Big Bad Mareks

[2ndTink]

I think I'll test this. Per their instructions for viruses, I'd mix 5 oz in a gallon of water. It doesn't say hot or cold, so I'd use cold. It takes 60 seconds to kill viruses so I'd dip the eggs for 60 seconds, rinse them, and let them air dry before putting them in the incubator. I will be running it next week when those buff eggs get here so I can test this on a couple of my own and keep them away from those shipped eggs. I don't see the harm in this except wonder if the bloom would still be intact. They would be sterile, but if no bloom, could pick up germs from the other eggs. We shall see.

If they hatch and don't come out glowing, I think we're good!

Let me know how it goes! I think I'll set eggs late Feb / early March depending on when it works to get all the eggs I want to hatch all together at the same time. I plan to stuff my 56 egg incubator to capacity because I'll be vaccinating all the chicks. Originally I wanted to do multiple smaller hatches, but that just wouldn't be as easy for vaccinating.

I couldn't find the Brinsea incubator disinfectant, I wonder if they don't offer it anymore?

 

[Debbie292d]

Let me know how it goes! I think I'll set eggs late Feb / early March depending on when it works to get all the eggs I want to hatch all together at the same time. I plan to stuff my 56 egg incubator to capacity because I'll be vaccinating all the chicks. Originally I wanted to do multiple smaller hatches, but that just wouldn't be as easy for vaccinating.

I couldn't find the Brinsea incubator disinfectant, I wonder if they don't offer it anymore?

The Odoban would do that, although I've just wiped mine down with those hilex wipes. I don't know the concentration I made in the bottle I mixed up umpteen years ago but I'm just going to make a new batch and start using it for that too.

I think its main use is hospitals, but had info about it used for hatcheries, just didn't bring up eggs.

 

[2ndTink]

I never knew there were ones more resistant than others. Nice! Maybe this is an idea if some better Marek's cures or treatments or preventions don't come out and it keeps spreading, why not switch to birds that resist it?

I'd be sad to switch but if I lost them all and had to start over, I'd sure look to make my life easier.

I don't want to switch from silkies, but if I have to, I will. My backup plan is another chicken breed, the backup plan to my backup plan is ducks or geese.

 

[2ndTink]

I like to suggest to all of you that have Mareks in your flocks to use pro and preboitics on your flock. 70% of the immune system lives in the gut and will not only be responsible for keeping this monster at bay but will aid this system to keep vital proteins and hormones to function for healthy brain, muscle and tissue responses to inflamation and other negative side effects to the body from the Mareks.

I wouldn't go overboard with probiotics, more is not better, but a steady low dose continuing to flow into the body will keep the immune system functioning as well as possible. All probiotics are the same for humans, cats, dogs, etc.... Try and use a probiotic with many strains in it for the best results. Ginger is a wonderful prebiotic, it feeds the probiotics. As we all know its' a wonderful herb to help with nausea and appetite but it also helps with digestion. It helps the intestinal tract to better absorb nutrients, and creates healthy digestive juices. Chickens are known to have fast moving waste systems and many nutrients go unabsorbed even in healthy birds. I use ginger on all sick birds, it makes a big difference in how they feel. You can grate a bit over some warm oatmeal or grits, dust their feed with a bit of it, it doesn't take a whole lot, a pinch is wonderful. If you can get a hold of Dandilion greens, they are super high in prebiotics, have wonderful trace minerals. Dandelions act as a wonderful blood detox and regular feeding is thought to help control internal parasites in your flock. They stimulate the digestive tract and are a wonderful addition to your flock's diet to improve their intestinal health.

True, good nutrition is very important for all living creatures, including us we have lots of dandelions and plantain. I typically do probiotics added to the water about every other day for the first few weeks then taper of after that. I bet they'd like a little yogurt in their mash, the ginger is a great idea too.

 

[2ndTink]

The Odoban would do that, although I've just wiped mine down with those hilex wipes. I don't know the concentration I made in the bottle I mixed up umpteen years ago but I'm just going to make a new batch and start using it for that too.

I think its main use is hospitals, but had info about it used for hatcheries, just didn't bring up eggs.

Odoban is on my must have list for the incubator and coop cleaning!

 

[2ndTink]

Thank you for mentioning me Bkaye.

