Re: urgent advice pls re very sick Columbian Wyandotte pullet

Leon Bennett wrote:
May be Marek's, anyone got any advice for small householder's where only one pullet has shown symptoms?
Cheers

Leon, Mareks is commonly found in Australian flocks. Personally I prefer to have it in the flock. I accept the losses that the disease brings in the hope that it will make the flock more resistant over time. Alternatively you can vaccinate rather than try and keep it out. When it comes to vaccinations (done at day old) many poultry clubs have a purchasing option for the vaccine. The good guys that produce it only sell it in like 1000 chick batches and the clubs buy the batch and sort of share it around their members.

Having a Mareks free flock is NOT what you should be seeking to attain. Having a mareks resistant flock is the aim of the game. A Mareks free (and therefore suseptable flock) must be maintained in isolation. This will mean that you can not take birds to show, or even kids show and tell at school. There is also a chance that you will bring it home with you from poultry shows and auctions.

Given that the virus responsible for Mareks is the same one that produces cold sores, is perhaps a good starting point to managing the disease.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease

Matt
.

Loading