Marek’s Disease, and Veterinarians not vaccinating chicks…

[lewmille]

I am very disappointed and shocked to find out that every veterinarian that I have called in the cities around me where I live, does not, and will not vaccinate baby chicks. I am speaking in reference to the Marek’s disease specifically.

Not to mention, Vet offices, like doctor offices, are a business looking to make money. They want to run tests and vaccinate for anything and everything under the sun to profit and stay in business so I would think that they would all include vaccinating baby chicks with the Marek’s vaccine, especially since most people nowadays have chickens and the Marek’s disease is so widely spread and almost in epidemic.

Unfortunately, my property became infected with Marek’s years ago when I bought some seemingly very healthy pullets at a huge swap meet and later down the line, one of them dropped ill with the paralyzing disease.

Since then, I continue with having a chicken flock and raising chickens, but unfortunately, once in a while, one will drop ill and expire, and a couple will remain alive and healthy, but with bulging eye tumors which I assume are attributed to the Marek’s, or possibly the other disease.

I no longer get chickens from any source at all, except from hatcherys that vaccinate their chicks before shipping out to individuals or feed stores, despite knowing that the vaccine will not 100% prevent the bird from getting the disease, at least it helps. This is the best I can do and at least I have been able to have a mostly healthy happy flock with eggs and thoroughly enjoy the hobby, despite rogue, rare outbreaks.
So I am here to give testimony and assurance to anyone out there concerned or dealing with Marek’s disease, you can continue to have chickens and eggs. You just have to deal with it as it occurs because some birds will not be affected by it. I strongly recommend never getting birds from any source except from hatchery’s that vaccinate the chicks, and not getting birds from swap meets or online avenues, such as Craig’s List that gives great opportunity for somebody that has Marek’s disease on their property therefore having infected birds to give that bird to you. Then you take it home, not realizing it is a carrier of the disease, then later it gets sick and dies, and now your property is forever infected with tainted soil particles of it.

So getting back to the reason for my post, - I want to buy some baby chicks from a local feed store that were not vaccinated for the Marek’s disease. I thought, “no problem. I’ll find a veterinarian who will vaccinate them.” I cannot find any veterinarian in any city all around me within a one hour driving radius that will vaccinate chicks for Marek’s or anything!!! And never, ever, would I go to tractor supply and buy the vaccine and try to do that myself.

As much research as I have done on Marek’s disease, and the amount of people that have flocks, and therefore properties forever infected with it, and as popular as “Back Yard” chickens are, it infuriates me that these veterinarians are not helping us, and helping chicken flocks to have a better percentage of staying Marek free healthier by offering to vaccinate peoples chicks.

There is no cure for Marek’s disease and once it’s on your property, it stays. However, as you introduce new chicks to your flock, it sure would help a lot to have that added percentage against the new birds getting Marek’s by having the vaccine. Or, if you’re just starting out and have never had chickens, the best way to go is only by from a hatchery that vaccinates their chicks. Therefore, you will likely, then not have a problem with your birds acquiring the disease.

What can we do as a chicken flock raising enthusiast community to try to start a movement to bring awareness to the veterinarian community that we want them to collectively start, encouraging and offering the Marek’s vaccination? You should be able to go to any veterinarian with your chicks and get them vaccinated just the same as you can go to any veterinarian and get your puppies or kittens, vaccinated! Our baby chicks mean just as much to us as our baby puppies and kittens! And our chicken community needs to start speaking out and bringing awareness to this huge issue. Thank you and much love to you all and all our feather-babies!

 

[nuthatched]

I'm sorry yoy have to go through this. That's rough.
As much.as you cate about your birds,
here's some key parts of information you need to consider:

1.The vaccine must be administered before the birds have any exposure to other birds and needs to be done within the first few days of hatch.
So no, a vet can't do it later. Plus the vaccine is for 1000 bird dosage and doesn't keep.
It's pointless to 'encourage vets to offer mareks vaccine' for the previous reason. They simply can't, it doesn't work that way.

2. It only limits the tumors and symptoms, chickens can still sometimes catch, spread and die from the virus.
Personally, I'd rather see the disease in my birds so I can act accordingly (i.e cull and burn) instead of being a Typhoid Mary to all the birds exposed to mine. For example, selling them to someone else.

3. Yes, you can buy the vaccine, but not at tsc, it has to be ordered from a Poultry supplier.
But since you're not willing to diy vaccinate, this is not option and also makes the argument look weak for vet assistance. A solution to the issue is available, but being unwilling to use it, renders the issue moot.

4. Buying poultry outside of a hatchery or retailing is a high stakes gamble.

That's why you quarantine for at least a month, as far away as possible. No wind to carry, different clothes, wash hands, new shoes. The whole 9 yards.
Even then, it's still a toss up on healthy birds.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

only limits the tumors and symptoms, chickens can still sometimes catch, spread and die from the virus.
Personally, I'd rather see the disease in my birds so I can act accordingly (i.e cull and burn) instead of being a Typhoid Mary to all the birds exposed to mine. For example, selling them to someone else.

This is why I quit having my chicks vaccinated prior to shipping. I originally believed that having them vaccinated actually protected them from getting Marek's. I mean, makes sense, right? But I've learned so much from BYC! And one vety useful thing I've learned is that your vaccinated chicks can still get Marek's! The vaccine only makes it so they get it in an "occult," or invisible way! They could have it without you ever knowing it. Which means you could sell or give away an infected bird, thus contaminating someone else's flock. Thst would be a TERRIBLE thing to do! So ...I don't vaccinate my chicks any more. I just keep a closed, virtually quarantined flock. No outside birds come in except chicks straight from a hatchery. My birds don't leave the property and come back, so ... no shows, no sales. Nobody who owns chickens steps foot on my property.

 

[Paz]

You can buy the vaccine and let someone else vaccinate the birds for you. But as someone else has mentioned, it may be too late already.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

80% of chickens worldwide carry Mareks asymptomatically, it's impossible to avoid except with the most ivory tower bubble chickens that live constantly under quarantine

The vaccine only hides symptoms, it doesn't prevent catching, spreading or death. Vaccinated birds will just randomly drop dead one day when the virus finally overloads their immune systems

In my opinion the best way to deal with Mareks is by having a multi-generational flock with immune systems shaped by natural selection. The susceptible will die and those with strong immune systems will carry on. Within just a handful of generations the entire flock will be immune

Truly this is the only ethical way to breed animals. When humans breed the sickly they guarantee sickness, disease and suffering for countless future beings. In 2025 the only reason Mareks is a concern at all is because of the practice of quarantining which creates temporary isolated bubbles of sickly animals

 

[Paz]

80% of chickens worldwide carry Mareks asymptomatically, it's impossible to avoid except with the most ivory tower bubble chickens that live constantly under quarantine

The vaccine only hides symptoms, it doesn't prevent catching, spreading or death. Vaccinated birds will just randomly drop dead one day when the virus finally overloads their immune systems

In my opinion the best way to deal with Mareks is by having a multi-generational flock with immune systems shaped by natural selection. The susceptible will die and those with strong immune systems will carry on. Within just a handful of generations the entire flock will be immune

Truly this is the only ethical way to breed animals. When humans breed the sickly they guarantee sickness, disease and suffering for countless future beings. In 2025 the only reason Mareks is a concern at all is because of the practice of quarantining which creates temporary isolated bubbles of sickly animals

Unfortunately, that is how we breed ourselves as well

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Unfortunately, that is how we breed ourselves as well

Actually I think humanity is far worse but that's a topic for another time and place