?

 

[2 Acres]

Marek's doesn't pass down through eggs. Not sure where it came from, but after reading alot about it, it could be anywhere.

Knock on wood, none of the birds outside of the flock appear to be showing any symptoms yet.

As for what I'm seeing, from a distance, she has pinpoint black pupils that never expand. Surrounding the black pupil is gray, and then the normal color.

I have a Buff Brahma with one Mareks eye.
She does fine (and she's a sweety too). Been that way for a couple years.

 

[2 Acres]

What are you seeing in the eyes? Chicken eyes all look so different to me that I’m not seeing anything.

I hope you notify the Ebay seller. Maybe they have a conscience. Edited per OP’s reply below.

Constricted pupil

 

[2 Acres]

Constricted pupil

That type of Mareks only affects the eye. It is not contagious.

 

[Airyaman]

I have a Buff Brahma with one Mareks eye.
She does fine (and she's a sweety too). Been that way for a couple years.

I wish mine were just that minor. I lost 8/8 from the first flock to show symptoms, and now 1 each from two different flocks. I also have two with leg issues, one completely mobile (well, 95%, she can struggle around and ends up sideways!), and one who has good use of only one leg. I'm not really sure the one with the good leg is 100% Marek's but it hasn't cleared up in well over a week, but it also isn't getting worse.

Not a single one of the others with either visceral or leg issues have shown eye symptoms.

 

[Airyaman]

One of my oldest girls, a CCL (if you consider 35 weeks "old"), died last week. She had diarrhea for a week or more, and then she passed. I sent her off for a necroscopy and judging by what they've reported thus far, it seems she had the visceral form of Marek's. The report is not complete as they sent her off for further testing at the Auburn University lab, but what they reported looks pretty convincing:

View attachment 4254337

For the last weeks of her life, she ate and drank but she became less active. The night before her death I saw she was breathing harder than usual.

Just today I had another death in a different flock. This time a 34 week old Barnevelder. She too started having diarrhea, so I can consider that one of the signs. Knock on wood, I don't have any others with diarrhea yet, but if I do...well, let's just say I'll know it could be just a matter of time.

I thought maybe this one was different. The CCL's diarrhea had alot of urates in it while the Barnevelder's did not. So I was hoping it was something else. I thought maybe she had crop issues, because it was not empty this morning, so I was going to treat her for that. When I got back from some errands and picking up some miconazole, I found her laying down and she started spasming as I got close. She died within 10 minutes after that.

I will send her off for a necroscopy to be sure, and so I know more about this awful disease that has ruined my chicken keeping experience.

I stated in post #26 that I was done with it. When all of these chickens were gone, I would be done. But even after this, I really like keeping them. So sucker that I am, I just recently got a shipment of chicks from Meyer's and of course I made sure they were vaccinated. None of my birds were because almost all were hatched from eggs and I never thought I'd have to deal with this disease. Time will tell if the vaccine is effective against the strain I have which seems to be quite nasty.

Final report confirms it was Marek's, as I suspected.

The rest of my flocks seem to be holding on, none showing any signs, even diarrhea. The one last chicken I have with any symptoms seems to becoming more mobile (she had good use of one leg), putting a little bit of weight on her bad leg. She might just make it, if she isn't developing the visceral version.

 

[Airyaman]

Good news and bad...

Good news is that the lame Black Australorp pullet has mostly recovered! Never was sure it was Marek's for her, but in any case, I checked on her before closing up for the night a few days back and could not find her! So I decided to look up and there she was on a ceiling joist. She is not fully reintegrated, but getting there.

Bad news is that another CCL is showing the signs of visceral (diarrhea, some lethargy). Unlike the others though she will eat when I keep her isolated. Been feeding her scrambled eggs and she eats them all up, so can't say for sure it is Marek's yet.

I only have two of my original CCL pullets left, and one hasn't laid in over a month. Not sure why, but she went broody and then stopped laying. She seems otherwise healthy.

 

[Airyaman]

Two updates:

CCL pullet recovered, but hasn't laid eggs since. I have two CCL pullets, neither are laying right now. One went broody and stopped laying, the other was the one time sick one.

Both appear to be relatively healthy now, just not laying. Which interestingly seems to make them less attractive to my cockerels...

The other update is sadder. Lost my first cockerel outside of the flock that was hit the hardest. Outside of the SS flock that lost all 8 members, I'd only previously had 4 other deaths that could be attributed to Marek's, all pullets. Tonight I lost my Bielefelder cockerel.

But was it Marek's? No eye problems, no paralysis, no wasting away. He just showed signs of sickness yesterday (that I could tell, I might have missed him in other days but I am with them several times a day) and today he really went downhill. I was hoping he was like the pullet and was just sick for a day or few, but not so fortunate.

I once had plans for this cockerel. He was only 1 of 3 eggs that hatched from 8 Ebay eggs. And the other two were the wrong breed (BJG) and also cockerels! Before Marek's, I brought in more Bielefelder pullets (one died of Marek's) to purposely breed with him, but the disease has totally changed my plans. Still, I liked the fella, even if he was just a money sink.

He was a big softy. He was actually the biggest of all of my birds, actually slightly bigger than the two BJGs, but very low on the male pecking order. He did crow from time to time, but it was pathetic from lack of use. Still, him and I got along well, and I'm not ashamed to say he was one of my favorites. I am sad he died.

I debated on another necroscopy when I know I have Marek's. But his signs were not "classic" so I think I'm going to send him off too. It's $10, plus the cost of a cooler.