California - Northern

[tridentk9]

Anyway, I know Mereks is a problem in some places but I find Cocci to be a much bigger problem.  As an aside, we have neighbors with Turkeys.  I've heard that Turkeys can be great to keep as they carry something that protects the chickens from Mareks.

Turkeys carry Marek's Disease Virus serotype 3 aka HVT. It has no effect on turkeys. The initial Marek's vaccine was made from HVT as HVT would produce antigens for the initial chicken strain of MDV. Think cowpox and smallpox.

 

[tridentk9]

So I realize this could sound controversial, but please hear me out.

The USDA recommends against Merek's vaccines for small flocks, so none of my birds are vaccinated. I have never owned vaccinated birds and I have never had a case of Mereks, a disease which is endemic EVERYWHERE.

USDA ARS probably said that because the general feeling is that vaccination without stopping the virus is probably a major factor in the increased virulance of MDV.

 

[casportpony]

Anyway, I know Mereks is a problem in some places but I find Cocci to be a much bigger problem.  As an aside, we have neighbors with Turkeys.  I've heard that Turkeys can be great to keep as they carry something that protects the chickens from Mareks.

Turkeys carry Marek's Disease Virus serotype 3 aka HVT. It has no effect on turkeys. The initial Marek's vaccine was made from HVT as HVT would produce antigens for the initial chicken strain of MDV. Think cowpox and smallpox.

There were some turkeys that died from Marek's in Europe maybe? I'll see if I can find that link.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Can't find the link, but this document says they can it:
http://cldavis.org/cgi-bin/download.cgi?pid=165

-Kathy

 

[QueenBubbles]

Hello Queen Bubbles,
First there is really no such designation as a Black Sex Link chicken simply because sex linkage is a genetic condition and not a breed.  As a matter of fact what you probably mean is a Black Star chicken which is a label to identify a hybrid bird since this animal can't have a breed designation being a cross (hybrid).  Nor does this animal likely have an avoidance problem as a result of its genetic heritage.  Your bird is near to or at the bottom of the peck order as you seem to have surmised.  Ron Ottman's suggestion is spot on.  Another thing you might do is to protect the bird by putting up a temporary coarse fence which will allow contact with the other birds higher up the peck order and yet protect it from the trauma of assault.  Your bird knows that it must eat on the run lest it take a drubbing.  Being partially isolated will allow your bird to get more nutrition and thus likely build up strength and subsequent confidence.  When not feeding I would allow the bird direct unprotected contact with the rest of the flock returning it to the "protected arena" only for feeding say twice or three times a day.  It will then likely build up enough confidence to eventually feed without any shielding at all.  Of course this prescription requires you to be home with the hen most of the day, at least until you achieve your goal.  I remember back in the Stone Age as a college student in the ag. department of Un. of Md. when we would enter a broiler house containing 20,000 or so chickens one could easily spot the 50 or so pathetic ones at the bottom of the peck order as they would run to you and feed like mad while the other birds would shy away.  These birds had learned that this would be the only opportunity that they would have uninterrupted opportunity to feed during the day!  House managers would often make several daily trips inside the broiler house for the main purpose of giving the poor things a respite as well as to check on the operation of the food and watering equipment.
Stay well and hang in there,
Neal, the Zooman 

It Is interesting to know it does happen. I do make sure she gets a share and I'm looking for a scale so I can monitor her weight. Any suggestions?

 

[ronott1]

It Is interesting to know it does happen. I do make sure she gets a share and I'm looking for a scale so I can monitor her weight. Any suggestions?

I use a kitchen scale. It was from target and weighs things up to 8 pounds. I set a bowl on the scale, turn it on to zero it out and then set the chicken into the bowl. They usually stay in the bowl long enough to get a weight.

 

[SpringPeeper]

I hear peeping!

That's always exciting!

Yeah, not telling my daughters, or else they'll never get to bed. Not that my going outside every few minutes isn't suspicious

But, hey, I'm just checking to see if they're in the coop, since it's almost dark

Ha, probably a good idea. With the one batch of chicks I incubated my daughter was up well into the night. The broody-hatched chicks she didn't hear about until the next day.

 

[QueenBubbles]

We've lost Omelette (our White Rock) to internal laying.  We've already agreed that one of the chicks will be named after her.

Condolences for Omlette. It is a great name to be passed on.

 

[QueenBubbles]

I use a kitchen scale. It was from target and weighs things up to 8 pounds. I set a bowl on the scale, turn it on to zero it out and then set the chicken into the bowl. They usually stay in the bowl long enough to get a weight.

Thank you ronott1- that is a huge help. I was wondering how to keep them on!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I hear chirping from inside the R-Com