Living With Mareks: And Yes, that's my introduction, sadly.

[Lil Halawakee]

I would be so scared I would hurt them haha plus it only comes in 1000 dose vials, no? Considering I’ve only hatched like less than 10 a time, that’s a lot of vaccine I might have to try it though sometime if I ever do hatch more because it definitely sucks losing them!! I’ve lost several to it. But I’m torn between vaccinating and breeding for immunity.

Ask me anything about vaccination--I'm right here! As to the last sentence: I'm trying to do both. I have this idea that they can work together. Hope?

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC. I think @duluthralphie & @seminolewind have some experience vaccinating their chicks.

 

[Lil Halawakee]

Welcome to BYC. I think @duluthralphie & @seminolewind have some experience vaccinating their chicks.

We are great at the process. Just hoping to hear what happens a year or two after. Thank you for the welcome!

 

[HKG]

WELCOME TO BYC!!!!!!

 

[swampfox440]

Welcome to BYC ! Good luck with your flock !

 

[CluckerFamily]

Welcome to BYC!!

 

[sourland]

Hello, Kat, welcome to BYC, and good luck with your flock.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I really would love to hear more about breeding for immunity--thank you! And you are right. We would need a rooster coop or get ready to cull on that.

Ask me anything about vaccination--I'm right here! As to the last sentence: I'm trying to do both. I have this idea that they can work together. Hope?

Thank you! Very nice of you! And I think that might work although it might make it hard to tell if you’re reaching your goals or not if they aren’t showing symptoms. Because basically, as sad as it is, you keep the ones that don’t die from it and show the most resistance to it and breed from those birds. So if none are showing symptoms it can be hard to know who is resistant. But I totally understand not wanting to lose any!!

Some breeds are more susceptible than others. I believe Silkies and Welsummers are some of the more susceptible ones (and there are others) and Egyptian Fayoumis are known to be resistant to Mareks. There are also some Leghorn strains that are as well though one of mine has ocular Mareks. She’s not from that strain though. I believe Ideal carries the Mareks resistant ones.

Typically with Mareks, it strikes around 3-8 months I believe (though it can strike older or younger) so you basically keep them into maturity, I guess until at least a year, I’m not entirely sure, to make sure they don’t succumb to it.

Most of the ones I have lost have been on the later end of that, around 6-7 months old. Once they get into adulthood they’re typically okay and then you would breed from those but yes, you would need a separate pen and/or to prepare for lots of losses if you go that route.

I believe @microchick and @EggSighted4Life breed for resistance or were trying to but @EggSighted4Life doesn’t vaccinate AFAIK so I don’t think she would be of help there but may be able to help you with breeding for resistance! I believe that you would have to pick one or the other though, unfortunately, as to breed for it you would have to cull those that show symptoms. If that’s too upsetting, you may choose to just buy vaccinated chicks from here on out (or vaccinate yourself).

This thread may be of some help.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/breeding-for-mareks-resistance.1274506/#post-20495506

 

[microchick]

Yes, I am still working on my breeding for resistance project cross breeding vaccinated, genetically resistant Egyptian Fayoumis to non vaccinated locally bred Amish backyard mixes that appear to have developed resistance to the strain of MD that devastated my flock 4 years ago.

So far so good! Not only have the Fayoumis bred with my barnyard crosses but also with my Silver Duck Wing Bantams. I have only gotten cockerels to date but I am hoping to start seeing some cross bred pullets, hopefully sooner than later.

@TheDawg, what a veterinary doctor at the University of MO at Columbia told me during a conversation is that you will recognize resistant birds when you have roosters and hens that survive 3-4 years, 5 is better. Yes, I know, then the trick is to get fertility out of them but it is possible.

And remember resistance doesn't mean immunity. I don't think there is a breed of chickens that is truly immune to MD but there are birds that are resistant to getting the disease.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yes, I am still working on my breeding for resistance project cross breeding vaccinated, genetically resistant Egyptian Fayoumis to non vaccinated locally bred Amish backyard mixes that appear to have developed resistance to the strain of MD that devastated my flock 4 years ago.

So far so good! Not only have the Fayoumis bred with my barnyard crosses but also with my Silver Duck Wing Bantams. I have only gotten cockerels to date but I am hoping to start seeing some cross bred pullets, hopefully sooner than later.

@TheDawg, what a veterinary doctor at the University of MO at Columbia told me during a conversation is that you will recognize resistant birds when you have roosters and hens that survive 3-4 years, 5 is better. Yes, I know, then the trick is to get fertility out of them but it is possible.

And remember resistance doesn't mean immunity. I don't think there is a breed of chickens that is truly immune to MD but there are birds that are resistant to getting the disease.

Glad to hear the project is going well! It sounds really interesting! I would love to try something similar eventually myself, been wanting Fayoumis ever since you had mentioned them a while back, but it will have to wait a while as I’m trying to downsize atm not upsize

I hadn’t realized it was such a long time though! That’s fascinating! I wouldn’t have guessed that! The older ones must die from secondary causes then?

And I’d be happy if I didn’t have to keep putting them down tbh.