Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[jameslcfc]

Hi guys, I lost a hen to mareks a couple of days ago and now I have another hen showing signs with a twisted neck. I have seperated her and have her in the house staying warm and resting. I have just scrubbed the coop with poultry shield and changed all the bedding. I have another 2 silkies a polish and a gold top. None have been vaccinated. Is there anymore I can do to stop it spreading to my others?

The one that has it, how long will it take from start to finish ( how long does mareks last or survive )to fights through it and will I be able to reintroduce her back with the others if shes been a carrier?

[Beantree]

Difficult questions James. My knowledge is very limited and my advice would be to research this on the web. If the one you lost was vaccinated she was a carrier and would perhaps infect them all. Some may have natural immunity though. You did the right thing separating the new case, but if she does survive she will always be a carrier.

[jameslcfc]

If she survives and will always be a carrier will I need a separate coop and run for her? If so will it have to be so far away from the others? My first chicken wasnt vaccinated like I thought, none of them are. They only vacinate hybrids apparently. Im sure they were advertised as all done but the website seems to have changed in my opinion.

[Beantree]

I know of one breeder of Faverolles who immunises against Mareks James. As far as I can remember that was the only immunisation used. The treatment is expensive with the minimum size sold being for 500 birds. So it is very unlikely your Pedigree hens were immunised against Mareks.

 

Just to clarify the situation, have you bought in two new hens, the first of which died and now the other is sick? The assumption in that case would be that they have contracted Mareks from your existing birds, who are carriers with natural immunity. In that case if she survives she can go back with the others. But I am just guessing and the only way to be sure is to have them all blood tested. If this is the case all future additions will be at risk.

[jameslcfc]

No I had 5 hens initially that were brought together, 4 silkies and a polish frizzle. I have had them 6 months. Unfortunately we had gertie put out of her misery this morning. She deteriorated overnight and it was the best thing for her. Just hoping the others havent contracted it.

im going to find a supplier of vaccianted silkies as they are a lovely hen. I am in the process of introducing a gold top, bad timing I know but this was before it started. Hopefully this will be the end of it.

[kinsk]

I bought 6 legbars just over two years ago, all supposedly vaccinated against mareks. I havent had a pm on any of them but one showed symptoms of mareks within a week, and we lost another two with mareks symptoms over the next six months.

 

I'm not sure if th vaccination isn't 100% or the breeder was lying!

[jameslcfc]

Do you know if you can still eat the eggs? Gertie still layed when she had it for a day

[The Dogmother]

Unfortunately, Silkies are prone to Marek's.

 

Marek's is a Herpes virus similar to chickenpox or Herpes Simplex in humans; it lays dormant within the body and appears at times of stress. Marek's is present 'in the background' of most flocks, and will only present itself if a bird is stressed or otherwise poorly, thus compromising its immune system. Cleaning all the housing and feeders is good practice anyway, but keeping them in top condition and stress free si the best defence.

 

There are two main types of Marek's; one is the classic 'fast' version, where the bird exhibits the classic twisted or leg out pose, and paralysis, shortly followed by death. The other is the slower version, where the bird appears to ail and be slightly lame; it will be off it's food and would starve as gradual paralysis sets in. It is possible for them to appear to rally with the latter type, only to die as the lesions on the nerve endings cause tumours. This one is difficult for even a vet to diagnose.

 

On a positive note; I have had one case of each over the years in my pure breed flock, none of the other birds has shown any symptoms, and they are all fit and healthy.... even the oldsters.

[PixieDust]

The vet felt Pob had the second type of Mareks even though she was a hybrid and vaccinated. Looking up about it when she was pts, Mareks can even be difficult to diagnose even after death. The vet said over the years he has only seen one case of Mareks where the tumours were present. All the others, he could not find tumours.

[mollyripkim]

Sorry for your losses. Same as Dogmother I lost two sikies to Mareks, both the slow type, that was over 18 months ago and touch wood the others have been ok, including two elderly silkies that came from the same breeder. Hope your others are ok.

[Henny+penny]

Jameslcfc, so sorry to hear about your chickens. I have a copper black maran who I think has ocular mareks.she also was apparently vaccinated and had a very small pupil on one side which I didn't notice initially but has some sight on this side.The other eye became subsequently affected and blind but she has not shown any of the other systemic features and continued to lay and eat and seem generally happy. The other hens have not been affected,even 3 new additions 6 months ago.