Chicken-Mom33
In the Brooder
- Jan 14, 2021
- 9
- 42
- 34
Hi! I’m Kristi. I’ve trolled these pages daily for almost a year... more so when I needed answers because when I Google anything this group pops up always and it’s been a great source of info for me. Idk why I didn’t join sooner.. I have 2 separated flocks - one of 5 ( was 8 ) and one of 4. Being s chicken tender has become my life. I personally don’t have meat birds and couldn’t however I respect those who do. My heart just can’t separate pet and food. So here’s my story-
So I started with WANTING 3 lol I got 4 and a few weeks later 4 more. The first set was from a local breeder. Second at tsc. When I was researching I read about Mareks but it was suggested it’s rare
I know better now. Then around 8 weeks later I bought 4 more. So all 12 of these chickens were in my living room in different brooders. I got covid.. we were building a coop. That got delayed and my oldest girls were way to old to be inside.. never outside which was the biggest mistake I made ( IMO ) because they didn’t ever build a immune system. The first set started sneezing within a week and the breeder gave me powder antibiotics. ( I had no idea this was not normal) so finally I get the big girls ( 16/20 ish weeks old) outside. Try all did great formed a pecking order and were hot ( in Texas) but happy. Then one of the inside chicks died. She was just dead. So I thought she got trampled. Then the second about 4 weeks later with her I noticed she was shaking her head and had physically slowed down.. she passed in my partners arms with labored breathing still never thought of Mareks. So there’s 2 babies left monicka and Myrtle.. Monica was the runt and so sassy. She “ Hurt” her leg or so I thought one night and started declining so I took her to a vet. She suspected Mareks. She fought hard to live but passed. Do Myrtle was so sad. And btw we were building a smaller coop for the younger ones. We were gifted 2 supposedly vs abated chicks ..or teens.. around myrtlrs age and it made her happy.. I feel like a a hole now because Myrtle finally passed and now the two chicks are not well. After Myrtle all of a sudden my rir outside and around 8 months got sick. They were also dealing with foul pox.. it was the first on her. I’d bring her in every night feed eggs bugs etc. the flock attacked her and she couldn’t use her legs so we took her to the state lab. Bf had her put down and had a necropsy preformed. Mareks was the diagnosis. I was defeated and devastated because I have come to absolutely adore these feathery brats. Then one of my brahmas got sick .. no paralysis just thin and not feeling well weak and couldn’t get on the roost.. she came in nightly. She passed on my birthday
One of the most difficult ones was my barred rock and top hen.. bailey I thought she was egg bound because she stopped laying .. she was not underweight and strong. I soaked her daily for days.. lubed her vent etc. Her last night I know she was not well but she got on the top roost as always and was gone in the am
her comb was bright red and stood strait up. Her appetite decreased but not fully. So now I have 5 big girls and 4 littles the 2 sick ones and 2 new Sapphire gems that are about 13-15 weeks old vaccinated. Im determined to have a flock .. I am broken with the loss of life because I feel like I somehow doomed them to death. I truly love all of them. At this point the 2 sickish ones are with the healthy sapphires and I’m considering putting them down and getting 2 more sapphires.. I just don’t want it to be a death sentence for them. I hate Mareks. And I have had no one to talk to about it because it’s almost like a plague in the chicken community. Sadly when ppls chickens “ just die” they don’t waste time or money to see why they die so it could very well be Mareks as the state doctor explained it’s actually very common. I try to be positive and most days I am but there is always fear in the back of my mind when going to let the girls out in the am. I’m glad I finally joined this group.❤
So I started with WANTING 3 lol I got 4 and a few weeks later 4 more. The first set was from a local breeder. Second at tsc. When I was researching I read about Mareks but it was suggested it’s rare
I know better now. Then around 8 weeks later I bought 4 more. So all 12 of these chickens were in my living room in different brooders. I got covid.. we were building a coop. That got delayed and my oldest girls were way to old to be inside.. never outside which was the biggest mistake I made ( IMO ) because they didn’t ever build a immune system. The first set started sneezing within a week and the breeder gave me powder antibiotics. ( I had no idea this was not normal) so finally I get the big girls ( 16/20 ish weeks old) outside. Try all did great formed a pecking order and were hot ( in Texas) but happy. Then one of the inside chicks died. She was just dead. So I thought she got trampled. Then the second about 4 weeks later with her I noticed she was shaking her head and had physically slowed down.. she passed in my partners arms with labored breathing still never thought of Mareks. So there’s 2 babies left monicka and Myrtle.. Monica was the runt and so sassy. She “ Hurt” her leg or so I thought one night and started declining so I took her to a vet. She suspected Mareks. She fought hard to live but passed. Do Myrtle was so sad. And btw we were building a smaller coop for the younger ones. We were gifted 2 supposedly vs abated chicks ..or teens.. around myrtlrs age and it made her happy.. I feel like a a hole now because Myrtle finally passed and now the two chicks are not well. After Myrtle all of a sudden my rir outside and around 8 months got sick. They were also dealing with foul pox.. it was the first on her. I’d bring her in every night feed eggs bugs etc. the flock attacked her and she couldn’t use her legs so we took her to the state lab. Bf had her put down and had a necropsy preformed. Mareks was the diagnosis. I was defeated and devastated because I have come to absolutely adore these feathery brats. Then one of my brahmas got sick .. no paralysis just thin and not feeling well weak and couldn’t get on the roost.. she came in nightly. She passed on my birthday One of the most difficult ones was my barred rock and top hen.. bailey I thought she was egg bound because she stopped laying .. she was not underweight and strong. I soaked her daily for days.. lubed her vent etc. Her last night I know she was not well but she got on the top roost as always and was gone in the am her comb was bright red and stood strait up. Her appetite decreased but not fully. So now I have 5 big girls and 4 littles the 2 sick ones and 2 new Sapphire gems that are about 13-15 weeks old vaccinated. Im determined to have a flock .. I am broken with the loss of life because I feel like I somehow doomed them to death. I truly love all of them. At this point the 2 sickish ones are with the healthy sapphires and I’m considering putting them down and getting 2 more sapphires.. I just don’t want it to be a death sentence for them. I hate Mareks. And I have had no one to talk to about it because it’s almost like a plague in the chicken community. Sadly when ppls chickens “ just die” they don’t waste time or money to see why they die so it could very well be Mareks as the state doctor explained it’s actually very common. I try to be positive and most days I am but there is always fear in the back of my mind when going to let the girls out in the am. I’m glad I finally joined this group.❤
So sorry to hear about your loss.
and welcome to BYC! You’ve joined a great and resourceful community! Sorry for your losses.
Glad you joined.