Regarding the Egyptian Fayoumi birds. If you have a roomy run, they will do fine. I don't free range my birds. I tried to free range my bachelor roosters two years in a row. First year I lost a lot of them to predators. The ones who got some 'smarts' about them concerning predators I let out this spring and lost 3 of them to a fox. That was enough for me with the venture into free ranging.

If you have a roomy run, make sure that you cover it or clip wing feathers because EFs are strong fliers and the grass on the other side of the fence is just too tempting. Mine will even study the net for holes and fly up through the netting in order to escape. What's funnier is they remember where their escape point and will head back for it when caught.

Dumb they are not.

We have to keep all the runs covered because of the hawks.

Fayoumis sound really neat, escape artists and disease resistant! How are they for egg production?

 

[microchick]

We have to keep all the runs covered because of the hawks.

Fayoumis sound really neat, escape artists and disease resistant! How are they for egg production?

Eh....you know. So So. For my husband and myself they lay plenty of eggs. Their eggs are medium sized and the girls lay maybe 3 eggs a week. Sometimes 2. Pullets will lay through their first winter which is a treat because my bantams aren't doing squat.

My oldest girls are 4 and still laying and my 2 year olds should lay well through this season. I'm planning to hatch some EF this spring and am hoping to pick up some vaccinated white long horn pullets to cross with my roosters next year.

I'll probably toss some of my older Amish cross birds in with the EF hens when I sequester them off with Moe and Tut, my roosters and see if I can hatch some cross hens this summer.

 

[2ndTink]

Eh....you know. So So. For my husband and myself they lay plenty of eggs. Their eggs are medium sized and the girls lay maybe 3 eggs a week. Sometimes 2. Pullets will lay through their first winter which is a treat because my bantams aren't doing squat.

My oldest girls are 4 and still laying and my 2 year olds should lay well through this season. I'm planning to hatch some EF this spring and am hoping to pick up some vaccinated white long horn pullets to cross with my roosters next year.

I'll probably toss some of my older Amish cross birds in with the EF hens when I sequester them off with Moe and Tut, my roosters and see if I can hatch some cross hens this summer.

Lol, well I guess none of us have chickens to save money from buying eggs at the store definitely cheaper to just buy eggs, but not nearly as satisfying even when the chickens do bring heartbreak.

I wonder what the EF x leghorn cross will look like? It seems it could look good. I have a SLW x silkie cross and I can't say I'll be doing that again she's a bit awkward looking, but she's only 2 weeks old so she may blossom

 

[Debbie292d]

Lol, well I guess none of us have chickens to save money from buying eggs at the store definitely cheaper to just buy eggs, but not nearly as satisfying even when the chickens do bring heartbreak.

You nailed that one Tink!

 

[microchick]

Lol, well I guess none of us have chickens to save money from buying eggs at the store definitely cheaper to just buy eggs, but not nearly as satisfying even when the chickens do bring heartbreak.

I wonder what the EF x leghorn cross will look like? It seems it could look good. I have a SLW x silkie cross and I can't say I'll be doing that again she's a bit awkward looking, but she's only 2 weeks old so she may blossom

I have an Amish cross hen named Minnie Mouser...yeah, she loves to hunt mice and is better at it than our cats. I've had her in with the EF roosters twice and each time she has given me an egg that has gone into the incubator.

Minnie is a gold colored hen with some blue and white feathers interspersed with the primary gold color and each time her chick has hatched it has been a cockerel. Here's the funny thing. Both of her sons are white with speckled black breast feathers like a Fayoumi rooster, primary white bodies with light gold colored saddle feathers. Quite striking birds and they have inherited their mom's sweet disposition. The weird thing is that they both have/had pale yellow/white feet and legs like a Fayoumi are adorned with multicolored spots on their legs and feet. Neither hen or rooster have those spotted legs so....I lost the youngest one to a fox this past spring. RIP Scooter. He was just as sweet as his big brother and liked to drive our Border Collie hound mix dog crazy by standing over him and pulling out hairs on his tail and back. I just wish they had inherited their mom's verminating skills.

Yeah, I'm wondering too. I only bring in vaccinated birds due to the Marek's threat. So I won't breed the WLH girls to one of the Fayoumi boys until the spring of 25. Anticipation bites but if Pepper Corn and Scooter are any indication, the Fayoumi genes should predominate.