McMurray AE chicks - what have you done?

[silkhope]

I know this has been beaten to death and by no means do I want to start it up again, but I have been curious to know what everyone did with their "surviving" chicks from McMurray that showed symptoms of AE. Did you put them down? Did they recover? And if they did, do you still keep them separated? What are your future plans with them?

I appreciate any input.

 

[ebonykawai]

Yes, actually, I'd also like to know how the survivors are doing.

 

[silkhope]

Well, I have one polish that has recovered. She is still a little unsteady and she's still by herself. There are two others that never showed symptoms and have been just fine... I just don't know what to do with this polish girl. She is a beautiful chicken and I want to keep her, but I feel horrible for her. She can't be a "normal" chicken by herself in the garage. I guess that's why I'm seeking input.

Thanks

 

[zippychickens]

What is AE?

 

[ebonykawai]

Does she get picked on? Would she be able to join your others?

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
Ultimately it becomes a QUALITY of life decision you will have to make.

 

[silkhope]

That's my whole question I guess - have others let the recovered ones join their flock? The poultry scientist that I spoke with said, once recovered from AE, they would no longer be a carrier and have built up immunity, no longer spreading it whatsoever. I'm still wary though (DH is hard to sell at all on the idea) and just wondered what decision others had made.

AE is avian encephalomyelitis.

 

[max13077]

I lost 3 LB's, 3 Doms, and 1 BG when they were a couple weeks old to AE. Two of my SLW's and 1 BG had it bad but they show no ill effects as of now. They will be 9 weeks old Friday.

 

[silkhope]

Max, do you have other chickens (besides the McMurray order) that you plan to integrate them with?

 

[greyhorsewoman]

My order from McMurray was 50 blkstars & 25 cochin bantam fancy. I never 'separated' the order, per se, other than having the blk stars in one cage and the cochins in another, side by side.

The cochins got AE or whatever it was, displayed the same symptoms so many other experienced here and started dying one after another. Out of the 25, 5 'survived' and 7 never got sick. I put all the chicks (blkstar included) in a 'juvenile coop' in the hayloft at about 6 wks. The five recovered chicks were pretty crippled in one way or another and soon perished. They just couldn't navigate with the normal chicks. The 6 remaining cochins (and one mystery chick) are doing fine.

By the way, I had one sort of beat up blk star chick that I originally put in with the cochin chicks and it never got sick, fared well, and went back in with the other blkstars at about 6 weeks old. Amazingly, I think I have 5 hens & 2 roosters (the mystery chick is a roo). The group is now 8 weeks old.

Also, FYI, McMurray was a little slow to respond ... but when they did, they replaced my entire order of cochin chicks at no charge. These chicks are now going on 2 wks old and doing great.