NY chicken lover!!!!

[Amy King Hanson]

You've pretty much summed up my research as of yet. The scariest information was when I found out that it is passed down through fertile eggs too. Just when I thought that was the safest way to build a flock.

 

[boskelli1571]

You've pretty much summed up my research as of yet. The scariest information was when I found out that it is passed down through fertile eggs too. Just when I thought that was the safest way to build a flock.

@cutipatooti has summed it up well. If your birds are well, not stressed and fed good quality feed, they likely will not succumb to MG - they may be exposed to it and be a carrier, but show no signs of disease unless something else lays them low.
Follow bio-security as best you can - quarantine is a biggie. Absolute minimum time would be 2 weeks - 4 weeks better. If you do visit with other flock keepers please change clothing, wash hands etc. before you see your flock. Same thing for when the feed stores have their baby chicks in.
It may seem a bit 'over the top', but it's for the health of your birds.

 

[Amy King Hanson]

No signs here but after reading about MG I wish I had known these bio securities sooner. I'm contemplating testing and then vaccinating. I know I'd get a false positive at later tests but at least I'd know. We'll see. I'm going to talk with some local vets.

I've bought chickens from farmers, a hatchery, and hatched 2 sets of shipped eggs. Gone to feed stores and not changed (I didn't know better).

 

[cutipatooti]

You've pretty much summed up my research as of yet. The scariest information was when I found out that it is passed down through fertile eggs too. Just when I thought that was the safest way to build a flock.

Yes MG can be passed through the egg but from my understanding it is only a small percentage and that goes way down based on how healthy the bird is. So if your bird is positive but not showing signs of illness. Let's say you treated for it a few months ago and the bird has been fine since, the chance of each individual egg carrying MG is low. Now if you have an active infection, birds are sneezing, bubbles in the eyes and such, and you hatch those eggs. The chances are much higher that they will have it.

If chicks hatch with MG, I think I read somewhere they will most likely show signs or die within a few weeks. I feel it's because of this it's important for people to breed in their backyard. So the rest of us who want a small flock can go and see first hand how you keep the birds and how healthy they are. Knowing first hand will make someone feel better about their purchase. I understand a lot of people don't want anyone coming to their property in the name of bio security but for all we know they could be running their operation like a puppy mill.

Oh and look up Tylan dip for future egg purchases. As far as vaccinating we all do what we feel is right. I know if I buy expensive chicks from GFF I would vaccinate for mareks because I don't have much money on an investment like that. But for the most part I'm against the vaccine. It is the reason why mareks is as bad as it is today. It does not stop a chicken from getting the disease only stops some symptoms thus letting the unknowingly infected birds to spread it to others. This has resulted in the super strains of mareks that we see. If not vaccinated the worst strains would kill the bird before it had much chance to spread. I'm not sure how the MG vaccine works.

 

[cutipatooti]

I was so hoping to have my 55 flowery hens by now but have not been able to afford them:

Maybe in a few weeks. I wanted to bring any extra to the chickenstock but I guess that won't be happening. I do have group of silkies chicks now. 5 blue cream in the mix. Hoping for at least 1 good boy and 1 good girl. The boys are loving them.

 

[FishMtFarm]

Hello all! My name is Kristal and I live in Lake Pleasant, NY which is in the southern Adirondacks. I have a lovely flock of silkie chickens! Totally addicted to these fluffy babies.

 

[cutipatooti]

Hello all! My name is Kristal and I live in Lake Pleasant, NY which is in the southern Adirondacks. I have a lovely flock of silkie chickens! Totally addicted to these fluffy babies.

Welcome! We love our silkies too. I just hatched some blue creams and buff yesterday. What colors do you have?

 

[FishMtFarm]

Well I couldn't choose a favorite color so I have a partridge roo and a splash roo. Then I have white, partridge, blue, black, and splash hens. I would really love to add some more of the unique unrecognized colors as I don't show. I do however try to keep confirmation correct. I really want porcelain, lavender, red pyle, etc. never heard of blue cream. Do you have a photo of the color? Thank you for the warm welcome. Really like this place!

 

[Amy King Hanson]

I was so hoping to have my 55 flowery hens by now but have not been able to afford them:

Maybe in a few weeks. I wanted to bring any extra to the chickenstock but I guess that won't be happening. I do have group of silkies chicks now. 5 blue cream in the mix. Hoping for at least 1 good boy and 1 good girl. The boys are loving them.

I had 4 hens and 2 roosters of the 55 Flowering breed in my cart but I just never pulled the trigger.... Sigh, soon.

 

[cutipatooti]

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...qTRAhVpyoMKHYtnAK4QMwhJKCQwJA&iact=mrc&uact=8

This is a pic off the internet from the breeder I got my eggs from. I also have 2 blacks a white a blue a splash and a partridge. They are all from the same breeder. Silkies are just the sweetest.