Arkansas folks speak up.........
- Thread starter wranglerFB
- Start date
sounds like you are giving yourself a Christmas Present!
Yea, but it's one that I won't be able to open until after New Years. It'll new like an early Christmas present for 2016.
RetiredRon
In the Brooder
I'm interested in doing the hatch a long... I'm writing today for advice.. I came home from a short trip yesterday and my buddy, one of five my hen hatched about 6 weeks ago, She pushed them away and started laying regularly and sitting off and on last week, This was her third hatch but her 1st of her own eggs; was bobbing his head oddly. I separated him and kept him with me. He is pulling his head to the right and turning his head back when he drinks. It almost looks like a human with Parkinson. He is eating and drinking. His poop looks ok... any idea what's wrong or any treatment?
Sorry to hear about your buddy rooster. I had one do that ( hen) before, sorry to say she was dead the next day. I don't know why or what it was but the only one I've ever had that fine that.
RetiredRon, check out wry neck. That’s sometimes a nutrient deficiency, though I think it is also sometimes a birth defect of some type. I’ve never dealt with it so don’t know the details.
The other thing I’d be concerned with is Marek’s. Sometimes the lesions can cause a deformity like that. Even if it is Marek’s don’t panic. There is nothing good about having Marek’s in your flock. It normally doesn’t wipe out your entire flock but it will change how you manage them. For example, you might want to go to an all-incubator hatch so you can isolate the chicks from the flock so you can vaccinate them. I think it would be irresponsible for anyone to sell or trade chicks or chickens if they know they have Marek’s in their flock.
It could easily be something entirely different. What I suggest is try getting some energy into that chick. Give it some electrolytes or even dissolve sugar in water and put drops of the liquid on the tip of its beak so it can drink. Don’t put the medicine dropper in its mouth so you don’t drown it.
First thing tomorrow call your county extension agent and see what it takes to get a necropsy done. If it dies, find out how to handle it and where to take it. The “where” will vary depending in where you are. The “how” usually involves refrigeration or an ice chest, not freezing. Get the details from them.
They may not be able to tell you what killed it, but they can eliminate many things. It sounds more like wry neck to me than anything else and a lot of times that can be treated with nutrients. Good luck!
The other thing I’d be concerned with is Marek’s. Sometimes the lesions can cause a deformity like that. Even if it is Marek’s don’t panic. There is nothing good about having Marek’s in your flock. It normally doesn’t wipe out your entire flock but it will change how you manage them. For example, you might want to go to an all-incubator hatch so you can isolate the chicks from the flock so you can vaccinate them. I think it would be irresponsible for anyone to sell or trade chicks or chickens if they know they have Marek’s in their flock.
It could easily be something entirely different. What I suggest is try getting some energy into that chick. Give it some electrolytes or even dissolve sugar in water and put drops of the liquid on the tip of its beak so it can drink. Don’t put the medicine dropper in its mouth so you don’t drown it.
First thing tomorrow call your county extension agent and see what it takes to get a necropsy done. If it dies, find out how to handle it and where to take it. The “where” will vary depending in where you are. The “how” usually involves refrigeration or an ice chest, not freezing. Get the details from them.
They may not be able to tell you what killed it, but they can eliminate many things. It sounds more like wry neck to me than anything else and a lot of times that can be treated with nutrients. Good luck!
RetiredRon
In the Brooder
It's been two days and so far so good. When we got up he ate good and I put electrolytes in all the water. He drank, but when he drinks, he turns his neck 180°. He seems to be disoriented as far as direction. He was on my neck today and he jumped off. When he did he flapped his wings but flew in circles all the way down then walked in circles. Tonight he seemed a little off. If I wanted to vaccinate for mirks, how would I do it? I know if I were to buy from cackle, they vaccinate them.
These were hatched from my broody hen and they were there own eggs. I do have 14 Marans I bought that are three weeks younger.. going on 3 weeks now. I lost one on day 8 but so far, so good on the others..
The one that's sick is a mix breed. I kept him with me the last couple nights and he wanted to stay with me tonight. When I had him, instead of settling down as he has the last couple nights, he seemed restless. I put him back and he seemed to settle down and sleep with his siblings.
