Losing a Pullet Each Month

[Mehjr10]

The Valbazen just came in - think I should worm regardless? (1/2 ml per chicken, then again in 10 days, right?)

I think my dead gal was free of worms but...would it hurt them to do it preventively?

I "Sevin'ed" them and the coop floor and put down fresh hay yesterday as well.

I really don't want this to happen again; and I've got another pale chicken that I figure would be next if it's taking the weak ones - she's at the bottom of the pecking order and hasn't developed the red comb/wattles yet like the others. Just seems to fit into this pattern...

Correct on the dosage, .01ml per pound is about what it works out to, or .5ml for average 5 lb bird. I give that as a standard dose to all but my larger birds then I will bump it up.. If they get a bit more it is better than not enough.

I worm mine as a preventative 2x per year.

As Kathy asked did you dissect the intestines to look for worms? the photo's do not show that.

 

[bbkaren]

Thanks for the information.

And yes, I did cut into the intestines and squeeze out the contents (brownish green goop, but no worms), but I did not slice them open and look at the lining or anything like that.

I was sort of hoping to find worms so I'd know that there was a simple fix to my problem, but unfortunately there was nothing to indicate this would be simple...

 

[casportpony]

Roundworms and tape would have been easy to see, but cecal worm and capillary worms are really small, so maybe you didn't see them?

-Kathy

 

[bbkaren]

Yeah, nothing would make me happier than to see them all blossom into **THRIVE** after worming. Honestly, everyone who's left is doing well except one - the bottom-of-the-pecking-order pullet ("Victim Girl"). She's active and seems well, but she's pale, hasn't developed her comb/wattles like her sister, and hangs back (I always figured because she's so picked-on)...so I fear she would be the next in line if this is Marek's.

Any suggestions on ways to try to strengthen her? I'm putting ACV in the water and don't have anything in the way of resources to buy special vitamins, etc.

 

[casportpony]

Try feeding her eggs or even lay pellets/crumbles mixed with water and stay on top of mite/lice treatments, that's how I manage mine.

-Kathy

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: Sugar if refined and white is not something I'd give a chicken I'm thinking has something wrong with it. Sometimes you'd get away with it, but it can prove the tipping point, as viruses, cancers, and harmful bacteria etc all love refined sugar as it specifically feeds them.
Quote: Like anyone else I can only speak from my own experiences, but this statistic has not been reflected in the vast majority of flocks I have known. Out of hundreds of birds raised without any artificial meds or any vaccines I have personally only lost a total of two to definite Marek's. Granted, I am sure many others did get it but not show symptoms. One woman I knew did suffer large flock losses with Marek's which reflected your quoted number; she only kept purebred Silkies.

The strains or Marek's in America and Australia would of course be different and I expect Americans have far nastier strains due to the apparent prevalence of vaccines, meds and antibiotics in common usage, combined with the sheer size of the country. They'd have to be stronger to survive that continual barrage. Most Aussies don't vaccinate or use antibiotics in general, from my experience. Isolation would possibly work in our favor too.

 

[BigECarter]

The 60% came from documents published on-line. I think the 10% was also, the 20% from e-mail from breeder. All appropriate for US, not sure about strains. As noted, individual flocks will vary. So... a Marek's diagnosis may not be as devastating for someone else as it has been for me.

Breed wise:
2 English orp pullets - 1 dead (blue), 1 healthy (splash)
4 Lavender orps - 3 dead (1 cockerel, 2 pullets), 1 somewhat healthy (cockerel)
1 show quality SLW - dead
1 GLW - sick
1 Rhodebar - healthy

I would think that there is resistance variability between as well as within breeds.

E

 

[chooks4life]

Ah, good point. I didn't even consider breed specific resistance except to assume that woman's Silkies were weak. I have an all-mongrel flock, so I guess that might be why I have such low mortality.

 

[casportpony]

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebright_(chicken)
"Sebrights are neither prolific egg layers, nor outstanding meat birds. They can prove to be particularly difficult to raise, especially for beginners. Hens rarely go broody and chicks usually have high mortality rates. Adults are generally hardy birds, but are especially susceptible to Marek's disease.[17]"

 

[bbkaren]

I hate to mention this because it seems to be a hot button topic here. But we did buy them all from Poultry Holl0w here in TN. Seems there are an awful lot of folks who have trouble with their birds. sigh.