Alchemist Farm Unvaccinated Chicks

[Chickhobbiest]

Marek’s travels on the wind for up to 5 miles. So you could have gotten it from a neighbor, or brought it back on your shoes and clothes after being out and about. Or wild birds brought it. It absolutely doesn’t mean that the new chicks were already infected at hatch. Marek’s is so easily transmitted it’s impossible to know.
But I am so sorry for your experience, that must have been devastating. I just lost one bird to this disease and that was plenty awful… It’s only vaccinated birds for me from here on out - which sucks, because I’d love to buy from the smaller local hatcheries and breeders.
How are your two surviving Alchemist birds doing now? And how many did you have to start with?

I’m not saying it was alchemist, I agree, it could have came from anywhere. If I remember correctly my papas poultry brood began showing signs before I integrated my alchemist brood, they were a late order. I wasn’t aware of what was happening tho, in terms of disease process because mareks causes a wide variety of symptoms

 

[Wonderbread]

Ahhhh! I care a lot about this topic! Have you actually tested? It could be ALV (Avian leukosis). It looks just like mareks but isn’t. I got 11 chicks from alchemist farms and 43 others from two other small breeders all at the same time and ended up with an ALV positive flock. I’ve lost over half my birds. I could have bet money it was mareks but it wasn’t. Alchemist farms doesn’t test for ALV. There’s a 33% chance for me at least that it came from alchemist farms and a 66% chance it came from someone else. I guess I’ll never know.

 

[Chickhobbiest]

Ahhhh! I care a lot about this topic! Have you actually tested? It could be ALV (Avian leukosis). It looks just like mareks but isn’t. I got 11 chicks from alchemist farms and 43 others from two other small breeders all at the same time and ended up with an ALV positive flock. I’ve lost over half my birds. I could have bet money it was mareks but it wasn’t. Alchemist farms doesn’t test for ALV. There’s a 33% chance for me at least that it came from alchemist farms and a 66% chance it came from someone else. I guess I’ll never know.

They did not test for Marek’s. It would have been an out of state send out. Necropsy read “ findings suggestive of Mareks”. I don’t have the report anymore. Not sure if the vet kept it. I believe they did test for diseases that didn’t require send out. I remember the bird did test + for something which it could have been that. I think the examiner found tumors. I’d have to get the report. All of the birds I lost showed a wide array of symptoms. From neurological to diarrhea to just no appetite. And I only sent the one bird off.

 

[Chickhobbiest]

Ahhhh! I care a lot about this topic! Have you actually tested? It could be ALV (Avian leukosis). It looks just like mareks but isn’t. I got 11 chicks from alchemist farms and 43 others from two other small breeders all at the same time and ended up with an ALV positive flock. I’ve lost over half my birds. I could have bet money it was mareks but it wasn’t. Alchemist farms doesn’t test for ALV. There’s a 33% chance for me at least that it came from alchemist farms and a 66% chance it came from someone else. I guess I’ll never know.

I see they are similar. I never lost any of my adult members, nor have they showed symptoms.

 

[Stephine]

Oufff. Now my second Azure Egger has come down with it. I guess approaching point of lay was too much stress for her. I found her down on the coop floor three nights ago, didn’t think much of it and set her on the roost. Next morning she’s on the floor again and can’t walk, just scooting backwards, down on her hocks. Since yesterday she is mostly sitting or laying with both legs straight out in front of her. She’s been on vitamins, moistened feed, and some treats - tomatoes for hydration, raisins for energy and gut health, some kefir. She just eats or drinks sporadically. Now she’ll only eat from my hand. I don’t have much hope for her and it just sucks. Her vaccinated brooder mates are fine…

 

[Stephine]

Didn’t realize I hadn’t updated. I lost my sweet second Azure Egger a couple of weeks later as well. It was so sad to see her decline…

 

[Yann123]

Thanks! Yes, I have come across this and it is a helpful article. With my post I was not so much looking for general information about Marek’s but hoping to hear from others about their experiences with their Alchemist Farm chickens and Marek’s.

We have 3 females from Alchemist. 2 month old almost and are doing great!

 

[Stephine]

We have 3 females from Alchemist. 2 month old almost and are doing great!

Keeping fingers crossed for you!