UPDATE: Adding chicks to a MD and MG flock

[bhawk-23]

We are adding 5 new chicks to our flock! Seeing my son this excited holding them warms my heart. It's been an extremely difficult experience for us both. But he is now avoiding any new attachments after losing his favorites. This has brought some healing for him and I really need to get it right for the best survival of our new chicks.

These chicks are vaccinated for Marek's.

Currently, I am on a monthly 5 day Denagard treatment. I am considering adding a monthly 5 day corid treatment as well.

When I add these chicks to the coop they will be about 3 weeks old. They will be in their own coop and run inside the large coop. It's a see, hear, smell through hardware cloth set up.

My main concerns are the monthly treatments the older gals are receiving. When can I safely integrate the pullets into the flock so their systems can handle the monthly denagard and corid treatments? If the whole flock is doing well after molt and the cold winter (April or May) I would consider taking them off monthly treatments, but not before then.

Please advise what has worked in the past for others in my situation.

Thank you!

 

[bhawk-23]

Bumping up in hopes someone can offer advice. Maybe this is not under the correct forum?

Can I add in my healthy vaccinated chicks into my MG and MD flock?
Can the healthy chicks be on the monthly denagard treatments also?
Thank you.

 

[bhawk-23]

Bumping up, again.

The chicks will be 2 weeks on Monday. I was hoping to move their coop out to the main coop to start introductions. Is it too soon to expose them to the flock with Marek's and MG?

Also, can they safely be treated with Denagard monthly along with the others? They would receive their first dose around 7 weeks old.
All advice and experience is extremely appreciated. Thank you!

 

[bhawk-23]

Bumping up hoping for some advice.

The chicks are 17 days old today and all appear to be thriving.

Can I add the MD vaccinated chicks to the MD positive coop (in their own separate coop and run) during week 4?

And, can 8 week old chicks have a maintenance dose of Denagard?

Thank you.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I have no idea, but hopefully this gets some attention from someone that can answer your questions. I'm glad your son is getting through his loss and making new bonds!

 

[bhawk-23]

I am going to try bumping again. I know there are experienced flock owners that have successfully added chicks to their MG and/or MD flocks.

My son will be devastated if they all die from not doing this correctly. I've searched the site and have not found something definitive as of yet.

The chicks are a full three weeks today.The MD vaccine should be good and the flock just finished a maintenance dose of Denagard and have no symptoms.

Should I give a maintenance dose of Denagard to the chicks the first week to avoid any symptoms or overwhelming of their systems?

I will really really appreciate some experience and advice from someone who has done this. We, and especially Ben, are quite attached to these littles already.

Thanks.

 

[bhawk-23]

UPDATE: In case someone else is in the same situation. This is just my experience, I am not a vet, so it may not work for all chicks/flocks and their individual circumstances.

I moved the chicks brooder and run outside at 4 weeks.

36-48 hrs after the move I started a treatment of Denagard for them as well as the whole flock.

My thought process was to have their system get the virus but not let it overwhelm them. I did hear a couple sneezes but it was so minimal I cannot even say it was MG and not just some dust from the crumbles.

They are all doing well as far as MG is concerned.

Going forward I hope their body recognizes the MG and can now fight it off with the flock's monthly Denagard treatments.

 

[Yard Farmer]

@Weeg
@Eggcessive
@Aunt Angus
Can you guys maybe help??

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t have a lot of experience with diseases, but will try to help with what I have read. Have you ever gotten an official diagnosis of MG? That can be good to know positively what you are dealing with. Denagard is supposed to be good for preventions and treatment of MG, so I hope it works, for your son’s sake. With Mareks, vaccinated chicks will be positive for Mareks, and some may also get Mareks tumors eventually. @seminolewind had Mareks in her flock, and wrote about some of her vaccinated chicks still getting Mareks. I haven’t seen the disease, but there are a lot of older threads where people have discussed Mareks in their flocks. Sorry that I can’t help more.

 

[bhawk-23]

I don’t have a lot of experience with diseases, but will try to help with what I have read. Have you ever gotten an official diagnosis of MG? That can be good to know positively what you are dealing with. Denagard is supposed to be good for preventions and treatment of MG, so I hope it works, for your son’s sake. With Mareks, vaccinated chicks will be positive for Mareks, and some may also get Mareks tumors eventually. @seminolewind had Mareks in her flock, and wrote about some of her vaccinated chicks still getting Mareks. I haven’t seen the disease, but there are a lot of older threads where people have discussed Mareks in their flocks. Sorry that I can’t help more.

Thank you. Confirmed Marek's by 2 necropsies and confirmed Mycoplasma 3X. Once with a nasal swab and then 2 necropsies. Yeah, I researched the vaccine so it's more of a at this point. I do everything I can to keep them healthy happy and as stress free as possible.