I've not been around for the past month as I have been dealing with Lymphoid Leukosis brought in with some hatchery chicks to the farm.
The good thing is having 230 acres means some of the barns are 1/2 a mile apart.
The bad news, I had to de-populate the grow out barn which is half a mile from the breeding coops.
The saving grace, my bio-security routine is beyond extreme so only that barn was infected. 208 rare heritage breeds that were just starting to lay and ready to move to the breeding pens. A good thing I had a suspicion something was not right with them and kept them in that barn.
Lymphoid Leukosis is also called Chicken Wasting Disease in the commercial world and is passed on to chicks through the egg.
I will probably do an article on all the research I did, but the main differences is instead of affecting the nervous system like Mareks, it attacks the organs causing massive lesions to form and pretty much destroy the organs.
The first sign you have it is a perfectly normal acting bird drops dead with no outward sign of sickness and when you go pick the body up it ways ounces and is skin and bones.
Next week the barn will be fogged and sprayed with Virkon S a Viricide and Bactericide that is clinically proven to kill both Leukosis Viruses.
Why have I mentioned this disease to bring it to peoples attention like this, Because of the business model that all hatcheries currently follow. This disease is passed through the eggs of pullet layers until they have gone through 2 true molt cycles and a normal hatchery has already replaced their breeders before they go through their second true molt.
I am so lucky that I now live within 90 miles of a veterinary school and pathology lab so it did not cost a fortune. Though it did cost me an adult bird of each flock on the farm, sick or not to clear everyone else.
The good thing is having 230 acres means some of the barns are 1/2 a mile apart.
The bad news, I had to de-populate the grow out barn which is half a mile from the breeding coops.
The saving grace, my bio-security routine is beyond extreme so only that barn was infected. 208 rare heritage breeds that were just starting to lay and ready to move to the breeding pens. A good thing I had a suspicion something was not right with them and kept them in that barn.
Lymphoid Leukosis is also called Chicken Wasting Disease in the commercial world and is passed on to chicks through the egg.
I will probably do an article on all the research I did, but the main differences is instead of affecting the nervous system like Mareks, it attacks the organs causing massive lesions to form and pretty much destroy the organs.
The first sign you have it is a perfectly normal acting bird drops dead with no outward sign of sickness and when you go pick the body up it ways ounces and is skin and bones.
Next week the barn will be fogged and sprayed with Virkon S a Viricide and Bactericide that is clinically proven to kill both Leukosis Viruses.
Why have I mentioned this disease to bring it to peoples attention like this, Because of the business model that all hatcheries currently follow. This disease is passed through the eggs of pullet layers until they have gone through 2 true molt cycles and a normal hatchery has already replaced their breeders before they go through their second true molt.
I am so lucky that I now live within 90 miles of a veterinary school and pathology lab so it did not cost a fortune. Though it did cost me an adult bird of each flock on the farm, sick or not to clear everyone else.