We will see.. I didnt want too, but I was suggested to turn off the heat lamp on the Marans and one that hatched from the bater. The whole flock of chicks seemed to settle down with the lights off.. Need sleep?
These were hatched from my broody hen and they were there own eggs. I do have 14 Marans I bought that are three weeks younger.. going on 3 weeks now. I lost one on day 8 but so far, so good on the others..
The one that's sick is a mix breed. I kept him with me the last couple nights and he wanted to stay with me tonight. When I had him, instead of settling down as he has the last couple nights, he seemed restless. I put him back and he seemed to settle down and sleep with his siblings.
We will see.. I didnt want too, but I was suggested to turn off the heat lamp on the Marans and one that hatched from the bater. The whole flock of chicks seemed to settle down with the lights off.. Need sleep?
It is too late to vaccinate your current chickens for Marek’s, even if you have a need. The vaccine is actually Turkey Marek’s. It does not cure or prevent Marek’s, it prevents the lesions from growing that cause the damage. The vaccinated chicken can still get Marek’s and give it to other chickens but it will not show the symptoms. Marek’s is so contagious that if one chicken has it, they all have it. Some have a natural resistance to it, some don’t. That’s why Marek’s seldom wipes out an entire flock, but it can kill or cripple or kill a lot of them.
For the vaccine to be effective you have to give it before the chicken has been exposed to Marek’s and keep them from being exposed for a week or two. If you hatch with a broody hen you can’t do that. They will be exposed as they hatch. You would have to hatch in an incubator and raised them in an isolated place after giving them the vaccination. Marek’s spreads in the air from the dander they shed. They’d have to be well isolated.
Practically any major hatchery will vaccinate for Marek’s if you pay them to. If you don’t pay them to vaccinate, they won’t. Last time I looked at Cackle, they did not charge much per chick to vaccinate, but they had a minimum $10 charge. That’s been a few years.
I don’t know that what you are seeing is Marek’s, especially since no others are showing any signs. It could easily be something else. I sure hope so. I’m glad the chick is doing OK so far and wish you well.
If you want, you can talk to your county extension agent. They might hook you up with someone that is an expert on Marek’s and other chicken diseases like Dr. Clarke at the University of Arkansas that can give expert advice. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times on the phone about diseases. With most cell phones that’s not even a long distance call any more. Someone like that can do a much better job than me on helping you determine what is actually going on.
For the vaccine to be effective you have to give it before the chicken has been exposed to Marek’s and keep them from being exposed for a week or two. If you hatch with a broody hen you can’t do that. They will be exposed as they hatch. You would have to hatch in an incubator and raised them in an isolated place after giving them the vaccination. Marek’s spreads in the air from the dander they shed. They’d have to be well isolated.
Practically any major hatchery will vaccinate for Marek’s if you pay them to. If you don’t pay them to vaccinate, they won’t. Last time I looked at Cackle, they did not charge much per chick to vaccinate, but they had a minimum $10 charge. That’s been a few years.
I don’t know that what you are seeing is Marek’s, especially since no others are showing any signs. It could easily be something else. I sure hope so. I’m glad the chick is doing OK so far and wish you well.
If you want, you can talk to your county extension agent. They might hook you up with someone that is an expert on Marek’s and other chicken diseases like Dr. Clarke at the University of Arkansas that can give expert advice. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times on the phone about diseases. With most cell phones that’s not even a long distance call any more. Someone like that can do a much better job than me on helping you determine what is actually going on.
cupofJoelene
Chirping
- Jul 8, 2015
- 216
- 54
- 91
HELP! I finally got my hands on an incubator and need some hatching eggs to try it out on. I can't afford to go all out and order expensive eggs until I get my hatching rate up and get to know the bator, so is there anyone in the Ft Smith area with some hatching eggs? Preferably Easter or Olive Eggers. Or anything colorful!
Good luck finding any. I posted a want ad on Facebook and got zilch.
Ive got a few gathered from my flick and my dad is saving his starting yesterday and thru tomorrow. He gets 5 to 6 a day. So maybe I'll have about 40 or so eggs to incubate.
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