The miracle babies: Hatching with Avian Leukosis Virus

[Weeg]

So many viable hatches are very encouraging. The big test will be if they manage to survive past one year. Those will be the ones that you'll want to breed next to breed for LL resistance.

Your "experiment" is off to a promising start.

Exactly. I heard your story about how yours didn’t last the first year, so I’ll hope for the best with these angels. Encouraging for sure, though only half the battle.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Definitely following!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Check this out, @Featheryyards!

 

[kurby22]

Sweet little beebies!! Congrats!

 

[Weeg]

Sweet little beebies!! Congrats!

Thank you!

 

[lisa69]

My flock is Avian leukosis positive. Diagnosis was by PCR testing, not necropsy. My vet did a necropsy and told me it was Mareks. She was wrong. Leukosis symptoms don't start, in my birds, until 6-12 months, typically. I have pullets i hatched by incubator that are 10 months, non-symptomatic, with 0 losses. Some are at my daughter's farm, so they have no contact with my flock. Mine are in a clean room. I am testing after Christmas so that my samples don't get lost in the mail. I use RAL labs. I collect samples at home. No prescription needed. Sent them overnight express. Results back in 24 hours.

 

[lisa69]

I have no trouble hatching chicks form avian Leukosis positive hens. The chick are vital and healthy. they start dying of from around 6 months to a year, unfortunately. I now have first second generations, with about 50% lost to the disease with my first-generation offspring. the survivors though seem to have produced more resilient offspring. So far, I've had no losses in generation 2. I have some 8-month-olds and 10-month-olds, and some are laying already, It really doesn't matter though because they are a threat to other flocks. they are still testing positive by PCR testing.

 

[azygous]

Keeping in mind that there are quite a few strains of leucosis, sometimes more than one being present in a flock, I am noticing less and less mortality from the virus over time. In the beginning, close to sixteen years ago, I was losing adult chickens frequently. There were a lot of individuals becoming paralyzed. Chicks hatched from the flock would die before age one year, and most embryos would not make it to term.

Now that all of my original chickens have died, and after I learned that hatching eggs from this flock was not advisable, I do not have a single symptomatic chicken from ages of eight months to eight years, two of which were hatched from my flock and all the rest originating from Privett Hatchery. It gives me hope that indeed this virus can become dormant in a flock after time, perhaps even recessive.

 

[lisa69]

Keeping in mind that there are quite a few strains of leucosis, sometimes more than one being present in a flock, I am noticing less and less mortality from the virus over time. In the beginning, close to sixteen years ago, I was losing adult chickens frequently. There were a lot of individuals becoming paralyzed. Chicks hatched from the flock would die before age one year, and most embryos would not make it to term.

Now that all of my original chickens have died, and after I learned that hatching eggs from this flock was not advisable, I do not have a single symptomatic chicken from ages of eight months to eight years, two of which were hatched from my flock and all the rest originating from Privett Hatchery. It gives me hope that indeed this virus can become dormant in a flock after time, perhaps even recessive.

Mine are PCR tested, 3 generations positive for Avian Leukosis A/B. The lab did not have the capacity to test for J.

 

[lisa69]

Exactly. I heard your story about how yours didn’t last the first year, so I’ll hope for the best with these angels. Encouraging for sure, though only half the battle.

unfortunately, my experience has been, no losses at hatch or as chicks. young birds stayed healthy until adolescence. they start dying off around the point of laying , or breeding 8-12 months old .