What is causing my girls to die?! Marek's??

[MamaManda]

It is true that Mareks is everywhere in a chickens' environment but like with almost all diseases and chemicals, them don't harm us unless we get a lethal dose.

So, is it safe to assume that every flock, has at some point, been exposed, and is either asymptomatically carrying the latent virus, (so it is not obvious to owners) OR, showing obvious signs of the virus? One of my big reasons for considering culling the entire flock is so that my kids can have hens in our local 4-H - but I'm beginning to wonder how prevalent it is in the chicken barn. And how likely it is that we will just pick it up again.

Another thing - Not to sound totally naive, but I raise all my birds organically, and use a lot of natural immune boosters like homemade yogurt, carrot tonic, coconut oil, and high protein snacks. Is it possible I may have just had a couple immunosupressed birds that couldn't fight it off (one of the ones that died was a 12 week old that had not been vaccinated and hadn't been on a very extensive immune boosting system yet) and died as a result?

...Maybe I should get them all tested.
That sounds expensive.

 

[MamaManda]

The first thing that comes to mind is Marek's. Especially because you've had another hen do the same thing. Usually they don't look sick, but can't walk. If they waste away, they're only tired and lethargic at the end.

Have you brought new birds home in the last few months? 6-12 weeks is the most common time to show symptoms of Marek's. But I would not stop checking for other things like maybe a vitamin deficiency. Usually B vitamins.

There's some great reading from the link at the bottom of my posts called the Big FAQ for Marek's. It's very well written.

I suppose I could do a search, but what is the best way to treat for a Vit B deficiency?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I suppose I could do a search, but what is the best way to treat for a Vit B deficiency?

Feed your chickens a ration with protein derived from animal products.

Chickens are dinosaurs at heart, and when left to their own devices hens act and eat much like scientist say T-Rex did.

This is evident from the people on this sight who report that they boil up the Raccoons they catch scoping out the henhouse and then feed the cooked coon to their chickens in a twist of fate. Gaia would love that.

On a more primitive vane I used to feed fresh road killed rabbets and inadvertently one dead skunk to my hens and they loved every bite. It was a rich source of vitamin B, protein, and I suppose calcium since I never recovered many bones.
Good old bad tasting cod liver oil packs a big vitamin A, and D wallop. Meat, dairy, and fish should cover their vitamin B6 and B12 needs. Grains are high in vitamin B9. With anything in nature especially in the area of feed or vitamin supplements, remember that everything is poisonous if it's fed or consumed in inappropriate amounts.

http://us.wow.com/search?s_pt=aolsem&s_it=aolsem&s_chn=17&q=symptoms folic acid overdose

Now I use canned or else kibble style dry dog and cat food.

A teaspoonful of canned dog food with meat in it, given 1 to 3 times a week during the molt will shine up, slick off, and toughen any chickens' new feathers. As an added bonus your birds will follow you like you were the Pied Piper when they see a dog food can in your hand.

 

[Sammykins]

Marek's does not affect other birds.
You will always have it.
There is life after Marek's, just a bit different.
Vaccinate all day old chicks.  Or get them vaccinated at a hatchery.  Hatcheries can attain better vaccine than we can.  Keep this chicks under strict quarantine for 2-8 weeks.  The longer the better.
If you bring any unvaccinated bird home, it will be at risk for a Marek's death.
Don't allow chicken people on your property, or worn them that they have to scrub their shoes and remove their clothes immediately when getting home.

Some of your flock will die.  Some will not.  There is no way to tell which ones.  If they are over a year old, chances are better that they live.

Sorry.  I just cringe when I hear of someone new discovering Marek's in their flock.  It's hard for back yarders to not come home with chickens from the store, swaps, auctions, a friend,

My chicks laid from Marek hen eggs have some resistance.  If mom hatches them, they don't survive.  But incubated and quarantined for a few months, they seem to do well.  I've only done a few that way with good results, so it's a small experimental group.

Thank you so much for saying these things. My birds have mareks or avian leukosis. So I am able to try to raise new vaccinated chicks into my mareks flock? If they are kept quarentined for a long time?

 

[HiDesertChicken]

I was away for a few days and got a call from my chicken caretaker that one of my SIXTY 5 1/2 week old pullets was down on Monday lying on her side and unable to walk. Tuesday AM I quarantined her until last night (Wednesday). Research showed that it is likely Marek's disease, as it appeared to be a central nervous system problem, since both legs were paralyzed. Marek's disease is spread by chicken dander, the dead skin we all slough off. I killed and buried her and will be burning the box she was in this evening. I have had chickens at this location for almost 20 yrs. with no problems. I am over a mile from the nearest other people with any chickens or other poultry, so I thought I was safe not vaccinating. Research showed that Marek's is a kind of lymphoma (cancer) so I will not eat any chickens that die. I washed and sterilized all clothes and shoes that have been around her. I am adding L-lysine powder in the food since Marek's is a herpes virus and L-lysine is effective against oral herpes and shingles. Hoping for the best, as I have over 100 chickens.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: I personally buy Frontier Nutritional yeast on Amazon and it's loaded with B vitamins. I've had my Marek's flock on it for about 4-5 months now. But this is my own little "try and see" thing that has no scientific evidence whatso ever.

 

[seminolewind]

I was away for a few days and got a call from my chicken caretaker that one of my SIXTY 5 1/2 week old pullets was down on Monday lying on her side and unable to walk. Tuesday AM I quarantined her until last night (Wednesday). Research showed that it is likely Marek's disease, as it appeared to be a central nervous system problem, since both legs were paralyzed. Marek's disease is spread by chicken dander, the dead skin we all slough off. I killed and buried her and will be burning the box she was in this evening. I have had chickens at this location for almost 20 yrs. with no problems. I am over a mile from the nearest other people with any chickens or other poultry, so I thought I was safe not vaccinating. Research showed that Marek's is a kind of lymphoma (cancer) so I will not eat any chickens that die. I washed and sterilized all clothes and shoes that have been around her. I am adding L-lysine powder in the food since Marek's is a herpes virus and L-lysine is effective against oral herpes and shingles. Hoping for the best, as I have over 100 chickens.

I am devastated for you.

Generally if one has it they've all been exposed but not all will get symptomatic. "If" she had Marek's , you can't clean it out of your property. I will have to read up on L-lysine.

There are illnesses that can display paralysis.
The most important bit of info I can give you is have you gotten any new chickens in the past few months from somewhere? Probably not within the last 6 weeks. It only takes one, I know, I bought one pullet from a breeder and that was the start of my nightmare. So flock history is important. Have you had any of your flock die for no reason (wasting)? That's what older birds usually do.

I hope it's something else and you've had a closed flock. If not, there is life after Marek's.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
If youhave Marek's, you are best hatching in an incubator, vaccinating day one, and strict quarantine for 2-6 weeks, the longer the better. Or buy hatchery chicks that are vaccinated and quarantine them. I really don't know that much about Avian Leukosis. I should read up on it.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I don't know about road kill. Two of my hens died 2 days apart from eating a dead mouse. It's not worth the risk.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I think that everyone should treat all other birds as though they carry Marek's. Getting vaccinated chicks or vaccinating chicks will not give your flock Marek's. The immune system doesn't stop Marek's, but Marek's birds are prone to get Coccidiosis and infections that grow quickly and I think that immune boosters will help a lot with that.

You only need to send one dead bird to test for Marek's. Fridgerate and pack on ice. I paid $20 for next day delivery and the state animal disease lab charged me $30 for a full necropsy.