Disinfecting coop from mareks and alv

[Krinity]

I bought 4 pullets from a local breeder. I received a free rooster from a friend that came from this same breeders hatching eggs. One pulley died a couple weeks after I got her. I suspected alv but I didn’t think to have her autopsied properly. So I decided to test the remaining pullets and rooster. They have all tested positive for alv, mareks, or both. I must now cull them to avoid infecting the 5 week old babies I have separated from them. They have never been in contact with each other and come from different breeders. I’m devastated and terrified for my little. How do I disinfect my coop for my babies? It’s wood and wire. I have nesting pads in the boxes. Premium chicken sandwiches in the floor of the coop. And construction sand on the ground in my run.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I would toss the nesting pads and buy new ones. Probably shovel the sand out and replace it to limit whatever virus is still there.

Sorry, I'm not sure what chicken sandwiches are in regards to coop floors, but maybe that's something you can disinfect. If not, replace those too.

Then all surfaces need to be cleaned with a diluted bleach solution, like 1:10, I believe. Let it dry and air out good before you put more chickens in.

I've never been through this, but I've dealt with parvo from a litter of puppies years ago, and it was awful. The disinfection process was intense. I'm really sorry you're going through this!

 

[Krinity]

Sorry chicken sandwiches is a typo. I have premium chicken sand (it’s a dust free sand that’s basically tiny rocks) in the coop and construction sand in the run.

 

[ChickenChick46]

Sorry chicken sandwiches is a typo. I have premium chicken sand (it’s a dust free sand that’s basically tiny rocks) in the coop and construction sand in the run.

No worries. I honestly figured it was just something I didn't know about, lol. I'm very new to chickens, after all.

Probably best to just shovel it out, unfortunately.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I might be mistaken but I think Mareks lives in the soil for at least a year after exposure. Can you move the coop to new ground?

 

[Krinity]

No and my flock freeranged. I plan on spraying the ground in the free range area as well. I’m thinking I need to scoop out the sand.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I might be mistaken but I think Mareks lives in the soil for at least a year after exposure. Can you move the coop to new ground?

I think you're correct. Like parvo. I read that shoveling out as much of "the ground" as you can, and even disinfecting the ground are good ideas. To disinfect the ground, you remove all visible debris and waste, then use something like Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide. It kills parvo, but not sure about Marek's. Chewy sells it though. I'm guessing it still isn't 100%, but better.

 

[tripletfeb]

Have the new chicks been exposed to the older ones at any time? Mareks is spread through the dander and bedding of chickens and can go for miles on a good wind. And from your clothes. What I'm saying is, you probably cannot prevent your littles from getting it, if they were in the same yard or close to the older birds. They have already been exposed. As for the alv, I have no idea if that can be cleaned and sanitized. But Mareks, sadly, it cannot. I'm sorry. But all hope is not lost. Read this article, it's very informative. Good luck
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/

 

[Krinity]

I have ordered virkon s. It apparently kills both alv and merecks. I’m going to spray the coop, run, and free range area with it twice over a couple weeks. I’m going to remove all sand and coop bedding and replace with new. My chicks are technically in the same yard as the biggers were but very far apart and they never came into contact with each other. I know it’s possible it’s spread to them already but I gotta try something.

 

[tripletfeb]

I have ordered virkon s. It apparently kills both alv and merecks. I’m going to spray the coop, run, and free range area with it twice over a couple weeks. I’m going to remove all sand and coop bedding and replace with new. My chicks are technically in the same yard as the biggers were but very far apart and they never came into contact with each other. I know it’s possible it’s spread to them already but I gotta try something.

Read the article I linked. It's very informative. And not all sad, there's hope for those of us who have Marek flocks