constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[welasharon]

Not sure if I wasn't paying attention or not....but are you saying that there seems to be two different issues you have had...one mareks and then something else that passes?

 

[centrarchid]

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Separate or same with differing severity I do not know.

 

[welasharon]

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Separate or same with differing severity I do not know.

I don't know a lot about Mareks but I was thinking some do survive. Maybe they will have immunity. Sorry centrarchid. I hope you don't lose too many.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Separate or same with differing severity I do not know.

I don't know a lot about Mareks but I was thinking some do survive. Maybe they will have immunity. Sorry centrarchid. I hope you don't lose too many.

This third year of this crap although first with actual losses. Too many migratory songbirds use my place as a refueling station. This spring I will get some turkeys to immunize my chickens.

 

[welasharon]

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I don't know a lot about Mareks but I was thinking some do survive. Maybe they will have immunity. Sorry centrarchid. I hope you don't lose too many.

This third year of this crap although first with actual losses. Too many migratory songbirds use my place as a refueling station. This spring I will get some turkeys to immunize my chickens.

That's curious. Does it always seem to happen around this time of the year? If it has been before without losses then...does that mean no immunity/resistance being built? Those succombing are new hatches or adults?

 

[centrarchid]

Outbreaks occuring same time of year although this one started later (with exception of Eduardo's case) and is persisting longer. Different individuals affected and again with exception of Eduardo victims are young of year. Close to 80% of total birds are turned over (replaced annually) as part of two parallel American dominique breeding projects and my games. Front porch flock is distinct from everything else especially in terms of husbandry. Front porch flock free ranges continouosly (no confinement) and to large degree feeds itself. The front porch flock's range overlaps with part of my confined games which is why all games from flock had to be confined as well to prevent fighting through pens. At this time of year the front porch flock is easily distinguishable from all others on place since it contains all my red jungle fowl and red jungle fowl x games. Only non-red jungle fowl / cross member of front porch flock is a pure American game pullet (Tippy) that lost her wing band. Only two confined birds this year have been affected, one was Eduardo and front porch flock's range encompassed his pen. They seemed to report to him multiple times daily. My games seem particularly susceptible this year. Overall, maybe 5 out of 80 birds have been affected this year with mortality rates of those this year being 2 of those 5 (40%). All but one associated with front porch flock in some way. I have a low mortality rate on walked games but cause not known since observations on those made infrequently.

This also time of year I find dead warblers, sparrows and juncos. I presume they are suffering from same affliction. Front porch flock does frequently encounter and often consumes such affected birds. Starlings also about in good numbers and are primary draw for Coopers hawks and even an overwintering merlin.

 

[welasharon]

Didn't you say you were having the next one to die tested? Or was that you? It surely does seem to be brought in from the birds. Would be interesting to see what it is.

 

[centrarchid]

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Yes, I was planning on getting bird tested but not until next fall. Will be done sooner now. If a form of Mareks as I suspect, then will acquire some turkeys, probably royal palm to tickle wife's fancy, that will serve to vaccinate the chickens with the less virulent form turkeys apparently always carry.

 

[welasharon]

Ah, I learn more every day! Have you had turkeys before? Do you know if blackhead is an issue in your area?

 

[centrarchid]

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We had a few turkeys in Indiana, but not since moving to Missouri. I will ask around about diseases affecting free-range turkeys in my area. To be honest the the number of folks keeping poultry around here appears low and very few appear to breed their own; all come from hatcheries as chicks so knowledge level concerning diseases and natural resistance is very low. Even though diseases may be same to veterinarian, the birds still seem to have adaptions to local strains of a given pathogen / parasite and most folks appear ignorant of that fact. I will have to step up my game population size for a few generations and will have add some local blood enable breeding resistance back into flock. Already have to do same to combat cocciodosis. Very big problem is the guys with potentially suitable games operate more like petshops where birds are not of their breeding and not raised where the birds are selected for disease resistance. Selection of games here appears one or at best two dimensional where gamesness (dimension 1) and coloration (dimension 2) appear to be more important than anything. My birds always had to survive the gauntlet of disease (dimension 1), predaters (dimension 2) and challenges of getting adequate amounts of quality grub (dimension 3) before the breeder / cockers hands (dimensions 4, 5, 6 ......) and ultimately gameness (last but not least important dimension) got involved with the selection process. Bit more of a rant going on in my mind that site will allow posted.