NY chicken lover!!!!

[Framac]

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I am 25 minutes outside of Oneonta.

 

[demerson]

I know right where ya' are ... well new Berlin anyways ....

 

[greymane]

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Wow, that is quite the start to the month!

 

[marquisella]

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I have been breeding chickens for 5 years, and the 1st 2 years had no problems, and then suddenly one year I have several birds come down with Mareks symptoms, although I didn't have them necropsied, because I didn't know about Mareks. Last year I sold some chicks and they contacted me that one was ill and she thought it was Mareks. Later she emailed me that the necropsy was negative for mareks. So, I'm wondering if it really wasn't Mareks that killed my birds, but I don't vaccinate for anything to try & build resistance.
I have to say, I have a friend that vaccinated for everything, that I sent a hen to for a breeding program that we are startinng. She came back here, about a month ago, and has not shown any symptoms of Mareks or any other disease that they say can shed from exposing non vaccinated birds with vaccinated birds...

I guess we will have to agree to disagree here about Mareks and the ability to get rid of it. From what I have read it is possible and my experience so far has proved to be correct.

query.... What is the survival rate w/mareks and if they survive and they are used for breeding, will one create a mareks resistant flock?

Here is something that I've read recently and it makes sense. We are too often quick to breed from pullets and young hens. It is suggested that we should wait, & only breed from hens that are 2 years old or older. Why? because they obviously have resistance to a lot of things, and they are mature and show what they are really like. When we breed from young birds, we realy don't know what they will look like as true adults and might be breeding something that rears its ugly head as late as 2 years of age.
Makes sense to me.

And yes to your question. You may lose some birds in the first few years, but the resulting birds that survive and live on to an old age, should have resistance and hopefully pass it on to their young.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have some Dels past the age of two and still laying, but lord have mercy where would I put the chicks. They don't lay everyday of course but on occasion. I hope to get some eggs from them in the spring. Or next month. I can tell their eggs cuz they are still big.

 

[Cass]

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You put the chicks in a box and call me. I'll come get them. That's where you put the chicks. I have a 4x8 EMPTY coop. I'm pretty sure that's a carnal sin.

 

[vmdanielsen]

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OK, a joke....I am thinking of only dirty ones!!!!!!OK i remember a halloween one that I can post. What so you call a ghost's mother???(scroll down!!!!)











































Transparent!

I hope things get better for you. You just go along and then life kicks you in the butt. The only birds that I have that are vaccinated are the hatchery birds. This could be me. Be strong!!!! I know it hurts........

 

[vmdanielsen]

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query.... What is the survival rate w/mareks and if they survive and they are used for breeding, will one create a mareks resistant flock?

Here is something that I've read recently and it makes sense. We are too often quick to breed from pullets and young hens. It is suggested that we should wait, & only breed from hens that are 2 years old or older. Why? because they obviously have resistance to a lot of things, and they are mature and show what they are really like. When we breed from young birds, we realy don't know what they will look like as true adults and might be breeding something that rears its ugly head as late as 2 years of age.
Makes sense to me.

And yes to your question. You may lose some birds in the first few years, but the resulting birds that survive and live on to an old age, should have resistance and hopefully pass it on to their young.

Not waiting until they are older must have something to do with chicken math. Though waiting to breed most things does make sense with most things. Sheesh, nobody told me raising chickens was this complicated.

 

[Cass]

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Here is something that I've read recently and it makes sense. We are too often quick to breed from pullets and young hens. It is suggested that we should wait, & only breed from hens that are 2 years old or older. Why? because they obviously have resistance to a lot of things, and they are mature and show what they are really like. When we breed from young birds, we realy don't know what they will look like as true adults and might be breeding something that rears its ugly head as late as 2 years of age.
Makes sense to me.

And yes to your question. You may lose some birds in the first few years, but the resulting birds that survive and live on to an old age, should have resistance and hopefully pass it on to their young.

Not waiting until they are older must have something to do with chicken math. Though waiting to breed most things does make sense with most things. Sheesh, nobody told me raising chickens was this complicated.

Lalalalalala I can't hear you.

I refuse to have it be complicated, cuz I just don't have time for any more complications in my life.

 

[happycountryhens]

vmdanielson: Thanks...I needed that!

The girls are trying to be cheerful too. One of the hens laid a jumbo that come in at 90.0 grams.

That had to hurt!

Breeding older birds makes a lot of sense to me. The reward for living long, laying eggs and just plain being beautiful.

Thanks for all the support.