Chickens are one of the most enjoyable farm animals to raise and, fortunately, you don’t need much space to do just that. In fact, the popularity of urban/backyard chicken farming is now a movement, with owners of small flocks gaining the nutritional benefits of independently grown and farm-fresh eggs. In addition, raising backyard chickens teaches your family—especially kids—personal responsibility and the value of a job well done. Bonus: Your kids will love their backyard chickens. Whether you have 40 acres at your disposal, or just a small yard in the city, our How To Raise Chickens section explains how to build a successful flock. Feel free to “scratch around.”

Marek’s disease is a contagious disease found among chickens worldwide. It has no cure and that’s why vaccination is so important. All of the chickens at North 40 Outfitters are Marek's-free. They've all been vaccinated and come from NPIP hatcheries that are also certified that their breeding stock is also Marek's-free. To learn more, watch the video below.

Video Transcription

What does Marek's Disease Have to do with Chickens?

Hi. I'm Jennie from North 40 Outfitters, and I've had chickens since 1982. We're here to just give you a little bit of information about Marek's disease.

What is Marek's disease? It is a disease found in poultry that is worldwide. There is absolutely no cure for it, which is what makes vaccinations so important.

Symptoms of Marek's

Some of the symptoms that go with Marek's disease are: Weakness, loss of appetite, loss of weight, partial paralysis. You'll see birds that have one leg that they can't stand on, one leg that goes straight, a wing that droops down, a crooked neck. It's a neurological disease, that form of it. There's actually four different forms of it, but the most common is the neurological one.

All of the chickens at North 40 Outfitters are Marek's-free. They've all been vaccinated, and they come from NPIP hatcheries that are certified that all of their breeding stock is also Marek's-free.

How does Marek's Spread?

Another question that we get is: Is Marek's disease contagious to humans and how does it spread? It is not a public health threat. It is not contagious to humans. It is a virus, and it is in the ground, and the chickens get it by scratching around, then they breathe the dust off of the ground. Once the chicken has the virus, it goes through their system and can shed through their feathers and their dander. It is highly contagious among the birds, and it is worldwide.

Thank you for listening, and if you have any more chicken questions, please go to our website at North40.com, or stop in at any of our 10 locations.