Mareks experience needed. prelim results pg 9

[EweSheep]

 

[NewToFarming]

I feel so bad you! I am truly sorry this is happening!

 

[seminolewind]

Thankyou for your thoughts. I do really appreciate them. I get so darn attached to these birds.

 

[klf73]

well, thinking about just culling everyone, and I mean everyone. I am so ready to cry right now. My flock across the street has seemed unaffected. remember, mareks can spread by air, for miles....
anyway, I noticed my favorite hen, the one that survived the coyote attack last year with her back ripped open, not leaving the coop. Thought she might be broody. BUT today I paid special attention. I opened the coop and she did not come out. She was laying there with her wing to the side unable to walk. I carried her to the water dish today

. I was going to get rid of my chickens last year when the coyote got half my laying flock over the summer while dh was in afghanistan, SHE was the only reason I kept them. I was so discouraged but she fought so hard to survive I decided to keep them.

Dh then bought me all my special birds. I also have another gorgeous orp baby that is starting to do the drunk walk. I told dh I can't keep taking care of these guys knowing that they are most likely all going to die. If I cull them all then I will not have chickens at all anymore. I will keep my new little duckies as they can't catch mareks. I may make a pen for the very few girls I can't pluck up the courage to cull, but waiting for them to get sick is just horrible.

I really don't know what to do now...

or

or

or

or mostly

the whole reason I am in this mess

 

[klf73]

here she is, still sitting next to the dish

eta- I put the barrel there to try to deter the others from stepping on her, I have 2 not very nice girls in the flock

 

[seminolewind]

I understand not knowing what to do. If you cull everyone, it will still be on the property for a long time.

With my chickens, prior to these chicks, over the last two years the ones that wasted away were all under 8 months old. And not all of the ones under 8 months old got it.
Which would mean that maybe your older birds are okay, except you may lose one or two. But your property being infected is not going to change anytime soon. And selling hatching eggs-they don't carry the virus. If you sell chicks, you will have to hatch them and keep them separate til sold-even immunized they can be carriers.

I feel like I'm left with 2 choices, hatch eggs and immunize them, or buy from a hatchery already immunized. But I don't think I'll be doing anything for a while, I need a break. Especially from the culling. It's too sad.

I wish some people would post about what they did after all the losses.

I have 29 chickens, all over a year old except for 2 who were hatched by my silkies this year. They are unaffected , and were first exposed 2 years ago.

As frustrating and sad as it is, you may feel even worse if you cull healthy birds.

I'm so sorry, and you certainly have company to feel sad with-me.

 

[klf73]

I know the property will have it...forever(if I keep chickens, few years up here if I cull all). even the vaccinated birds will catch and transmit so no bird that has been on the ground/outside can leave alive

. I still have all those chicks to cull if report ever comes back

. Dh wants to make a "sterile" room for me to hatch. If I do keep I may do the egg thing... so lost...

 

[klf73]

so it continues....I now have an ameraucana pullet that is having a leg problem, she is about 2 1/2 months old. I just wish this would end

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry, Krista. I also have another one, a 15 wk old roo, same group of chicks. He's letting me handle him, he's skin and bones. Normally those Polish chicks freak out if I go to touch them.

I bit the bullet (an expensive bullet) and bought vaccine for the next group. First State vet supply is the only one that has it, but they ship in a big cooler but the shipping is pricey. The expiration on it is end of 2012.

 

[klf73]

I had to place a second order

(my fridge died

) . I got it from twin city poultry for $28 shipped