Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Beth on January 15, 2008, 13:26

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Beth on January 15, 2008, 13:26

Hi

An update on my chicken, I went to see her this morning and she was on the floor of the oen and couldn't walk and she was jsut falling over.

I took her straight to the vet and she stongly suspected marek's disease which apparently is quite common in cambridgeshire due to the high wild bird population.

Anyway, we decided the best thing for her was to put her to sleep.  :(

Feeling very sad and guilty at the moment.

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Selkie on January 15, 2008, 13:30

:( Oh Beth, that's so sad but please don't feel guilty, you did the kindest thing for her.

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Shazzer on January 15, 2008, 16:05

My goodness, thats what we suspected our hen had, we had to dispatch of her in the end.  Did the vet say if it was infectious for your other birds
?

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Aunt Sally on January 15, 2008, 16:08

Bad luck Beth  :cry:

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: slowef on January 15, 2008, 16:48

Well done for making that hard decision, sorry for your loss though
xx

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Jellyhead on January 15, 2008, 18:06

Big hugs from over here :cry:

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: jack russell on January 15, 2008, 19:36

aww sorry to hear that :cry:  how much were you charged by the vet if you dont mind sharing that with us  :oops:

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Beth on January 15, 2008, 21:05

Hi

Thanks for your thoughts,

She said it doesn't kill an entire flock, it may just get one out of them so not too infectious.

I was charged 46 pounds for the whole thing which included the cremation.

If anyone has any information on this disease or other problems that could cause this behaviour i'd be very grateful,

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: DeadlyNightshade on January 15, 2008, 21:53

I can try to read up (again ;) ) and translate the scientific stuff into understandable english... if there is any interest.

But because I don't have any chickens, I can't really relate to "live cases"


Let me know and I'll get started


Bell

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Beth on January 15, 2008, 22:04

If you could that would be really helpful, maybe you could direct me to some places to look it up too?

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: mushroom on January 15, 2008, 22:11

http://www.gamerooster.com/programs/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-12972.html

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: DeadlyNightshade on January 15, 2008, 22:22

http://www.apd.rdg.ac.uk/AgEcon/livestockdisease/poultry/mareks.htm

Don't know, if that is any help though ;)

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Jules on January 16, 2008, 06:39

Hi Beth

Sorry to hear of your loss.
One of my birds died on Monday - she had been off colour on the Saturday, fine on the Sunday and then we found her collapsed in the chicken house on Monday morning. :cry:

I've been reading though quite a few "chicken illness" articles since then, and I think that she might have been suffering from Marek's disease.

If you want to read up on it then I suggest simply typing "Marek's disease" into a search engine.

Wikipedia also shows a picture of a normal chicken eye, and one who has Marek's disease (I had simply thought that our chicken had a different colour iris in the same way that people have blue eyes or brown eyes).  :oops:

Hope that your other hens are all OK.

Jules

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Richardm on January 16, 2008, 17:03

Hi
One of our chicken's has been ill since Saturday, unable to stand.  We kept her inside for a few nights but without improvement.  Took her to the vets and she also diagnosed that it was possibly mareks disease.  Sadly she has been put to sleep today as it was unlikely she was going to get better.  Not an easy decision, but clearly for the best.

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Aunt Sally on January 16, 2008, 17:09

Great shame Richard  :(

There is no treatment available for Marek's Disease which is caused by a Herpes Virus.  Commercially breed chicks are vaccinated against it.

Title: Marek's Disease
Post by: Beth on January 16, 2008, 17:28

Richard

I'm really sorry to hear that, I know how you're feeling. Although it's hard we know we did the right thing.