MM Sick Chicks Official Diagnosis In...

[d.k]

*The vast majority of VIRUS germs do not survive in the environment outside it's carrier host(s) for more than 72 hours MAX!! Most virus survive outside the host only a few MINUTES. This illness IS A VIRUS--Yes???? (Bacterial or Fungal infections are a different story.) >>>ED: DROPPINGS are a problem, esp. IN LARGE QUANTITIES b/c they are WARM, FEED VIRUS WITH THE CARBOS IN THEM AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE **WET**!! DRYING them in the SUN and SPEEDING DRYING TIME w/ clay kitty litter, OR D.E., etc. ESP. BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE COMPOST HEAP OR PUTTING IT IN THE TRASH AND THE VIRUS DIES THERE. Drying the SOIL out and speeding heating & drying time with BREATABLE BLACK GARDEN FABRIC DOWN & **WITHOUT** THE BIRDS IN CONTACT WHILE IT DRYS helps kill the virus there.

 

[sammi]

so sorry for everyone who has lost chicks and watched them suffer.

I have a friend who ordered 25 chicks..
all developed severe symptoms ...
weak legs, overall weakness inability to stand, tremors, inability to eat or drink.
She opted to humanely euthananize.
She was very upset, tho the dx was a comfort to her, knowing it wasn't something she had done wrong..
She has contacted MM..and they are making good her re-order, even not charging her for an extra chick, or shipping charges.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

d.k :

*The vast majority of VIRUS germs do not survive in the environment outside it's carrier host(s) for more than 72 hours MAX!! Most virus survive outside the host only a few MINUTES. This illness IS A VIRUS--Yes???? (Bacterial or Fungal infections are a different story.) >>>ED: DROPPINGS are a problem, esp. IN LARGE QUANTITIES b/c they are WARM, FEED VIRUS WITH THE CARBOS IN THEM AND BECAUSE THEY ARE **WET**!! DRY them and SPEED DRYING TIME w/ clay kitty litter, OR D.E., etc. AND THE VIRUS DIES.

This one can make it 4 weeks. Yes composting the manure or burning it with the bedding will help.

The maternal immunity that passes from the hen to the chick only lasts till the chick is 5 weeks old and is in no way passed to the next generation. After that 5 weeks the chick can get AE. IF you have the virus still around the chicks that previously did not get sick can, but will not be as noticeable in symptoms. Not every chicks that gets this gets over it, and as stated in times of stress can shed the virus again. I think this is the reason they say to cull hard for chicks showing any symptoms myself, it's not just economics, it's eradication of the virus they are going for. Adults with mature immune systems getting it and getting over it is a good thing for your breeding program, not so chicks, they don't build immunity from getting it, and can be carriers.

There are good reports of flocks that have come clean after vaccination of everyone, but then had return of illness after a few years. That is really discouraging. This means that immunity, natural and from vaccination doesn't last. All the reports I read said that prevention is best. Wise words, but lots are past that right now. For anyone waiting on orders canceling seems the most prudent till this is over. It will take time to trace the source, but it's worth the wait to know your not jumping into this boat.

Adults do not show much symptoms so you will not know your selling eggs from an infected hen. That's why this is happening, the hens did not seem sick. Vaccination of everyone will be necessary if this has come on your property but then there is a time delay before any eggs can be kept for hatching. Again immunity is not passed generation to generation, only to first generation chick for about 5 weeks, same as many maternal immunities. Just because your adults came from a hatchery as chicks is not reason to believe they are immune, you have to vaccinate them.

There is wing web injectable vaccine and water soluble oral vaccine.​

 

[amaliayosa]

zchickens~Thanks for the informative article.
The article states:

"The incubation period from infection to neurologic signs is 11 days"

If I understand correctly my chicks should be out of the woods.
They are approaching 3 weeks, and we haven't had any sick chicks at all.
We had an initial loss of three within the first 48 hours, but they were runts to begin with and they were in transit for 72 hours! None showing these symptoms.
They hatched on 3/8.
What do you guys think?
Amy

 

[PennySue]

Last night my husband put down the chicks that showed the obvious signs. None were even close to size as the hardy gang. This was actually a relief. It felt good going into the brooder room and seeing chicks acting as chicks and and not having to deal with the sick ones. Now the only problem is pecking order problems, that's normal.

I'm keeping the ones that survived. They have proved their hardiness to me. The reading is mixed on this, but a site in England claimed AE is found naturally. Commercial poultry houses are sterile, thus poultry in these places have no immunity. Where as chickens exposed to the outside will build up a natural immunity from the environment.

I still haven't gotten any reports back from UW yet, but I can only guess that it will show the same AE.
As to contacting MM, I wrote them via their web site and haven't gotten an answer back. This was last week. My dealings with them will be in writing for now on, even if they don't write back. MM has said alot lately, but they haven't put anything in writing and that is a little irritating to me. How they handle this will help me decide if I do any further business with them.

But I still have some nagging questions: Why didn't a single chick from Ideal get sick (they were kept with the MM chicks from day 1), I haven't lost a single one for any reason.

 

[amaliayosa]

Pennysue~
How old are your MM and Ideal chicks?

 

[dannypritchett01]

Im having to kill a hen today that has obviously been infected due to the chicks being less than 10 feet away from her that I received from mcmurray. The only 5 that survived. I recall when I Called mcmurray and told them that the chicks died the lady on the phone when I called twice after having photos of both orders of chicks dead, said its starting to become a problem with others as well. So they must have knew back in february before shipping chicks out.

 

[featheredfriend]

Hello
I'm new to this forum but I've found it most helpful over the past weekend. I received my chicks from MM 3-10-08. they was doing fine until Fri 3-21 (order of 50 Lt. Brahamas) they started wobbling and sitting on haunches so I started online trying to see the cause/cure and as I've learned from all post it is the same as everyone else possible AE. I spoke with MM yesterday and was told to continue to keep isolated , vitamins & electrolytes I had 6 down yesterday and 9 this am. I've contacted the state vet in TN but AE is not reportable here. The county Ag. agent wasn't of any help either. If this is an outbreak from hatchery I hope it doesn't continue to spread everywhere. From what I've read the chances of them recovering and bein healthy are slim to none, why prolong their suffering just to see if they will get well? We have a small flock of 100 with some of our hens hatching, does anyone know if we can carry the disease on our person to the other flock
THANKS TO ALL

 

[pips&peeps]

But I still have some nagging questions: Why didn't a single chick from Ideal get sick (they were kept with the MM chicks from day 1), I haven't lost a single one for any reason.

Because the breeding flock from Ideal was vaccinated and the chicks carry maternal antibodies to prevent the disease.​

 

[Meesh]

Why didn't a single chick from Ideal get sick (they were kept with the MM chicks from day 1), I haven't lost a single one for any reason.

If the hen that produced the Ideal chicks was properly vaccinated, the chicks should have immunity to the virus.

Cheers,
Michelle​