Never stops

[Eggcessive]

Illnesses usually are obtained in your environment, from exposure to the disease. It might be from another chicken or a visiting wild bird. Some people track in diseases on their shoes from shows or feed stores, or other ways. Sorry that you are dealing with a contagious disease, but your flock should remain closed and no chickens should be shown. You always have to assume that even chickens who do not show symptoms are carriers.

 

[TxYeti_hunter]

Illnesses usually are obtained in your environment, from exposure to the disease. It might be from another chicken or a visiting wild bird. Some people track in diseases on their shoes from shows or feed stores, or other ways. Sorry that you are dealing with a contagious disease, but your flock should remain closed and no chickens should be shown. You always have to assume that even chickens who do not show symptoms are carriers.

I would really hope that this is obvious to EVERYONE. Unfortunately, a lot of times profit is more important than ethical behavior for some.
I seriously doubt that I tracked "possible" AVL in from a feed store and I don't have any friends that I visit that have chickens. I actually don't really have many friends within a 3 hour drive but I digress. I also have not even started showing yet. That was my goal at some point (just my silkies).
Sure, it could have possibly come from a wild bird, a fly, a mouse... Who even knows. Luckily it does not live very long in the environment and now I am seriously considering culling my entire flock and walking away from chicken keeping all together.
It is strange that only one chicken out of 4 had these symptoms. I'm not saying that my rooster didn't have it, please don't misunderstand, I'm just saying it's bizarre. It also bugs me that the vet never said anything about my whole flock could have AVL or even that I should consider culling. His ONLY statement on the phone, regarding that specific issue, was that it was not typical of AVL but that he also could not completely rule it out.
I only had the other birds done to see if it was a "flock" issue.
It has made me hyper paranoid!
I'm curious as to whether I can have my flock tested WITHOUT having a necropsy done on them.
My silkies are separate from my other flock thankfully!

 

[Tracyree]

You can test your flock easily for Avian Leukosis Virus without necropsy. Research Associates Laboratory tests. Their website is vetdna.com. You will have to order a sample collection kit from their website and after it comes you will swab the chickens you want to test and take a tiny blood sample by clipping a toenail a little too short. (I was squeamish about that but it turned out super no big deal. Chickens didn’t even flinch). You get the results the same day RAL receives your sample.

I chose to test three out of my flock. Two that seemed perfectly healthy and one with symptoms. All were positive for ALV and Mareks (luckily they were vaccinated for Mareks). The test does NOT pick up the vaccination, only if they have Mareks.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. It’s new to me as well, but I’m going to just give them the best life I can and keep my flock very closed.

 

[TxYeti_hunter]

You can test your flock easily for Avian Leukosis Virus without necropsy. Research Associates Laboratory tests. Their website is vetdna.com. You will have to order a sample collection kit from their website and after it comes you will swab the chickens you want to test and take a tiny blood sample by clipping a toenail a little too short. (I was squeamish about that but it turned out super no big deal. Chickens didn’t even flinch). You get the results the same day RAL receives your sample.

I chose to test three out of my flock. Two that seemed perfectly healthy and one with symptoms. All were positive for ALV and Mareks (luckily they were vaccinated for Mareks). The test does NOT pick up the vaccination, only if they have Mareks.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. It’s new to me as well, but I’m going to just give them the best life I can and keep my flock very closed.

Thank you SO MUCH for the information and the hope. I will order it today!!!!!!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Please keep us posted when you get your results. Hoping for the best for your flock!