Mareks diagnosis and new (unvaccinated) chicks arriving

[wolfhaus]

After losing two chickens (aged 6 and 10 months) to large neck tumours, we have just confirmed that they died from Mareks. So our whole flock (10 hens, 1 roo) are exposed and now carriers. Unfortunately, and thanks to terrible timing, we are about to pick up our new week-old chicks from a heritage breeder in a couple of days. These chicks are not vaccinated - non of our chickens are. Other than using a brand new brooder (which we typically keep in the house for the first 8 weeks) and thoroughly disenfecting our boots/hands/clothing to prevent any dust reaching them from our main coop - is there anything else we can do to try to prevent infection until the chicks build up their immune system and develop hopefully some resistance before they are moved to the main coop? :-(

 

[nuthatched]

Not really, can you cancel your order and order vaccinated birds?

 

[LaFleche]

Do not visit the breeder as you will be spreading the virus and infect his birds!
Just cancel your order and tell the breeder about the Mareks result you just received.

If you still feel like adding to your flock it would be best to get vaccinated chicks from a hatchery.They will still have to be kept separated as in quarantine for at least 8, better 12 weeks.

It might be better and less cumbersome to just try and hatch your own eggs from those who appear healthy.

Very sorry!

 

[wolfhaus]

I hadn't thought of hatching our own. I'll have a look and see if I can cancel. It's so upsetting. This is only our third year chicken keeping, and we were excited to be adding some new chicks this year.

 

[LaFleche]

If you decide to order from a hatchery you may want to consider Egyptian Fayoumi as they are said to be resistant to the Marek virus.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about the Mareks diagnosis. It takes at least 2 weeks after vaccine for chickens to have any immunity to the Mareks virus. Some get it online, and give it themselves, although I have read that hatcheries have a better vaccine available. If there was a way to have someone else raise them for a few weeks far away from your home, they would have the vaccine on board. But the vaccine does not protect them from being carriers for life once they are part of your flock, and they still have the possibility of getting Mareks. Mareks virus is passed in the dander and dust of your birds, and may be in your environment for years even after all of your birds are gone. I would probably ask to cancel the order. This year so many would love to get chicks due to the scarcity of them. Many BYCers deal with Mareks in their flocks, and they tend to breed their birds who seem to not get symptoms.

 

[wolfhaus]

Sorry about the Mareks diagnosis. It takes at least 2 weeks after vaccine for chickens to have any immunity to the Mareks virus. Some get it online, and give it themselves, although I have read that hatcheries have a better vaccine available. If there was a way to have someone else raise them for a few weeks far away from your home, they would have the vaccine on board. But the vaccine does not protect them from being carriers for life once they are part of your flock, and they still have the possibility of getting Mareks. Mareks virus is passed in the dander and dust of your birds, and may be in your environment for years even after all of your birds are gone. I would probably ask to cancel the order. This year so many would love to get chicks due to the scarcity of them. Many BYCers deal with Mareks in their flocks, and they tend to breed their birds who seem to not get symptoms.

 

[wolfhaus]

The chicks have already hatched and will be just over a week old so too late for vaccinations at this point. All my other chickens are perfectly healthy right now, happily free-ranging and enjoying the sun. We are not sure where it came from - the two that died came from the same batch of chicks from a hatchery so probably there. But as you said, it could have been on the land for years.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you have your state vet diagnose the Mareks or did you have a lab do testing? Vets cannot diagnose Mareks without a test or necropsy and testing. Chickens are best vaccinated as day old chicks, but they could still be vaccinated. It is just if they are exposed at the breeder, or somehow on the way, home it would be too late.

 

[wolfhaus]

Did you have your state vet diagnose the Mareks or did you have a lab do testing? Vets cannot diagnose Mareks without a test or necropsy and testing. Chickens are best vaccinated as day old chicks, but they could still be vaccinated. It is just if they are exposed at the breeder, or somehow on the way, home it would be too late.

We had a necropsy done, so it was confirmed that way.