Our Chicken’s have Marek’s/ here’s our journey

Sharing some of our current set up and how we are managing it all.
A ‘Vlog’ about our experience and how we are managing our flock that has Mareks disease.
My husband & I bought 9 1/2 acres of land seven months ago and thought we’d add chickens to the 6 we brought with us when we moved here.
We went from 6 to 58 chickens, plus 4 Emu’s, in less than two months time. While I wasn’t operating a bio lab of sorts with our new baby chickens, I was pretty meticulous about their quality of care and had kept every single bird inside even after the first symptom was in question of “how” we could’ve possibly contracted this horrible disease?
But, here we are…. Six weeks into accepting the fact that our chickens have Marek’s Disease and these are the days of our empty-nest lives.
I will be back tracking (from the questionable onset of this heartbreaking disease) at some point. As you can imagine, this life takes up most all of our free time.

[@nonastephens5322]

I’m so sorry your going through this. I also have Mareks in my flock and fully understand what your going
through. I’ve lost over 20 chickens in the last few months. It’s so heartbreaking and unbelievable that there’s nothing that can be done to help them. My heart is breaking as I’m sure yours is also.

[@TA-zj5yk]

I am so sorry. Mareks is a horrible disease. We just lost #27 on Tuesday. She was 27 weeks old and couldn’t recover from wry neck.
I wish I could offer a helpful remedy (as I’ve tried so many things) … a drop of oregano oil in 2 Tblsp of olive oil is one I continue to mix in with mash but obviously isn’t curing. Because I DO believe there is a cure to every virus.
Sending blessings your way.

[@willowblack9650]

@TA-zj5yk Good afternoon I was wondering if you had any updates and if you have found anything helpful in prolonging life also, how long does it take from the time of showing symptoms to the animal passing away if it’s still eating and drinking?

[@TA-zj5yk]

@@willowblack9650 hi there! I do have updates and will be posting more on Mareks. It’s been quite a devastating journey as one can imagine. While I’ve documented most all of this 6 month journey (that’s still occurring), with every loss, it takes such a toll on me.
As for a summarized update since making that post we have lost a total of 27 chicken’s out of the 47 babies we purchased in February & March and is the root of where & how we contracted the disease. We lost 2 in the past 8 days.
I can count on one hand though, the birds who simply died suddenly without showing symptoms. I can also count on one hand how many birds passed after symptoms began, but none of my birds ever passed away within a week after the onset of symptoms and only 1 out of all 27 bounced back after symptoms began (Which was the very first bird who showed symptoms within these 47). Sadly, she only survived a mere 2 months before symptoms began and she did pass on her own, within days. 🥺.
We’ve given nearly all of our birds at least a week before culling as I attempt to treat symptoms in search of a remedy.
On a bright note, we have 14 of the surviving hens who are now laying eggs. 🥰
My guess is you are combatting this horrible disease?

[@willowblack9650]

@@TA-zj5yk yes unfortunately I only had a few chickens two were purchased from tractor supplies so they were vaccinated before hatching so they are doing fabulous. The other two Were not One did have to get put down as she was just deteriorating could not walk or eat her sister whom is bantam also has symptoms such as green watery stool but occasionally does firm up and she seems to be doing good she never got the paralysis her sister did I pray she stays healthy. These girls are family. I don’t plan on getting any more. This broke my heart.