Let's talk about Mareks... Looking for people who deal with in their flock

[microchick]

I'm so sorry.This is one club nobody wants to be a member of but yes, now you know what you are dealing with and what to expect.

Not knowing is the worst part next to loosing birds. Please let us know how things are going with your flock from time to time.

 

[AudieWarren]

I had a wonderfully happy healthy flock until I bought from my local auction. I want to call the auction house and at least tell them what's going on. See if they can contact the seller(s).... Just as a heads up. Then again I don't know if it'll do any good. They should be aware of sick birds coming through their auction.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think it's an unspoken fact that birds at an auction, and swaps are disease carriers. I avoid them like the plague makers they are. Even if the birds aren't sick when taken to the sale they come in contact with birds carrying stuff they aren't and vice versa. To me they are all typhoid Marys no matter how good they look. I personally would never buy from them ever again. I learned that lesson the hard way too.

 

[microchick]

Unfortunately, @AudieWarren, Marek's disease is everywhere and the truth of the matter is that either your birds are resistant or they aren't. Resistant birds survive. Non resistant....well you know.

I have read reports that state that if tested, the herpes virus that causes Marek's would be found in every flock in America.

Did anybody read the new report that says that they are starting to think that Alzheimer's disease is being generated by HV1 Virus in humans?

 

[Kiki]

I had a wonderfully happy healthy flock until I bought from my local auction. I want to call the auction house and at least tell them what's going on. See if they can contact the seller(s).... Just as a heads up. Then again I don't know if it'll do any good. They should be aware of sick birds coming through their auction.

Sick birds don't alway show signs.
Do you know who the seller was?

 

[microchick]

With my experiences I will only deal with locally bred birds unless and that is a big unless, I am buying them from a hatchery. I have plans this spring to add 6 more Fayoumis to my flock simply because they are resistant to Marek's and many of the other infectious diseases that plague flocks. I have one hen now and she is in with my bantams.

I figure the local birds, especially the chickens that are raised on Amish farms, have developed natural resistance to Marek's disease in our area. My bantam losses are way lower than Standard sized bird losses. 3 out of almost 50 bantams from Amish stock compared to 25 out of 38 birds that came from an out of area breeder. I'm done with Buff O's and Welsummers. I have 13 left. 11 hens and 2 roos. The birds showing signs of decline from Marek's have been culled leaving me with the 13. After loosing 2/3rds of my flock to this horrible disease, I'm done with them. The remaining birds will live out their lives here. They are pampered and spoiled. But they will die from old age or from disease and not be replaced. The bantam crosses I hope will breed with the Egyptian Fayoumi's that I have or will get and give me even stronger, more resistant birds yet.

 

[AudieWarren]

Sick birds don't alway show signs.
Do you know who the seller was?

I don't know who the seller(s) are. I am probably going to call the auction house to see if they could tell me.

 

[Kiki]

I don't know who the seller(s) are. I am probably going to call the auction house to see if they could tell me.

I find that there are two kinds of people.
People who don't really know their birds are sick and sell and then there are people who DO KNOW and continue to sell.
It would be nice if someone could "investigate" this particular seller and shut them down if there are the second type.

 

[AudieWarren]

With my experiences I will only deal with locally bred birds unless and that is a big unless, I am buying them from a hatchery. I have plans this spring to add 6 more Fayoumis to my flock simply because they are resistant to Marek's and many of the other infectious diseases that plague flocks. I have one hen now and she is in with my bantams.

I figure the local birds, especially the chickens that are raised on Amish farms, have developed natural resistance to Marek's disease in our area. My bantam losses are way lower than Standard sized bird losses. 3 out of almost 50 bantams from Amish stock compared to 25 out of 38 birds that came from an out of area breeder. I'm done with Buff O's and Welsummers. I have 13 left. 11 hens and 2 roos. The birds showing signs of decline from Marek's have been culled leaving me with the 13. After loosing 2/3rds of my flock to this horrible disease, I'm done with them. The remaining birds will live out their lives here. They are pampered and spoiled. But they will die from old age or from disease and not be replaced. The bantam crosses I hope will breed with the Egyptian Fayoumi's that I have or will get and give me even stronger, more resistant birds yet.

I have definitely learned at lesson. I was building my flock. I needed some laying hens that would go broody. My goal is to keep a closed flock. My husband and I agree that thinning our flock for now is the best bet.

 

[AudieWarren]

I find that there are two kinds of people.
People who don't really know their birds are sick and sell and then there are people who DO KNOW and continue to sell.
It would be nice if someone could "investigate" this particular seller and shut them down if there are the second type.

I agree!!!