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dheltzel said:
That's been my policy also. Some birds have a strong immunity against Marek's symptoms, but nearly all chickens carry it, according to the Merks Veterinary Manual. Vaccinated chickens are just as likely to be infected, the vaccine only greatly reduces (but doesn't totally eliminate) the chance of showing symptoms. As such, the vaccinated birds can carry more virulent strains that would otherwise die out (as it kills off all its hosts). That makes me very wary of "rescuing" factory farm birds, as they are always vaccinated and exposed to thousands of other vaccinated birds - who knows what is brewing in those facilities.
I had my lavender cochin bantam chicks vaccinated at the hatchery, to be sure I could keep a breeding group alive. Their chicks are not vaccinated and if I raise a lot, only very hardy ones will survive to be my more resistant breeders in the future. That is a harsh assessment from a farmer, not the response of a backyard chicken owner with just a few pets.
That said, I am considering vaccinating next year, as most of my customers don't care much about their birds contributing to a long term resistance gene pool.
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If this is Marek, your plan seems work well. My other girls are all healthy now. I don't have problem to buy vaccine, but I don't have the capability to give chicks shots. If you don't mind to do it, I can just bring the medicine with me and let you do it when I get more chicks from you.
 
OneMountainAcres said:
I hope not too. I haven't had any losses here that resemble Merek's at all so who knows :confused: The problem with the Merek's vaccine is that it's a "leaky" vaccine. It protects any birds that have had the vaccine from developing any symptoms but it doesn't stop them from getting it and spreading it to others. That's why I'll never vaccinate for it.
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We will see what this is. If it's Marek, I think it's a mild strain. Candy doesn't have tumor, and she was the weakest chicken I had. Everybody else is still healthy. Sun is a great layer, and only missed one day in last 16 days. I'm still worried about her since she is so little and lays too many eggs, but she looks very healthy. I heard the vaccine is a "leaky" vaccine too, so once it's there, it will stay forever. I just have to vaccinate the new chicks.
 
TillyPeeps said:
We will see what this is. If it's Marek, I think it's a mild strain. Candy doesn't have tumor, and she was the weakest chicken I had. Everybody else is still healthy. Sun is a great layer, and only missed one day in last 16 days. I'm still worried about her since she is so little and lays too many eggs, but she looks very healthy. I heard the vaccine is a "leaky" vaccine too, so once it's there, it will stay forever. I just have to vaccinate the new chicks.
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Sun will always be little since she's half bantam silkie and her dad is a polish which even though he's "standard" size, that still isn't very big. My silkies are actually very good layers and rarely go broody so between them and the polish, I'm not surprised that she lays very well. It makes up for those eggs being little lol. When you are ready, I will give you another pullet, probably next year. I know Candy can't be replaced but I feel so bad she's no longer with you. I will raise up some of my first hatched of the year.
 
TillyPeeps said:
We will see what this is. If it's Marek, I think it's a mild strain. Candy doesn't have tumor, and she was the weakest chicken I had. Everybody else is still healthy. Sun is a great layer, and only missed one day in last 16 days. I'm still worried about her since she is so little and lays too many eggs, but she looks very healthy. I heard the vaccine is a "leaky" vaccine too, so once it's there, it will stay forever. I just have to vaccinate the new chicks.
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There is also some anecdotal evidence that raising turkey poults with chicks kicks up the chicks immunity to Marek's. Seems like another good reason to have a turkey or 3. I've read that the Marek's vaccine most commonly used is really a live turkey Marek's, which does not cause symptoms in an birds and it sort of fills the same niche in the birds that the more harmful chicken form would normally inhabit, preventing it from getting well established in the chicken.
 
OneMountainAcres said:
Sun will always be little since she's half bantam silkie and her dad is a polish which even though he's "standard" size, that still isn't very big. My silkies are actually very good layers and rarely go broody so between them and the polish, I'm not surprised that she lays very well. It makes up for those eggs being little lol. When you are ready, I will give you another pullet, probably next year. I know Candy can't be replaced but I feel so bad she's no longer with you. I will raise up some of my first hatched of the year.
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I still didn't hear from Penn State yet. I have to see what is the problem first. If it's Marek, my chicks will need being vaccinated. I can order the meducine, but I don't trust myself to give them shots though. :hmm If you or Dennis are able to do it, I can bring the vaccine with me. However, if it's something worse, then I will need wait until all the current girls pass away before I can get any new chickens. I got this black chicken plush for my son, and he holds it all the time when he is awake except his remoate learning time. The poor kid really hates remote learning. I hope they let him back to school soon.
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Just got a call from Penn State. They confirmed that Candy died from Marek. Her has microscale size of tumors in most her organs, which cannot be found by naked eyes. :hit She had minor coccidiosis too, which is not the cause of her death, but Doctor Dunn suggests that I don't need to treat the other chickens. She also said many chickens have high resistance to Marek, but Silkie is not. I explained to her that Candy is not a Silkie, but Ameraucana. Anyway, so I will have to vaccinate my chicks in the future for safe.
 
How many mealworms are too much? I give my 6 girls two handful each day. But Two of them are molting. Poor Blue Bear only has 2 tail feather left. I wonder if I can give them more? They also get a few tiny strawberries from my garden each day. And how do you feed them fermented feed in winter? I'm thinking to put a small rubber bowl in the heated dog water bowl. Will that work?
 
When I used to feed fermented feed, I didn’t have an issue in the winter. Typically, the chickens will eat it very quickly. If you are feeding enough to last for several hours (I did), just make sure that you strain it better. I can’t remember ever having frozen food.
 

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