Viable treatment for Marek's Disease.

[RoyalChick]

Well ya'll. Time for an update. The sudden inexplicable deaths attributed to Marek's have stopped. While I have had several deaths since treatment began, I know why they died. Most were due to irreparable damage that occurred prior to the beginning of treatment, or in one case completely unrelated events.

I asked for feedback from those who decided to give Chinese Skullcap a go instead of doing nothing. Those that have reported back have had success in turning sick birds around. The maintenance dosage is still under scrutiny as I can't call it a success within such a short time frame. I will however say it is looking pretty good.

I have a few dozen unvaccinated babies soon reaching the age when Marek's tends to be most deadly. The next few months will be critical as if I have little to no deaths it will speak volumes to the efficacy of the maintenance dosage.

As before, please chime in with your experiences with Chinese Skullcap. Including any experiences with Mycoplasma Gallisepticum or Avian Flu. While I do have several birds who have had MG, they were asymptomatic when I started the maintenance dosage, so my experience is inconclusive at this time.

I have nothing to report (which is good news). As anyone learns more about maintenance dose for healthy birds please post. Meanwhile I continue to wing it by just adding it to mash.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I have learned that Nessa is a Red Sex-Link. Unfortunately at the same time, I learned their life expectancy is only 2-3 years. Nessa turns 3 November 4th.

I've been fighting to prolong a life that is coming to an end naturally.

Bea is also a Red Sex-Link. She just turned 1. I'm a bit upset about it altogether.

I'm pretty sure Chinese Skullcap isn't going to fix old age. Nessa is declining rapidly. I expect her to pass soon. I am making her as comfortable as possible and administering something for pain. She's hanging with Henry and seems content. I am discontinuing all protocols for her with the exception of what is in the feed as I make it in bulk.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Nessa passed the next morning in her sleep.

 

[Chicalina]

Sorry to hear about Nessa.

I had red sex links and most died within 3 or 4 years, all from reproductive problems. The last one lived to 8 years old and had ascites for the last 3 years of her life. She was my favourite too, but certainly unusual. That prolific egg productivity swings the balance on health problems.

Bea could live a relatively long life, you don't know. The important thing is that it will be a happy one because you care for your chickens really well.

 

[CoconutCoffee]

I saw this thread a few weeks after I discovered a 3 month pullet having trouble walking and balancing. It happened around a bad storm (late Aug) so I thought she was possibly injured but I saw no obvious injuries. She got worse and started to do a split, obviously still having trouble walking. Mareks has never been confirmed for her and no other birds are displaying any symptom of anything.
The only issue this pullet has is the leg positioning. She still eats/drinks well and her droppings are normal. I don't know if there's normally other symptoms present along with the leg splits if a chick has Mareks.
I saw this thread and decided to give chinese skullcap a try. Ordered 400mg capsules on Amazon and now she's able to stand. I haven't taken off her leg brace thing (forget what to call it, I put a hair tie through a straw and looped it around her legs). I do 1 capsule a day mixed in with an egg.

 

[tripletfeb]

I'm not trying to sound harsh or mean but if you had chickens dying of Mareks, couldn't you just cull them, clean everything, then start over? I understand that not everyone would do this, but would that stop Mareks from spreading to future chickens? @Wyorp Rock

 

[RoyalChick]

I'm not trying to sound harsh or mean but if you had chickens dying of Mareks, couldn't you just cull them, clean everything, then start over? I understand that not everyone would do this, but would that stop Mareks from spreading to future chickens? @Wyorp Rock

It would not stop the spread of Mareks to future flocks. The Marek's virus remains active in the soil for many years.

 

[tripletfeb]

It would not stop the spread of Mareks to future flocks. The Marek's virus remains active in the soil for many years.

I see. Thank you

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I see. Thank you

It is transmitted through the dander. I recently took a chicken disease class. The instructor said he once asked a virologist how far Marek's spreads from an infected flock. The virologist replied 'How far does the wind blow?'

Culling sick birds does nothing to prevent further infection. If you can nurse the bird through recovery, that bird will develop real immunity that can be passed to it's offspring.

A bit interesting that the premier advice for one of the largest killers of chickens is to cull them, leaving no chance of breeding resistant stock.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

I saw this thread a few weeks after I discovered a 3 month pullet having trouble walking and balancing. It happened around a bad storm (late Aug) so I thought she was possibly injured but I saw no obvious injuries. She got worse and started to do a split, obviously still having trouble walking. Mareks has never been confirmed for her and no other birds are displaying any symptom of anything.
The only issue this pullet has is the leg positioning. She still eats/drinks well and her droppings are normal. I don't know if there's normally other symptoms present along with the leg splits if a chick has Mareks.
I saw this thread and decided to give chinese skullcap a try. Ordered 400mg capsules on Amazon and now she's able to stand. I haven't taken off her leg brace thing (forget what to call it, I put a hair tie through a straw and looped it around her legs). I do 1 capsule a day mixed in with an egg.

Thank you so much. I am seeing very positive feedback with the neurological form of Marek's.

If you don't mind my asking? How long between the initial dose and noticable return of mobility?