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

[Sammykins]

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.

Okay. So I don't have a rooster so eggs layed won't be from a marek mom. If I got fertilized eggs somewhere else or day olds and they were vaccinated would that be ok? Or will they not survive since not being born from a mom with mareks?

 

[MamaManda]

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.

I actually sent my 12 week old Ameraucana in to WSU for a necropsy last week. Results were a tumor on the ovary, with enlarged bursa of fabricus, suspected lymphoma from Marek's...but the vet was unable to confirm Marek's without the histology. I am waiting on the results to confirm. Should be any day.

 

[MamaManda]

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.

Animal products? And here I thought that was a big no-no. Going to have to do some reading on that. Maybe they DO have a B vitamin deficiency.

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.

My mother also uses the nutritional yeast on all her farm animals and swears on it's many benefits. Especially with her milk cows. Says they have much lower mastitis and teat problems, more milk, and healthier calves. I'm thinking I may try it out as well.

 

[MamaManda]

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.

If you have any more tragedies, consider sending the carcass to WSU in Puyallup. They are very helpful and the necropsy will be able to tell you what your best course of action for the rest of your flock will be. I just sent my first bird in last week and the results showed a "mass on the ovary, most likely a lymphoma caused by Marek's" and an "enlarged bursa of fabricus." I am waiting on the histology report to confirm Marek's, as the vet was unable to confirm without the additional testing. As much as I will HATE a positive for Marek's, at least I will not be spreading it to others and will put biosecurity measures in place to protect the birds that do survive. And the guessing game can finally end.

 

[MamaManda]

If you have any more tragedies, consider sending the carcass to WSU in Puyallup. They are very helpful and the necropsy will be able to tell you what your best course of action for the rest of your flock will be. I just sent my first bird in last week and the results showed a "mass on the ovary, most likely a lymphoma caused by Marek's" and an "enlarged bursa of fabricus." I am waiting on the histology report to confirm Marek's, as the vet was unable to confirm without the additional testing. As much as I will HATE a positive for Marek's, at least I will not be spreading it to others and will put biosecurity measures in place to protect the birds that do survive. And the guessing game can finally end.

Oh, sorry. Thought I was on the Washingtonians thread. Haha. Don't know where you are, but here is a thread with how-to info on sending a bird for necropsy which I found very helpful: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures and Casportpony has linked to a list of US labs partway down the first page, so you can find one in your area.

 

[HiDesertChicken]

In April I got over 100 day old baby chicks from McMurray Hatchery. I feed Modesto Milling organic chick starter crumbles along with non-GMO alfalfa, when they are about a month old. The adults also get white millet, milo, black oil sunflower seeds, rolled barley (soaked) , sometimes sprouted organic barley or oats, kelp, oyster shell and organic greens from my garden. Sometimes I give shredded carrots or such. Good suggestions. Thanks.

I have not vaccinated previously in 30 yrs. of raising chickens. I live in an area where there is no one within over 1 mile with poultry, so I thought I was safe from Marek's. McMurray Hatchery responded to my call and email and said other illnesses can cause paralysis. I put the chick down to be on the safe side. Will see if this was an isolated case or if others begin to get ill.I have not found how long it takes after one bird gets ill for Marek's disease to spread. DOES ANYONE KNOW?

I need to look up the California state animal disease lab so if additional birds die. The county Ag Extension office had never returned my calls over the last couple of years. I run a poultry association and need to be on top of this on behalf of others in Hi Desert Homegrown Poultry Association (find us on Facebook) as well as for myself. I will get some of my nutritional yeast and incorporate that into some feed. I use it myself so the chickies should like it. I NEVER get chickens from others or from feed stores. Too risky.

One of you mentioned feeding road kill to the chickens. I am getting ready to make a roadkill café--a 5 gal bucket with holes in the bottom that the fly larvae can crawl out of and fall down into the chicken yard. It is hoisted up high with a rope to carry away the smell. Ours sometimes eat rats when we shoot them at night as they are eating the OG feed. Yes, they are little dinosaurs!

 

[HiDesertChicken]

Than you. Is that Washington State University?

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: Born from a Marek mom is a good thing. But vaccinate them when they're born. And they won't bring Marek's.

 

[Eggcessive]

Okay. So I don't have a rooster so eggs layed won't be from a marek mom. If I got fertilized eggs somewhere else or day olds and they were vaccinated would that be ok? Or will they not survive since not being born from a mom with mareks?

I believe that chicks need to be vaccinated and kept away from other flock members for 2-3 weeks to develop immunity. I think this is addressed in this link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[seminolewind]

In April I got over 100 day old baby chicks from McMurray Hatchery. I feed Modesto Milling organic chick starter crumbles along with non-GMO alfalfa, when they are about a month old. The adults also get white millet, milo, black oil sunflower seeds, rolled barley (soaked) , sometimes sprouted organic barley or oats, kelp, oyster shell and organic greens from my garden. Sometimes I give shredded carrots or such. Good suggestions. Thanks.

I have not vaccinated previously in 30 yrs. of raising chickens. I live in an area where there is no one within over 1 mile with poultry, so I thought I was safe from Marek's. McMurray Hatchery responded to my call and email and said other illnesses can cause paralysis. I put the chick down to be on the safe side. Will see if this was an isolated case or if others begin to get ill.I have not found how long it takes after one bird gets ill for Marek's disease to spread. DOES ANYONE KNOW?

I need to look up the California state animal disease lab so if additional birds die. The county Ag Extension office had never returned my calls over the last couple of years. I run a poultry association and need to be on top of this on behalf of others in Hi Desert Homegrown Poultry Association (find us on Facebook) as well as for myself. I will get some of my nutritional yeast and incorporate that into some feed. I use it myself so the chickies should like it. I NEVER get chickens from others or from feed stores. Too risky.

One of you mentioned feeding road kill to the chickens. I am getting ready to make a roadkill café--a 5 gal bucket with holes in the bottom that the fly larvae can crawl out of and fall down into the chicken yard. It is hoisted up high with a rope to carry away the smell. Ours sometimes eat rats when we shoot them at night as they are eating the OG feed. Yes, they are little dinosaurs!

Marek's most commonly shows up between 6 weeks and 12 weeks. For me, I've had most have symptoms less than a year old. But notice I'm saying "common" "most likely".

In chicks, paralysis can be from a vitamin deficiency, even botulism, but that will kill them quick.
To get Marek's they have to be exposed to a bird carrying it. (I think the wild bird in the wind -is rare, but that's me.)

Your chick may be an isolated incident. Out of 100 I'd be surprised if you didn't have any die. (Terrible to say)