Rx for Marek's Disease

[leadwolf1]

I guess Bessie will have to stay. I couldn't put her down either....

My story is long and sad. I will post more tomorrow. I have two chickens with Marek's inside and I'm trying to beat this thing. I know, I know, everyone is going to say that it is useless. However, I also know that I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try. It is 11:00 here and I'm still handfeeding and giving them their vitamin and hypericum doseages. One was immunized, the other wasn't. One is a silkie, the other an OEGB. Both pullets.

So far I have lost quite a few...all with different symptoms except for these two. Necropsy was inconclusive. At this point, however, I know that it is Marek's. I am fighting with everything I have available to me. The silkie is my 7 year olds. He begged me to try. The OEGB is my older son's. I will not give up until it appears that the chicken is suffering.

Off to feed the OEGB...I will tell my story tomorrow.

 

[JimL]

I have a very large mixed breed hen, nine months old, in a flock of twenty. Two weeks ago she started dragging her wings around. Then her legs stopped working properly. For the last four days she has been mostly paralyzed from the neck down. I keep her isolated with food and water in reach. She eats and drinks well. I think it's Mareks. I was hoping she would get better but from reading about the disease, it seems best to go ahead and destroy the bird. About half my flock are birds laid and incubated here, so no innoculations. I'm guessing they are all carrying the disease.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Sorry this is happening to you.

It does sound like Marek's. You may lose more. They are all exposed by now. I found that when my chickens were over a year old, I had an occassional loss. Even some of the younger ones were resistant.

From now on you're going to have to get vaccinated day olds, or hatch your own and vaccinate them, and then, keep them quarantined for a month or so.