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This is another factor in breeding for resistance. Some birds are able to handle the disease better than others. If you choose to maintain your flock, be prepared for losses. I won’t get into all of the specifics of that innow, but will write more about it in the near future. If you choose this method, breeding for resistance may be a route that you would like to explore. If you choose to keep the chickens you have you’ll need to completely close your flock, which means no birds leave your property and no birds come onto your property. Adding unvaccinated chickens can put you right back at square one with the reintroduction of the disease. If you choose this method, you’ll need to only buy vaccinated birds from here on out. This option involves euthanizing the entire flock, thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing your entire farm, and letting the land sit for a while before introducing new chickens. Since there is no treatment or cure for Marek’s these two options are all you have… Culling
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The other three forms of Marek’s are less common and not as obvious.Ĭutaneous Form manifests in swollen feather follicles on the skin that can form crusty scabs. The best course of action when a bird is presenting with these advanced systems is to humanely put it down. Most of the time the bird will starve due to its inability to get to a food source. You will also notice other signs such as weight loss, diarrhea, and labored breathing. This happens when the disease infiltrates the sciatic nerve.
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The most common type of Marek’s is the Neural Form. Birds infected with this form of Marek’s generally present with progressive paralysis that is commonly seen as one leg extended out to the front and the other underneath the bird or protruding back. Marek’s can manifest in four different forms, each form displaying a different set of symptoms:
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