Not an Emergency...Marek's in the Flock

[schnebbles]

Disinfecting myself:

I might go to a chicken farm. Is this a horrible idea? I'm really scared and maybe I shouldn't go. I will NOT risk taking mareks to a chicken breeder farm.

could I be safe? and how?

 

[Nambroth]

Disinfecting myself:

I might go to a chicken farm. Is this a horrible idea? I'm really scared and maybe I shouldn't go. I will NOT risk taking mareks to a chicken breeder farm.

could I be safe? and how?

This is what I did when I visited a friend with chickens:

Right before leaving, I showered, dressed in clean clothing that was fresh out of the wash (not exposed to household dust at least). I put on shoes that hadn't been in the coop/run.
I packed a bottle of Odoban, but you can use whatever viruicide you prefer. Bleach isn't know to be effective. When I arrived at my destination, I sprayed it on my shoes, and let it sit for the required..I think, 5 minutes? Before actually visiting the chickens/friend.
I did the same when I got home (but sprayed my shoes when I got back in the car) just so I didn't bring anything home with me.

 

[schnebbles]

That's about what I thought, I was just going to wash my shoes, they could use it anyway. I've probably worn all of my shoes out there at one time or another.

thanks! I'm so paranoid about it.

 

[KAT Bird]

This is what I did when I visited a friend with chickens:

Right before leaving, I showered, dressed in clean clothing that was fresh out of the wash (not exposed to household dust at least). I put on shoes that hadn't been in the coop/run.
I packed a bottle of Odoban, but you can use whatever viruicide you prefer. Bleach isn't know to be effective. When I arrived at my destination, I sprayed it on my shoes, and let it sit for the required..I think, 5 minutes? Before actually visiting the chickens/friend.

I did the same when I got home (but sprayed my shoes when I got back in the car) just so I didn't bring anything home with me.

I do pretty much the same thing. I have an aunt and several friends that own chickens and I am always paranoid I am going to spread it. I would feel terrible if something happened. However, so far no chickens I have visited have developed Marek's in the past year. My aunt even ordered her chicks from the same place I did and her chicks were in the same box as mine when she delivered them to my house. She ordered RIR's and I bought Easter Eggers. Her chickens didn't develop Marek's, but mine did. She lives a mile and a half from me.

We also have a 3 yr old son who I subject to the same disinfection routine because he loves petting zoos, county/state fairs and animals in general.

 

[seminolewind]

We are so careful aren't we?
I went to a friend to pick up 2 geese and she has lots of chickens. Hubby and I both showered, put on clean clothes, and left the house. My chicken shoes stay in the back porch. Spray is a good thing to have like Lysol. I'll have to pick some up .

 

[schnebbles]

I called the place I was going to go look at chickens and he said they have had mareks deaths as well. Which is most likely why they vaccinate. He said not a lot of fatalities though. I think I'm going up there Saturday to see what they have, they are close and vaccinated. It's SO hard to get new chickens! Breeders don't vaccinate and about the only place I can find anything is hatcheries and I really don't want day old chicks and have to keep them in the house. If that's the best route, I will do it though.

Seminole - My husband likes the polocks, lol! this place has blue white headed ones in bantam which would be great. Not sure about polish though - any words of advice yay or nay? I'm not sure they have any for sale right now.

I would love a couple seramas but can't find any vaccinated ones. If the birds are a year old (been told and read that seramas are a little resistant to mareks) would you risk bringing it to a mareks flock?

Maybe I need to just be happy with the 4 I have left, so far everything is going ok with them. I was wanting to add 2 females to the mix because I thought my 2 roos would fight but they probably won't from what I read. The problem is, it's in my stupid head that I want more! Maybe you can convince me no! My husband would love you, lol!

what would you guys do?

 

[seminolewind]

I love my Polish. I have no bantams. The large fowl aren't that big. But the bantams are cute.
I think older birds have a better chance, but I don't know how better. I have a roo who I hatched and went to live elsewhere from 10 weeks to 16 weeks and he's still here. He was with mine for 7 weeks out in a coop. I'm sticking with hatchery chicks from now on.

 

[Nambroth]

I called the place I was going to go look at chickens and he said they have had mareks deaths as well. Which is most likely why they vaccinate. He said not a lot of fatalities though. I think I'm going up there Saturday to see what they have, they are close and vaccinated. It's SO hard to get new chickens! Breeders don't vaccinate and about the only place I can find anything is hatcheries and I really don't want day old chicks and have to keep them in the house. If that's the best route, I will do it though.

Seminole - My husband likes the polocks, lol! this place has blue white headed ones in bantam which would be great. Not sure about polish though - any words of advice yay or nay? I'm not sure they have any for sale right now.

I would love a couple seramas but can't find any vaccinated ones. If the birds are a year old (been told and read that seramas are a little resistant to mareks) would you risk bringing it to a mareks flock?

Maybe I need to just be happy with the 4 I have left, so far everything is going ok with them. I was wanting to add 2 females to the mix because I thought my 2 roos would fight but they probably won't from what I read. The problem is, it's in my stupid head that I want more! Maybe you can convince me no! My husband would love you, lol!

what would you guys do?

I would be nervous about getting them from a place that has had Marek's deaths; it's really, REALLY hard to completely isolate new chicks from the virus if it is within a flock, even if they are in an incubator then separate brooder.

Can you ask around locally for someone that has quality birds, but is not necessarily a breeder, if they would hatch and raise some chicks for you for a fee? You can buy the vaccination and go over and vaccinate when they hatch. This is what I did, though the person became a friend in the process.

You can post an ad, both here and locally where you are (maybe in a feed store? Local newspaper?). To me, it was worth the extra effort and expense to get well-bred birds (not from a hatchery) that were properly vaccinated from day 1. It might not be, to you.

 

[schnebbles]

I thought of that too Jennifer - about buying from them. Maybe, on second thought, that is not a good idea. I'm not real concerned about quality chickens - or should I be? like hatchery stock? i'm just wanting a couple more pullets. Not worried if they aren't perfect. if I got hatchery chicks, I could probably raise them in my room.

I wonder if I could bring back a different strain of it and possibly give that strain to my current birds? I would change clothes and everything, but if I got chickens they could pass it on. This is way too hard!

Seminole - was the roo out with your birds before he went elsewhere at 10 weeks?

 

[Nambroth]

I thought of that too Jennifer - about buying from them. Maybe, on second thought, that is not a good idea. I'm not real concerned about quality chickens - or should I be? like hatchery stock? i'm just wanting a couple more pullets. Not worried if they aren't perfect. if I got hatchery chicks, I could probably raise them in my room.

I wonder if I could bring back a different strain of it and possibly give that strain to my current birds? I would change clothes and everything, but if I got chickens they could pass it on. This is way too hard!

Seminole - was the roo out with your birds before he went elsewhere at 10 weeks?

It is important to remember that everyone has different priorities with chickens-- there is nothing wrong with hatchery stock! I just haven't had the best experience, and while I LOVE my hatchery girls, overall health and temperament have been variable for me. If it was my only good option for vaccinated chicks, though, yes I surely would go with hatchery birds.

Yeah, I would be more worried about any chickens you bring from there carrying a different strain (vs. you carrying it home, as I'm sure you'll be careful). It's possible. Hardly a guarantee but it's possible. It's really so hard to say. It matters what levels of risk are acceptable for you. We all have different levels of "acceptable risk" with our birds, and there is nothing wrong with that!