Need help making a decision....

[Laceykk]

I have two coops, one is very small as it was not supposed to be a chicken coop. There is a rooster and now down to three hens in there. There used to be more but I have random losses that I believe are due to Marek's. The other coop is much larger and easily houses a dozen chickens or more easily. Separate runs. I have a hen in each coop that went broody so the smaller coop has the hen in it and her two chicks. The larger coop has a hen with 6 chicks. I haven't let the other hens in for a couple of reasons. One, I'm scared of them getting run over or attacked. Two, I don't want to add to the viral load of Marek's since I know every chicken around is likely carrying it. So the problem is that the weather tonight is cold, nothing a chicken can't handle but it is a major change for them. It's been in the 60s and tonight it will go down to 26. That will stress the birds, which could lead to further Marek's deaths. But if I put them in the coop, I have the other issues. I don't think I can put the two hens and their chicks together. I don't have anywhere else to put them. Thoughts? Any thoughts are welcomed! I'm a poor decision maker!

 

[Laceykk]

Just want to add that prior to the egg hatch, I had cleaned out the coop and put new hemp bedding. I also used unactivated oxide in there yesterday (a week later due to waiting on it to arrive).

 

[Laceykk]

Options:
1. Put the chickens that are likely Marek's carriers in the coop since the weather will be cold and rainy which will be better for the chickens but will the 6 chicks survive either from being pecked at by other chickens or higher viral load?
2. Leave them outside and cross my fingers.
3. Move the two hens that each have chicks together (eek - scary). and let the other chickens have the bigger coop.
4. Or other idea?

 

[Izzy Dietzler]

If your chickens have mareks you should see signs before they die. Most of the times they are not able to walk very well and are kinda loopy looking. They also look very depressed. I would put both mamas in the small coop without a rooster then insulate it well with something.

 

[Izzy Dietzler]

You can also go and buy some mareks stuff to give to the chicks so they cant get it.