Mareks experience needed. prelim results pg 9

[seminolewind]

Quote:
If you have had Marek's in your present flock, do not hatch eggs under a broody. That's what I did, not knowing my chickens were carriers, and 7/10 chicks have already died.
Hatch them in an incubator, then vaccinate. Or get vaccinated chicks. Keep them separate for at least 2 weeks.
I'm not sure if chickens get resistant to worms, etc.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Your right. Since I know they won't recover, I'll be doing the same. I still have 3, 15 weeks, hoping they hold out.
Krista, have you noticed that the infected sick birds start to lose alot of dander before they go?

 

[klf73]

Quote:
Your right. Since I know they won't recover, I'll be doing the same. I still have 3, 15 weeks, hoping they hold out.
Krista, have you noticed that the infected sick birds start to lose alot of dander before they go?

Yep, do yours lose feathers too? I noticed my last 2 orps had list a lot of feathers...

 

[seminolewind]

Yes. That one sick one that was in my bathroom for a few days left alot of dander and feathers. Even when carrying the sick ones-they left dander on my shirt and I would have to come in and change.

 

[happycountryhens]

Quote:
I have never purchased hatching eggs. I want to see what I'm getting. To me it is the least expensive way to end up with good birds, but lots of people would rather buy eggs and that is fine.. So...no I have never vaccinated eggs. I don't give my birds any chemicals, so no I no longer worm them. I would if I found evidence that they needed it though. I have been managing my flock this way for many years and I have had tens of thousands of birds here over the years. All kinds of birds. The only species I can't raise without medicating is turkeys, so I don't have any turkeys.

I had forgotten this, but there is something in turkey dung that repels Marecks. I don't how or why, but people who have severe problems with Marecks and don't want to vaccinate many times raise turkeys close to their chickens or just spread the turkey manure in the chicken cages. I don't know how much or how often because turkeys only last about a month or two on this property. I can't believe I forgot about that! I am sure that there is mention of this somewhere online as most serious breeders know of this technique.

Walt

Ahem...."Oh honey, I know of a new technique to repel Merek's in our flock. We need turkeys! Now, please check out this webpage and tell me if you want Burbon Reds or something more exotic." Think it'll work?

All kidding aside, I really like the idea. We will have to think about the Turkeys. If you house chickens and turkeys too close together, don't you have a problem with blackhead in the turkeys? But maybe to house them away from the chickens and spread the doo...

Thank you again for your insite. You have been a real help to me.

Happy Country Hens

 

[fowlman01]

Quote:
I have never purchased hatching eggs. I want to see what I'm getting. To me it is the least expensive way to end up with good birds, but lots of people would rather buy eggs and that is fine.. So...no I have never vaccinated eggs. I don't give my birds any chemicals, so no I no longer worm them. I would if I found evidence that they needed it though. I have been managing my flock this way for many years and I have had tens of thousands of birds here over the years. All kinds of birds. The only species I can't raise without medicating is turkeys, so I don't have any turkeys.

I had forgotten this, but there is something in turkey dung that repels Marecks. I don't how or why, but people who have severe problems with Marecks and don't want to vaccinate many times raise turkeys close to their chickens or just spread the turkey manure in the chicken cages. I don't know how much or how often because turkeys only last about a month or two on this property. I can't believe I forgot about that! I am sure that there is mention of this somewhere online as most serious breeders know of this technique.

Walt

Ahem...."Oh honey, I know of a new technique to repel Merek's in our flock. We need turkeys! Now, please check out this webpage and tell me if you want Burbon Reds or something more exotic." Think it'll work?

All kidding aside, I really like the idea. We will have to think about the Turkeys. If you house chickens and turkeys too close together, don't you have a problem with blackhead in the turkeys? But maybe to house them away from the chickens and spread the doo...

Thank you again for your insite. You have been a real help to me.

Happy Country Hens

I can't even keep turkeys on this property because they get blackhead right away. The females first and then the males...always the same. I have a friend that has lots of Royal Palms and he has no problems. The closest chickens to turkeys are probably only 20 feet. He has done this for over 20 years and has had no problems. I wouldn't take a chance. I would use turkey droppings in the cages if I still had a Marecks problem.

Walt

 

[happycountryhens]

Ok, so I told my DH about the turkey's. He said with the large wild flock we have in the field, I could go out with a shovel and get some turkey doo.

He is just too d*** practical sometimes!

Happy Country Hens

 

[seminolewind]

Wouldn't the turkeys have had to be exposed to Turkey Marek's? Would it have to be contact with the dander or is it in the stool?

 

[tiki244]

I think all turkeys have this. I also heard this about turkey dung. When I bought some silkie chicks from a friend a year ago she had her son collect some turkey dung for me and I was to dry it out and put a little in the brooder each day. I have also heard that putting a bit of healthy broody chicken dung in the brooder will give chicks an immunity to cocci.

Seminole and klf73 I am just so sorry for all the heartache.

This is just horrifying for me to read. I have never heard of a case where there have been just so many deaths so young.

klf73 I am just wondering if any of the Hedamoras or Swedish Flower Hens have been ill. The reason I ask is that it *seems**I thought* they may be naturally immune? Because of the old heritage?

 

[klf73]

I lost one Hedemora after a few days(it was also an extra) but that could have been anything

. So far the Swedish Flower Hens seem unaffected. I am surprised since they were in the brooder with the lav orps and the polish which had Mareks

none of the sussex(coro or silver) have had issues yet either

. I know the ameraucana aren't immune because they have caught it, so they aren't breed resistant. So far none of my oegb have succumbed so I am thinking maybe they are? They came from a show breeder(not new, they have been here) so maybe he has bred them well(none hatched here from this stock have shown signs either)? It is still a waiting game. My bator only has duck eggs in it because they can't get Mareks and I needed a pick-me-up. I have wanted ducks for quite a while but dh wouldn't budge...he feels bad and wanted something else for me to focus on if I in fact lose most of my birds...time will tell.

I am dreading this new week. I need to go through ALL my brooders and pick the "keepers" and dh is going to cull everyone else. I feel bad knowing the fate of the ones I wasn't planning on keeping but can't afford to keep/feed them all, there are just too many. Dh wants me to keep all the pullets too...they would go to the layers but I just think there are too many to keep the numbers managable. I know it's just because he feels bad killing them all, as do I.........

eta- dh said it's easy to cull a sick bird, but the ones that look at you, and look "normal" .....just breaks your heart ..... he pets them all before he culls, I don't know how he does it