EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Pensmaster]

Regarding the Mareks vaccine:
The hen I lost recently was indeed to Mareks. She was a (EE) the 1st I lost due to this. I do realize it could have been brought in by many ways. However I do want to add that I did add my own hatched &vaccinated pullets to the existing unvaccinated flock in August. (After reading this site, and hearing horror stories of this virus, I decided that the next batch of chicks I hatched I would vaccinate them myself, and I did)
Is it a concidence that after integrating vaccinated pullets into a unvaccinated flock, I lose a hen to the virus? Possibly.

After speaking at length to the Dr. Moore at Texas A&M, he did tell me that yes, the vaccine does leak(in very small amounts).
I still have 3 unvaccinated silkies in the flock, and said "I don't get it, they should have fallen first, there known to be escepically suspectable to this virus".
After conversing with him for hours I have come to the conclusion, that I can only add chicks I hatch and vaccinate myself, and never sell or give away eggs, or chickens to anyone else! This totally sucks!! However it would not be ethical or morally ok for myself or anyone else to spread this virus. BTW, if you ever need to pick someone's brain, he is awesome! He will take the time to explain everything to you. I have literally spent about 3 hours total talking to him on the phone. Not all at once, but about 3 times)

Anyway, I thought I would just include this if it is of any help to anyone out there.

After this report, I had that feeling of "persona non gratta". I have to be extra careful and up front before visiting other farms.
Oh, well, I guess I will just have to hatch more so the ones I have will be enough!!!

Nk, I've been told that Mareks is airborne and can travel from farm to farm. This from the guy I got Mareks from. Although telling a fellow chicken enthusiast is a nice gesture. When I looked up is Mareks airborne this is what I came up with. I don't sell my chicks or eggs for hatching and I'm very careful on what I bring in now.

http://everything-poultry.com/mareks-disease/

 

[Akrnaf2]

 
Internal or external pip? 

-Kathy

external-I dont mess with them looking for internal pips. they seem to do better the more hands off I am

You mean HAND off!

 

[Akrnaf2]

Maybe one day when you're a grownup like me. The internet is a much scarier place now than it was when I was your age.

There was no Internet when I was their age....

Exactly my words!

 

[Akrnaf2]

You forgot a "y"!

Here it is Y!

oh benny I  you lol

Exactly my DH words!

 

[Pensmaster]

don't worry I don't have a facebook, Instagram or twitter

Me either.

As to the humidity do what you did last time. Better yet ask the folks you got eggs from to see what humidity works best for them. Different eggs have different porosity so they will need different humidity.

 

[lovechicks1293]

Maybe one day when you're a grownup like me.

The internet is a much scarier place now than it was when I was your age.

yeah, it is

 

[kajira]

I've fed mine apples for the last 12 years or so. Any peels or cores from pies go to them as well. Any drops in the orchard that I don't eat they get. They seem fine. In the fall they literally get buckets of them.

I always assumed apples were fine, but they were on a list, along with avacados of "do not feed chickens" when he looked it up for our daughter.

I was like... APPLES?!!?!?

 

[kajira]

Me either.

As to the humidity do what you did last time. Better yet ask the folks you got eggs from to see what humidity works best for them. Different eggs have different porosity so they will need different humidity.

I don't have those either. LOL

 

[Blooie]

I've seen all the stuff on not feeding apples to chickens because of the seeds, but then I've seen stuff that says that a broody hen will show chicks what is okay to eat. So I guess those broodies are out there picking out the seeds for the chicks before they let them chow down on the apples? Our chickens free range area includes our apple trees, and they sure spend a lot of time out there eating unhealthy stuff! Come to think of it, so do I....so pass the chips and dip and pour me another Pepsi, will you please?

 

[Pensmaster]

I always assumed apples were fine, but they were on a list, along with avacados of "do not feed chickens" when he looked it up for our daughter.

I was like... APPLES?!!?!?

I think maybe it's the seeds arsenic I think. But it's so minuscule it would take quite a bit too hurt them. Avocado on the other hand is so rare here they don't get much of it but it does go into the compost bin for them. Potato peels as well. And while I'm at it banana peels too. Any meat scraps also.