Repopulating after hot mareks??

[Sseckel]

So last August/September my flock contracted a "hot" strain of mareks which ended my flock. I was devastated, I cried and swore I was done with chickens after that. I removed my coop and run (I did keep feeders and equipment like that) but otherwise returned the portion of my yard that housed my flock back into yard space.
Now a friend of mine who breeds seramas is retiring from chicken keeping and offered me his flock. I was surprised at how excited I was at the prospect and still am, but honestly I am terrified too. I know mareks can stay in your soil for quite a long time. So I am wondering has anyone done this with older chickens? They are not vaccinated so I am sure I would lose some but what has everyone else done?
I guess my plan would be to build a new coop which I would locate in an entirely different area of land ( we are on an acre, so not huge). Does anyone have an idea if that would help minimize risk/exposure?

 

[Banditschickens]

 

[Kiki]

I have not dealt with Marek's personally but you may want to look into this product for possibly treating some of your yard or your coop or whatever.

Virkon S...it kills the Marek's disease.
http://virkon.com/products-applications/disinfectants/virkon-s/how-to-use-virkon-s/

 

[MROO]

I don't have any experience with Marek's, but since Seramas are so small, many people keep them in above ground pens, similar to rabbit hutches. Would that work for you?

 

[Sseckel]

I don't have any experience with Marek's, but since Seramas are so small, many people keep them in above ground pens, similar to rabbit hutches. Would that work for you?

I think it certainly could. Especially since I would have to build from scratch anyway. That sounds very similar to how my friend has them housed now too. Kinda like a "cabinet" with a raised run space is what he has. And I suppose the less contact they have with the soil the less chance there is to get infected?

 

[Sseckel]

I have not dealt with Marek's personally but you may want to look into this product for possibly treating some of your yard or your coop or whatever.

Virkon S...it kills the Marek's disease.

This stiff sounds pretty awesome. I will definitely be looking into this!
http://virkon.com/products-applications/disinfectants/virkon-s/how-to-use-virkon-s/

 

[aart]

Now a friend of mine who breeds seramas is retiring from chicken keeping and offered me his flock.

That sounds very similar to how my friend has them housed now too. Kinda like a "cabinet" with a raised run space is what he has.

Will he sell you his coop too?

 

[ThracianHorse]

The problem is playing with a disease that can live in the soil - especially one known to be destructive, and has a known presence - is you are effectively playing russian routlette with your new birds lives. Even with a raised run, what happens if one gets out? It's not a case of if, but when it will resurface in your flock. I suggest a several pronged approach to deal with it, as more methods are better than one. Suggestions one and two, like the folks above have suggested, raised runs (hutches) and disinfecting. The other thing I would do is every time you hatch out a round of eggs, vaccinate the chicks. $30 for a vial of mareks vaccination is relatively cheap insurance if you are known to have the disease on your premises. As you cycle through the generations, the more vaccinated birds you'll have and the less likely you'll have issues.

 

[Sseckel]

Will he sell you his coop too?

I'm not sure it would hold up for a move. He has it built onto the wall of his shed and while it works I would say construction will never be his money maker...

 

[Sseckel]

The problem is playing with a disease that can live in the soil - especially one known to be destructive, and has a known presence - is you are effectively playing russian routlette with your new birds lives. Even with a raised run, what happens if one gets out? It's not a case of if, but when it will resurface in your flock. I suggest a several pronged approach to deal with it, as more methods are better than one. Suggestions one and two, like the folks above have suggested, raised runs (hutches) and disinfecting. The other thing I would do is every time you hatch out a round of eggs, vaccinate the chicks. $30 for a vial of mareks vaccination is relatively cheap insurance if you are known to have the disease on your premises. As you cycle through the generations, the more vaccinated birds you'll have and the less likely you'll have issues.

I agree I definitely would vaccinate any chicks. I guess because the strain my last flock had was so devastating. I worry these might catch it sooner. I might even buy new feeding equipment to replace my plastic equipment as plastic is porus and harder to sanitize.