California - Northern

[chrissyr]

I do not vaccinate for Mareks. It does not keep the chicks(and you have to vaccinate them as soon as you can) from catching Mareks. It lowers the number that will get cancer at around 24 months by about 3%.

Vaccinated and un Vaccinated chickens can be mixed in the same flock.

Maraks vaccine is active turkey maraks. The theory is if they carry the benign one they cannot get the leathal one. So you want them to spread it around and have it hopefully outcompe the bad chicken one.

In order for it to work they have to have ir for about 14 days before they are exposed to anything else. Since reg maraks is anywhere there are chickens that is a challenge . So some vaccinenated chicks will still get the cancers etc.

If you come this way for the breese sams downtown has the vaccines. I gave not been able to cut the one they have however so it is 20 per use.

Thank you Ron and chiqita And I'm super excited for those Bresse in a couple of weeks, thank you chiqita! My sweet husband is planning on turning our previous horse barn into chicken pens this spring. That means bigger and more coops

 

[Flowers of Abba]

She hasn't answered me, either.  I messaged her through FB.

Crap! She might have gotten overwhelmed. I personally sent over 100 people ocer there. We need to grt her on shark tank!

So I gave making it a try and they work. I just had to use velcro in two thin strips on brushed flannel to allow flex but not too much stretch. I'm thinking I shouldn't leave I on 24/7 though , since he didn't like it over his feathers and fluffed them out. Looks funky and maybe they will eventually fall out? ( the feathers) I don't want a showgirl olandsk dwarf!

 

[tommysgirl]

Hi everyone! Sorry I've been MIA. It's been busy around here.

We will be leaving California next week, as my husband got laid off. We are taking all our chickens (26!) and their 12x7 coop to Seattle area with us. Actually they will have a few month stay with a friend in Oregon while we try and buy a house. The kids and I will be living with my mom, also in Oregon, while DH works and we look for a house. Anyhow, Clementine (who is turning seven on November 12th) has a silkie hen that she is very bonded to, and I think we will try and keep her in West Linn with us while we are there (ordinance allows six hens). I would feel better if she had a buddy, so I am wondering if anyone close to us has a friendly silkie hen they would be willing to part with. Healthy, obviously - we haven't had any health issues at all and I'm nervous to add any outside chickens, but I feel like I can trust you guys. We live in Pennegrove, we can drive a reasonable distance, or we could pick up the chicken on they way up to Oregon (possibly).

We could buy or trade for other chickens

Sorry that you are moving but so glad you are able to take the coop and its contents along. I have wondered what you have been up too. Please stay in touch when you move as you can.

 

[tommysgirl]

Quote:
Good Luck with your TJs eggs! Isn't it wild to think that people get chicks from eggs bound for the table!?! The egg is an incredible thing.

 

[tommysgirl]

Isn't there a gal with silkies in Ft Bragg who has come on this thread in the last several months?

 

[CackleJoy]

I do not vaccinate for Mareks. It does not keep the chicks(and you have to vaccinate them as soon as you can) from catching Mareks. It lowers the number that will get cancer at around 24 months by about 3%.

Vaccinated and un Vaccinated chickens can be mixed in the same flock.

This whole discussion has been SO extremely helpful to me! We've been debating this very thing at our house. We don't vaccinate but are purchasing birds which have been, wondered about mixed flock!

Also, we put dirt in our brooder. The first time usually around 3 weeks. I didn't know it was good for the birds. I do it because they like to play in it and it's so fun to watch them tear it, and the weeds, apart! The first clump is always approached so cautiously.... they sneak up on it. Then it's a free for all! Good times on my end.

We handle the cocci threat this way; I don't use medicated feed. We use Modesto Milling's Organic Chick Crumble. I do medicate the water with raw apple cider vinegar and Conklin's liquid dispersible FASTRACK probiotic https://www.conklin.com/cart/itemDetail.cfm?pline=02&cline=05&parentSKU=036616. I'm a rep and even though we are new at chickens, we've used the Fastrack on many other animals. It's a favorite with dog breeders because it eliminates cocci in the puppies. I figure that if it works for dogs (and cows and horses and pigs...) it aught to work on chickens. Our entire flock gets Fastrack probiotic in their water on a regular basis.

The Mareks thing just scares me. We are getting some high-end birds and I don't want to have my whole flock wiped out. When reading about it, there is little common-sense approach. It's good to know that other people have made the choice not to vaccinate for Marek's and had good results.

ronott1 - Is there anything you do vaccinate for?

Thanks everybody!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Deerling - Deb has showgirls, but I'm not sure if she has any available at the moment.

 

[debs_flock]

Deerling - Deb has showgirls, but I'm not sure if she has any available at the moment.

I do have both showgirls and silkies. I'm sure I could find a spare girl in the bunch (I have lots of spare boys). I didn't speak up before because I am WAY out of your way.

Deerling, at least you'll still be able to participate here, we play pretty loosely with the definition of Northern CA,

 

[ronott1]

This whole discussion has been SO extremely helpful to me! We've been debating this very thing at our house. We don't vaccinate but are purchasing birds which have been, wondered about mixed flock!

Also, we put dirt in our brooder. The first time usually around 3 weeks. I didn't know it was good for the birds. I do it because they like to play in it and it's so fun to watch them tear it, and the weeds, apart! The first clump is always approached so cautiously.... they sneak up on it. Then it's a free for all! Good times on my end.

We handle the cocci threat this way; I don't use medicated feed. We use Modesto Milling's Organic Chick Crumble. I do medicate the water with raw apple cider vinegar and Conklin's liquid dispersible FASTRACK probiotic https://www.conklin.com/cart/itemDetail.cfm?pline=02&cline=05&parentSKU=036616. I'm a rep and even though we are new at chickens, we've used the Fastrack on many other animals. It's a favorite with dog breeders because it eliminates cocci in the puppies. I figure that if it works for dogs (and cows and horses and pigs...) it aught to work on chickens. Our entire flock gets Fastrack probiotic in their water on a regular basis.

The Mareks thing just scares me. We are getting some high-end birds and I don't want to have my whole flock wiped out. When reading about it, there is little common-sense approach. It's good to know that other people have made the choice not to vaccinate for Marek's and had good results.

ronott1 - Is there anything you do vaccinate for?

Thanks everybody!

Don't be scared of Mareks. Most American Heritage breeds are resistant to mareks and most breeders do not vaccinate for it. 5% will did from Mareks cancer at about 24 months without the vaccine and about 3% will die with the vaccine. Not much difference. Most breeds will not show symptoms of the initial infection.

If you had a breed that had more problems with Mareks yo might vaccinate and there is a bid difference depending on where you live. An example is Fowl Pox. A breeder in Roseville Vaccinates for fowl pox because it is in her area and her chickens get it. I live in Woodland and there is not Fowl Pox at my place.

The only vaccination that I have considered is for Cocci since mine do get that but None have died of it so I am managing it with Corid.

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
Thank you, I know it's crazy that an egg can be washed/sterilized/refrigerated and still hatch! I will be so excited if they start developing