Mereks disease

[kemoldenhauer]

After 23 yrs of raising birds, My flock finally has it. Booooooo!. lost 3 hen hatched-3 month olds already. Need to cull a few older birds that show signs of infection but seem ok. I have read all I can about it. Wondering tho.. if it is a herpes virus, couldn’t I give them an L-Lysine supplement to boost them? It works for cold sore in humans. No info anywhere that I can find. Any thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

After 23 yrs of raising birds, My flock finally has it. Booooooo!. lost 3 hen hatched-3 month olds already. Need to cull a few older birds that show signs of infection but seem ok. I have read all I can about it. Wondering tho.. if it is a herpes virus, couldn’t I give them an L-Lysine supplement to boost them? It works for cold sore in humans. No info anywhere that I can find. Any thoughts?

Sorry no has replied to your post. Likely because no one has any answers for you.
Did you have Marek's confirmed through necropsy/testing?

You may find these threads interesting
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cure-for-mareks.1301751/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/l-lysine-for-poultry.946971/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/paralysis-possible-mareks-disease-treatment-cure.1188995/

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! You do have a diagnosis from necropsy, right? Then do your best to move forward with your survivors, and hope that you've lost your most affected individuals already.
Mary

 

[chickiemama27]

After 23 yrs of raising birds, My flock finally has it. Booooooo!. lost 3 hen hatched-3 month olds already. Need to cull a few older birds that show signs of infection but seem ok. I have read all I can about it. Wondering tho.. if it is a herpes virus, couldn’t I give them an L-Lysine supplement to boost them? It works for cold sore in humans. No info anywhere that I can find. Any thoughts?

I am so very sorry to hear this! What will happen with the rest of your birds? Can the disease be gotten rid of??

I am somewhat concerned I may have a similar problem. I lost one of my older birds yesterday. She was about five years old and a Rhode Island red. She had started acting somewhat blind to food and would peck at the air, unless we held the food right in front of her. She also did a strange neck movement. Then yesterday after several weeks of the above, she just started to pass. Today another one of my older birds is acting how she acted several weeks ago. Any thoughts? I don’t know very much about Mareks. Any other possibilities?

 

[Folly's place]

To get a diagnosis, you need necropsies, otherwise it's a guessing game. Older birds die for many reasons, often not Marek's disease, but you just won't know without testing.
Mary