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

[seminolewind]

I have a question and am also having a deja vu moment where I"m not certain I asked the same darn thing previously. If I did, I apologize in advance. Too stressed right now to try to search backwards here, so please forgive me/ignore me if I did ask and am making someone answer again!

Is there a connection between Mareks and soft shelled eggs? I have that one hen that was broody hatched last spring, and she is the one who has been laying softshells, having a water belly.....doing ok right now and the water belly has been shrinking over the past few weeks. But tonight, found a year old hen in a funny position when I was going to do evening chores just before lockup. I noticed there were 4 or 5 hens hanging out with her just watching.

Next thing I knew, she laid a soft shelled egg and the hanger ons made a made rush and devoured that egg in seconds. THe whole scenario looks like this was not the first time for this event!

I have always had oyster shell and egg shell out for them, and about 3 weeks ago switched to a layer feed with calcium. PLus with the foraging of greens they should not be calcium deficient.

Marekes connection?

I've never heard of that being a Marek's connection. I have given calcium in bowls but didn't think they were eating it. Now I take some equine sweet feed and mix in a handful of oyster shell. I have had hens lay those softshells, and I think it's genetic. I just got one today. So you think the flock knows she's going to lay one? You think she does it alot?

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: Alibaba, I think it's great that people try different things to see if Marek's can be worked on. Me personally I think that it's all about jump starting the immune system to fight Mareks' without getting Marek's. The vaccine is a "safe" exposure that starts the immunity prior to exposure to the real thing. Like letting a chick build an army before the enemy shows up.

I have had a batch of unvaccinated chicks that were kept 3 weeks in the house, 10 weeks outside with the flock, then given away to a horse barn owner (with no chickens) and they were fine. At 6 months old I got one rooster back from him and he's 2 now. I think something can be said for concentration of virus. It would be great if you could just separate the chicks from her at some point for a few weeks.

Has anyone else vaccinated broody chicks and had success?

 

[mightymax]

Thank you all for your consoling sentiments !!! As for the question of how it got in...the only thing I can think of is that about a week ago I started putting our geese away a lot later than usual because it stays light here so much longer now and consequently, the chickens get locked up later too. By the time I get to them they're already roosting for the night. On each and every previous night I would do a walk through of their coop to do a head count and survey the area for stowaways. But not last night. Why not, you ask? Because I was in a hurry and therefore I rolled the dice and played the odds...and lost. But unlike when I lose in Vegas and only hurt myself, this time when I rolled the dice it decided the fate of someone else. Never again will I gamble with somebody else's life !!!

-kim-

 

[alibabba]

Thank you all for your consoling sentiments !!! As for the question of how it got in...the only thing I can think of is that about a week ago I started putting our geese away a lot later than usual because it stays light here so much longer now and consequently, the chickens get locked up later too. By the time I get to them they're already roosting for the night. On each and every previous night I would do a walk through of their coop to do a head count and survey the area for stowaways. But not last night. Why not, you ask? Because I was in a hurry and therefore I rolled the dice and played the odds...and lost. But unlike when I lose in Vegas and only hurt myself, this time when I rolled the dice it decided the fate of someone else. Never again will I gamble with somebody else's life !!!

-kim-

Hey, I know how that goes. And it happens to everyone with chickens I think at some point. So don't be to hard on yourself. And I hope I didn't make you feel like I was picking on you!

I knew way better myself....but didn't get around to putting the electric on the pen with the pullets....it was 10 yards from the house with a baby monitor on... Also didn't close the coop door, because they were getting big and liked to be out early. Duh!

-Pen was electrified the same day...and baited, so when the fox came back it could learn...

At least we won't make the same mistakes....

 

[seminolewind]

Alibaba, how's the hatch going? How many?

 

[alibabba]

Alibaba, I think it's great that people try different things to see if Marek's can be worked on. Me personally I think that it's all about jump starting the immune system to fight Mareks' without getting Marek's. The vaccine is a "safe" exposure that starts the immunity prior to exposure to the real thing. Like letting a chick build an army before the enemy shows up.
I have had a batch of unvaccinated chicks that were kept 3 weeks in the house, 10 weeks outside with the flock, then given away to a horse barn owner (with no chickens) and they were fine. At 6 months old I got one rooster back from him and he's 2 now. I think something can be said for concentration of virus. It would be great if you could just separate the chicks from her at some point for a few weeks.

Has anyone else vaccinated broody chicks and had success?

I have been thinking over this information...along with the vaccinated broody note....

All I can do to see if this works...is separate, I hate to have these precious chicks be an experiment, but I guess that is what it is.

I feel I did my best with vaccination and really flubbed it. I'm not worried about the ones that got too much.....but maybe the ones that got to little. I am a bad chicken holder...unless I get mad...I didn't want to hold the babies to tight and choke them.

Please don't be hard on me...if it didn't work, I will be punished, no fear.

I just can't help but wonder, why isn't this vaccine avail for oral, occular, or water? So much easier for a backyard flock to manage....

I watched videos, I read about 10 sets of instructions. I feel like a f'up. I can change diapers with my toes while cleaning up vomit and still cook dinner...but didn't do this well at all.

I am an A type personality. I will nail this. But must be a better more efficient way.

 

[alibabba]

Kim, sorry for the possum event.

Strangely enough, MN thread just had a very similiar discussion about predators, trying to balance protection of flock, rights of wild animals, your own livlihood/food, etc. It is very hard when a predator gets one of your own.

great point. it is hard to separate. We know that eventually, predators will come. Maybe 7 years from when you begin keeping. They will come eventually. Why not just keep chickens separate from wildlife? I'm going for a blend. I know that letting them out in the yard is risky, but this group would not thrive penned. I wlll take losses if necessary because they are having quite a fine time, I gave them a roo...

Once these pass, I will keep in a huge pen, over 1000 to 2500 sq ft so they have plenty of room but are still safe.

Personally it hurts me when people trap, shoot, poison the animals that belong in our environment. They do have an important place scientifically and as creatures created by GOD. "The Lord sees where every sparrow falls".

To that end, I want to use methods to protect my non indigenous species from indigenous species without disrupting the natural balance

 

[alibabba]

Alibaba, how's the hatch going? How many?

Hey sweetheart, just saw this little note!

So out like 9 eggs ( I crammed as many as she could cover, 20 oz bantam) 3 yolkers, invfertile. 6 were good from day 4 on.

She hatched all 6! One I put in a day after the first batch and she hatched that and worked with it's delay also. Although it did confuse her a bit, she wanted to go out, but stayed with that last baby! First timer, good girl!

ETA: God they are adorable. Hope they make it... EE' mom's are older, bantam moms are only 10 months, roo is about a year (moulting) unk vac status of any of these.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I am not meaning to sound hard on you.

My actual self-proclaimed job is to provide information like others. This is a horrible virus and I don't do anything else but listen to others. I don't judge anyone-not my job, and what's to judge? People searching for answers? Trying things? There are reasons why we do what we do. I did it too. Twice my silkie had eggs under her and by the time I saw them, I candled them and they were too far along.

I don't think vaccinating them is easy. I was just vaccinating thighs for a while. I did necks the last batch and I never felt like everyone got enough. I've also had a bad experience vaccinating a few years ago. So it scares me, and I don't know if I'll ever do it right or feel right about it. It is NOT easy.

How are the chicks?

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: How sweet and exciting! I think it's exciting when you're waiting around to hear a peep or see a little face poke out!