- Thread starter
- #21
thefadedstitch
Chirping
Okay, asnwering more than one question here, bear with me.
I ask that people vaccinate to help in situations like mine. I will be converting to natural immunization asap but for now, I have to resort to the vaccine. I was sounding a bit contradictory on that point and should have been clearer. I am usually very specific but was emotional at the time of writing the thread. Please forgive that.
I will try to post the official report in the next day or two.
The preliminary diagnosis was Marek's given how riddled the pullet was with cancer. They did send the labs off to another lab that tests specifically for Marek's. It was confirmed.
Here in Mississippi Marek's is reportable. MSU forwarded the report to the state.
After speaking to the board of animal health and asking MANY questions, along with lots of research and soul searching, the decision to euthanize was ultimately mine. There were three choices for me, close my flock and greatly increase the odds of neighboring flocks catching what was killing mine and continue to watch mine waste away from cancer and secondary ailments (not pretty to watch), going ahead and bringing in new birds of my own accord and have them potentially (and likely) die in the same manner as the others or euthanize my babies to end the suffering and allow the soil to heal along with sanitizing everything I can potentially spray that future birds could come in contact with. That is why I'm closing my big coop and fencing thay immediate area off until next spring. A new coop is being commissioned as we speak.
Since the confirmation of the diagnosis I have been slowly developing a plan to maintain the health of my future flock and any possible additions. This included the coop closing, fencing surrounding area, sanitization, sticking to raised coops until 6 months of age with natural immunization for something that has only a leaky vaccine available after my flock is rebuilt (I prefer to ere on the side of caution and give everything more time than is suggested to be in the clear).
Again, sometimes a vaccination is a necessary evil. We do over vaccinate and we should be reverting back to natural methods as much as possible but utilize the science when necessary, i.e. antibiotics.
The natural remedies are something I began researching about a year and a half ago. By the end of the year I plan to be mixing my own feed and including mixing for natural resistance on a daily basis.
About the Marek's possibly being the secondary infection, after reflecting on everything that has happened health wise since October (when I initially started noticing the symptoms, most notably a six month old Deleware pullet that was so stunted in growth she was the size of a two month old chick), I believe that Marek's was the primary culprit. But, I understand your point and am interested in finding out more about it.
The respiratory issues came shortly after I noticed the stunted growth.
In October is when I moved and had no previous health problems until my flock was moved to my new location. At the same time as the respiratory issues began showing up, what I like to call pneumonia weather, began setting in. Me being inexperienced at chicken keeping, I didn't fully grasp the situation until it was far too late.
Hopefully I haven't left out any questions but please feel free to ask.
Also, I am not above correction or being open to new information as it will benefit my flock. I am nowhere near an avian specialist or biologist. What I know is from my experience and most likely limited research. I do try to stick to educational and professional sources.
There are sure to be points that I missed so let me know and hopefully this post is coherent.
I ask that people vaccinate to help in situations like mine. I will be converting to natural immunization asap but for now, I have to resort to the vaccine. I was sounding a bit contradictory on that point and should have been clearer. I am usually very specific but was emotional at the time of writing the thread. Please forgive that.
I will try to post the official report in the next day or two.
The preliminary diagnosis was Marek's given how riddled the pullet was with cancer. They did send the labs off to another lab that tests specifically for Marek's. It was confirmed.
Here in Mississippi Marek's is reportable. MSU forwarded the report to the state.
After speaking to the board of animal health and asking MANY questions, along with lots of research and soul searching, the decision to euthanize was ultimately mine. There were three choices for me, close my flock and greatly increase the odds of neighboring flocks catching what was killing mine and continue to watch mine waste away from cancer and secondary ailments (not pretty to watch), going ahead and bringing in new birds of my own accord and have them potentially (and likely) die in the same manner as the others or euthanize my babies to end the suffering and allow the soil to heal along with sanitizing everything I can potentially spray that future birds could come in contact with. That is why I'm closing my big coop and fencing thay immediate area off until next spring. A new coop is being commissioned as we speak.
Since the confirmation of the diagnosis I have been slowly developing a plan to maintain the health of my future flock and any possible additions. This included the coop closing, fencing surrounding area, sanitization, sticking to raised coops until 6 months of age with natural immunization for something that has only a leaky vaccine available after my flock is rebuilt (I prefer to ere on the side of caution and give everything more time than is suggested to be in the clear).
Again, sometimes a vaccination is a necessary evil. We do over vaccinate and we should be reverting back to natural methods as much as possible but utilize the science when necessary, i.e. antibiotics.
The natural remedies are something I began researching about a year and a half ago. By the end of the year I plan to be mixing my own feed and including mixing for natural resistance on a daily basis.
About the Marek's possibly being the secondary infection, after reflecting on everything that has happened health wise since October (when I initially started noticing the symptoms, most notably a six month old Deleware pullet that was so stunted in growth she was the size of a two month old chick), I believe that Marek's was the primary culprit. But, I understand your point and am interested in finding out more about it.
The respiratory issues came shortly after I noticed the stunted growth.
In October is when I moved and had no previous health problems until my flock was moved to my new location. At the same time as the respiratory issues began showing up, what I like to call pneumonia weather, began setting in. Me being inexperienced at chicken keeping, I didn't fully grasp the situation until it was far too late.
Hopefully I haven't left out any questions but please feel free to ask.
Also, I am not above correction or being open to new information as it will benefit my flock. I am nowhere near an avian specialist or biologist. What I know is from my experience and most likely limited research. I do try to stick to educational and professional sources.
There are sure to be points that I missed so let me know and hopefully this post is coherent.
Last edited:
