Recent content by Jewelschick

I ended up rehoming them to a friend with a lot more space than I have. I think they will be much happier free ranging on many acres than being confined to a 1/2 acre yard.

I have been giving Chinese Skullcap to my Marek’s positive flock for a couple of months and they seem to be doing well. I was very worried about my two older hens but they are doing much better now. I add some to their feed maybe once a week. I also made a tincture for acute illness but haven’t...

Hi all! My Fayoumis are 4 mo old and the hens are constantly flying over the fence. I have other breeds I have clipped wings and it solves the problem. Will clipped wings help with the EFs escaping or are they just too good at flying? Any advice is appreciated.

I was mainly concerned because the large eggs came right after she was egg bound. The shells are definitely thinner than normal. I added some baked, crushed egg shells to some mashed potatoes to make sure she ate them and the shells are looking better. So I do feel like there was a bit of a low...

I have a barred rock hen who has suddenly started laying very large eggs. This started after she had been egg-bound one day. The color is much lighter than it used to be and the white seems thinner. The shell is a bit thinner too but not a soft shell. Should I up her calcium or something else...

microchick, Since you seem to have a lot of experience raising roosters I am wondering if you can share your opinion on handling them as chicks. I’ve heard don’t handle them much and handle them a lot. I looked on here for an article but wasn’t able to find one about raising them from day old...

Thank you so much for your response. I actually read your article about a month ago. I’ll admit it made me tear up a bit but it also gave me hope. I’m just starting my 3rd year of chicken keeping and Marek’s has been sucking the fun out of it for the last 6 months. After reading your comment...

I’m getting some from Meyer as well, hatching on Monday. You might check their site and see if they have more hatching soon.

Reading this makes me so happy! I have lost almost half my flock to Marek’s this year. I ordered just a few EF pullets to see how they do. If they thrive then I plan to get some roos to breed them and cross breed with my survivors. After reading your comment now I’m thinking I should have gone...

I’ve been looking into Egyptian Fayoumis. I am thinking I will get just a few to see. I will look into Ideal as well. Thank you!

I’m dealing with the same thing. I confirmed Marek’s in October through a Texas A&M necropsy. To date I have lost 8 chickens. 3 SL Wyandotte’s, 1 cream legbar, 4 Easter eggers. 5 of the 8 were vaxed. I still have 2 unvaxed barred rocks a year old that are well and the other 7 are all vaxed. I...

I want to add to my previous comments that I have since tested for Marek’s via a nacropsy and tested positive. To date I have lost 7 pullets. 3 unvaxed, 4 vaxed since October. Age seems to be somewhat of a deterrent as my hens around 1 year old have been fine. At this point I am waiting to see...