Adding to the flock with Mareks?

[Photolady]

It's been a rough chicken year. We've lost about 10 birds since last spring, all young, to what I am confident is mareks. We would lose a bird about every 4-6 weeks. The symptoms were too textbook so we didn't have a necropsy done. Out of our new chickens that were a year or less, I have two that hatched in September. Of my older birds, I have 10 remaining, I didn't lose any bird that was over a year old to this.

I would like to add back into my flock. I thought about vaccination, but since the vaccination is leaky, I don't know if that would do any good.

I don't have the ability to move the coop, it's a massive structure. I was thinking I can sanitize the coop and replace nesting boxes. Also, I was thinking of digging out the floor (it's all dirt), and bringing in fresh soil.

Is it possible for me to add more birds to the flock? Or will any young bird I bring in just die?

 

[Eggcessive]

People handle Mareks in the flock in different ways. Some people get only vaccinated chicks from a hatchery, and keep them away from any poultry dust or dander or contamination for 2-3 weeks until the vaccine is effective. Others use their survivors that seem immune to the disease, to breed and hatch eggs. Some then vaccinate those, while others do not vaccinate. Mareks can remain in the environment for months to years since it is spread through dust and feather dander.

Can you describe the symptoms you were seeing in the chickens that Mareks was suspected? Sorry for your loss.

 

[Photolady]

People handle Mareks in the flock in different ways. Some people get only vaccinated chicks from a hatchery, and keep them away from any poultry dust or dander or contamination for 2-3 weeks until the vaccine is effective. Others use their survivors that seem immune to the disease, to breed and hatch eggs. Some then vaccinate those, while others do not vaccinate. Mareks can remain in the environment for months to years since it is spread through dust and feather dander.

Can you describe the symptoms you were seeing in the chickens that Mareks was suspected? Sorry for your loss.

Loss of balance and rapid weight loss while eating regularly was the most consistent. Several lost function in on or both legs. The most recent was textbook scissor legs.

My plan is to replace the dirt in the coop entirely to reduce the exposure.