Need advice on baby chicks

[spoiledgachix]

Hello, I am new to this website and new to owning chickens. I need some advice since so far my experience with chickens has been a very sad and upsetting one. I got 4 baby girls and one rooster last year from a local breeder and I thought they where vaccinated. then I started losing them one by one. My first was a RIR and she died of Cancer (very odd for a young chix) then I had to re-home the rooster. then I lost two more of my girls and the Necropsy report stated Markek's for both! Found out they where not vaccinated and now i have one left and 5 baby chicks that have been exposed and are also not vaccinated. Before I knew it was for sure Marek's my Brahma went broody and the breeder I got them from gave me eggs to hatch. I know, I am learning but the hard way.

I have been told by the Poultry place where I got the Necropsy (and others too) that I should depopulate and clean everything out and get only vaccinated chicks. I am having a hard time coming to grips with this since they are now 2 weeks old. They would humanly euthanize them at this poultry lab but to even think of doing this is hard but the fact that I have it all over and they where near the chicken that just recently passed scares me to think they may get it and it is so hard to go through this disease.

I need advice on what I should do. I think my Brahma is resistant and she is also my favorite and I just can't see getting rid of her. I also can't take her babies away. That would wig her out big time. I was thinking if putting the chicks down is what I need to do, I could get some vaccinated chicks and give them to her to raise??? Help! I really don't know what to do. I have been sick and just agonizing over this. These girls where my pets and we did everything right as for as clean big coop, organic feed, treats, free ranging etc....

thanks for any advice

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! I'm so sorry to hear you have mareks and are in a quandary as what to do with your current birds I'm afraid I can't say what you should or should not do as in having your birds euthanised. Even vaccinated chicks can still get mareks, the vaccine is just to give them a chance at building up an immunity against this disease. Deep thorough cleaning may still not get rid of the mareks as it can still linger for many months after in soil etc. I am so sorry you have this very hard decision to make and I don't envy you. It's hard as you don't know if the chicks will develop it or not. Do you risk them getting it and suffering or cull now just incase and hope vaccinated chicks don't get it? I'm sorry I've not been much use on your choice.

This article is a great read on mareks lots of useful facts in it ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Here is an ongoing thread on mareks that you might like to ask on for help with your decision ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741957/not-an-emergency-mareks-in-the-flock

Wishing you the very best of luck

 

[N F C]

Good morning, welcome to BYC!

I'm sorry your first exposure to poultry has been a tough one. Only you can decide what is best (both for you and for your birds). I don't envy you having to make that decision. When we have animals, anything and everything can happen.

@Yorkshire coop has given you some good links to check out. Maybe reading through those can give you some direction.

Good luck to you, hope all turns out well.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[spoiledgachix]

Yes I know this is a tough decision for me and thanks. I did read the article Yorkshire send (thanks though) and I did post on the Marek's forum. I guess I should listen to what the State poultry lab suggested but it easy for them to tell you that when they don't have the attachment. I still can't believe my luck with my first flock. My neighbor has chickens from a hatchery and they where vaccinated and are doing just great with not one issue! I am starting to see the value in vaccinating. I think if you have it live in your environment like I do, vaccinating is the only way to go. It not foul proof but gives them a fighting chance.

My question is if I decide to get some vaccinated chicks if I do have to cull this flock or I may just give them back to the breeder that gave them to me (she will probably take them back)but not sure that is responsible but she has had no issue selling unvacc chicks, then can I bring baby's in and keep them inside alone for a week or 2 then introduce my Brahma to them and let her raise them? Do I have to wait or can I introduce inside right away?

 

[spoiledgachix]

You know I just re-read the article slowly on Marek's. I am in a tough spot and really need to think on this. I either take my chances and the odds don't sound good or depopulate the whole flock since I can't take the babies away from my Brahma or sounds like I can't introduce her to the new vaccinated chicks for awhile.

I hate this whole thing had to happen!

 

[N F C]

Yes, it's a hard thing to go through, maybe especially with your 1st flock. It doesn't always turn out this way though so we learn as we go and hope things work out better next time.

We made a typical 1st timer mistake with the first chicks we bought. We got 7 off a woman on Craigslist...what a mistake that was. Within 2 weeks, 4 of them died. As a 1st time chicken mom, I was totally out of my element and devastated. That's actually what drove me to BYC. Members here tried to help and I so appreciated that effort. Anyway, fast forward 6 months later, got a new bunch of chicks from a reputable hatchery and things went so much better. The two experiences were night and day.

I hope what you're going through now won't discourage you from more chicks and trying again.

 

[spoiledgachix]

I got mine of Craigslist too! It said "vaccinated" but clearly not. Was your first batch vaccinated? Which hatchery? I am thinking of Meyers hatchery next time and vaccinating! Did you keep the last two? Are they doing ok?

I won't give up since I really love chickens but with having a small flock I knew each of them and losing them was very hard. Thank you for sharing your story.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think any survivors of Marek's end up being carriers for life. I wish there was something good I could tell you.

 

[N F C]

I got mine of Craigslist too! It said "vaccinated" but clearly not. Was your first batch vaccinated? Which hatchery? I am thinking of Meyers hatchery next time and vaccinating! Did you keep the last two? Are they doing ok?

I won't give up since I really love chickens but with having a small flock I knew each of them and losing them was very hard. Thank you for sharing your story.

The CL woman said the chicks were vaccinated but I don't believe anyone that kept animals the way she did went to that extra expense or trouble. We shouldn't have bought them considering the conditions they were living in but I felt sorry for the birds and wanted to save them. Bad move, should have walked away empty handed! Of the 3 that lived past chick-hood (2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Easter Egger) we lost 1 of the RIR just a week ago, the other 2 are fine. They are about 18-19 months old now.

The ones we bought from a hatchery were from Murray McMurray and yes, we had them vaccinated. We've lost a few to various causes but for the most part they are doing very well. The difference in the 2 experiences was huge.