I got hit recently with Mareks Disease the nerve version. This is my first time ever having this type of difficulty raising chicks. I have lost well over 75 chicks and it could be closer to 100. I have three chick pens and only one was infected. I have had no other casualties yet (fingers crossed).
I am writing this to tell you that I have what I think might be the closest thing to a cure.
I was losing 6 to 15 chicks every day and I was removing the chicks and either burning them or sending them out with the weekly trash to keep the spread under control. I was sick cause I thought I'd end up having to cull the entire bunch. I tried several things including colloidal silver with NO LUCK. So, I did three things, I released my entire chick pen into the yard, covered the litter with new pine shavings and started putting three echinacea pills into the water every night. I have had 3 days with no more casualties. It appears I have one who is going through the paralysis tonight but I moved it from the others into a little pen to itself. I will probably lose him but one in 3 days is a HUGE improvement from 6 to 15 every day!
If you flock is suffering, try this method... I'm using 3 pills to about a gallon of water. EVERY morning and EVERY night. It is the only water they drink.
Dave
I am writing this to tell you that I have what I think might be the closest thing to a cure.
I was losing 6 to 15 chicks every day and I was removing the chicks and either burning them or sending them out with the weekly trash to keep the spread under control. I was sick cause I thought I'd end up having to cull the entire bunch. I tried several things including colloidal silver with NO LUCK. So, I did three things, I released my entire chick pen into the yard, covered the litter with new pine shavings and started putting three echinacea pills into the water every night. I have had 3 days with no more casualties. It appears I have one who is going through the paralysis tonight but I moved it from the others into a little pen to itself. I will probably lose him but one in 3 days is a HUGE improvement from 6 to 15 every day!
If you flock is suffering, try this method... I'm using 3 pills to about a gallon of water. EVERY morning and EVERY night. It is the only water they drink.
Dave