Marek’s Disease

We’re heartbroken to share that Potato’s post-mortem results confirmed a diagnosis of Marek’s disease. 

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What is Marek’s?

Marek’s disease is a highly contagious viral illness caused by a herpesvirus. It primarily affects chickens’ nervous systems and can cause paralysis, tumors, or sudden death. While there is no way to prevent Marek's,  the good news is that many chickens can carry the virus for life without ever showing symptoms. 

None of the other chickens at Secondhand Stories are showing symptoms at this time.  

Can humans get Marek’s?

No. Marek’s only affects birds - primarily chickens. It cannot spread to humans, dogs, cats, or other mammals.

How is Marek’s transmitted?

It is highly likely that all of our flocks have already been exposed, as it's spread through feather dander, dust, and dried droppings. It enters the air and can be carried on shoes, clothing, or hair. The Marek virus remains in the environment for an average of 65 weeks, so it’s safest to assume that once a flock has been exposed, we will always have it. It is not affected by normal environmental heat and cold conditions

Can you vaccinate the chickens?

Chicks can be vaccinated against Marek’s on their first day of life. However, the vaccine doesn’t prevent infection or stop a bird from spreading the virus - it only helps reduce the severity of symptoms in the vaccinated bird. That means even vaccinated chickens can still carry and transmit Marek’s. The vaccine is also only effective if given before a chicken is exposed to the virus. Our veterinary team has advised against seeking vaccination for our flock, as it would not be beneficial at this stage.

Will you have to close the sanctuary?

No. Marek’s is a reality at many sanctuaries and backyard flocks. We are reviewing how we rescue and intake birds moving forward, but our mission continues.

You can read more about Marek’s from The Open Sanctuary Project.

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We loved (and continue to love) Potato dearly, and we’re devastated by his loss. We will honour his memory by doing everything we can to protect the rest of the flock while continuing to offer lifelong sanctuary to chickens who need it most. 

So, what does this mean for the immediate future?

• We are temporarily pausing intake of any new rescues while we assess the safest path forward. Options under consideration include restricting intake to vaccinated birds or potentially pausing intakes until after Chickpea and Tofu (Potato’s flockmates, the most exposed) pass on.

• We’ve added ‘Marek’s Indicators’ to our monthly health checks, focusing on subtle symptoms like eye colour changes or coordination issues.

• Unfortunately, anyone who cares for chickens on a daily basis can no longer visit the sanctuary. (*The exception is the former caregiver of Oscar, Mocha, Ezra, and Gunta, who is aware and willing to accept the risk of transmission to her existing flock. She has been rescuing chickens for two decades, and we trust she has the best interests of the chickens at heart and will practice appropriate PPE.)

• To help us minimize the risk of spreading the virus through clothing, footwear, or hair, others who frequently visit farms must:

  • not have interacted with other chickens within 72 hours and;

  • shower before visiting and;

  • have clean clothes and;

  • will be required to wear booties. 

  
  

• Upon veterinary recommendation, we will add disinfectant Virkon S to our cleaning protocol and begin using wet cleaning methods (misting then wiping) instead of dry sweeping to prevent airborne dust spread.

• Additionally, our veterinary team is exploring ante-mortem testing, which involves gently plucking a few feathers for lab analysis. This is a simple procedure and does not cause harm to the chickens.

• At the recommendation of other chicken sanctuaries, we have joined an online community for Marek's chicken caregivers. We will monitor this group for additional opportunities to improve our care for future positive cases.

Thank you for standing by us during this challenging time. While learning about Potato’s Marek’s diagnosis has weighed heavily on our hearts, we remain committed to ensuring his surviving family at Secondhand Stories is cared for and provided every opportunity to live healthy and long lives. We’ll continue to learn, adapt, and love as fiercely as ever.