Wonderling
Songster
Here a picture from last week of my handsome boy, Glasspoole:
My almost-6th month old Australorp/Mystery-mix-breed cockerel (pictured above) seemed sore on one leg yesterday so we moved him into the small section on the coop so he could recover from what I assumed was a pulled muscle since I couldn't find any break. Today he's having issues with his other leg as well, so now I'm pretty sure it's Marek's disease. This year is the first time I've ever hatched eggs and you guessed it, I didn't vaccinate which I'm now kicking myself for. Honestly though it would have been so expensive to buy a 1,000 dose bottle for each batch of 2-4 chicks I hatched which is what made me decide against it.
Here's my question...do I just put him down? I'm guessing yes...it's just so disheartening.
I have 4 other chicks (2 pullets/2 cockerels) that are still a month or two younger than him who are fine...for now. From what I'm reading they'll either show signs and need to be put down or they'll be carriers. Crossing my fingers that they just end up as carriers but only time will tell.
Anyone else gone through a similar experience? I think I'm just really feeling bad because I know this is my fault but at the time I thought it was a calculated risk. Since this was all very new I didn't really have the experience to realize the actual risk I was taking. Though this is heart wrenching I'm trying to accept it as a painful learning experience but I could really use a comment or two letting me know I'm not the only one who's made this kind of error and recovered their chicken keeping spirit.
All future plans are: either aim to hatch 15 or more at a time and vaccinate, or simply buy from a hatchery and have them already vaccinated. Thus the cost is approximately the same.
Update: Going to give him vitamins and keep an eye on him for a couple days to see if his condition improves. Future updates will be in the comments.
My almost-6th month old Australorp/Mystery-mix-breed cockerel (pictured above) seemed sore on one leg yesterday so we moved him into the small section on the coop so he could recover from what I assumed was a pulled muscle since I couldn't find any break. Today he's having issues with his other leg as well, so now I'm pretty sure it's Marek's disease. This year is the first time I've ever hatched eggs and you guessed it, I didn't vaccinate which I'm now kicking myself for. Honestly though it would have been so expensive to buy a 1,000 dose bottle for each batch of 2-4 chicks I hatched which is what made me decide against it.
Here's my question...do I just put him down? I'm guessing yes...it's just so disheartening.
I have 4 other chicks (2 pullets/2 cockerels) that are still a month or two younger than him who are fine...for now. From what I'm reading they'll either show signs and need to be put down or they'll be carriers. Crossing my fingers that they just end up as carriers but only time will tell.
Anyone else gone through a similar experience? I think I'm just really feeling bad because I know this is my fault but at the time I thought it was a calculated risk. Since this was all very new I didn't really have the experience to realize the actual risk I was taking. Though this is heart wrenching I'm trying to accept it as a painful learning experience but I could really use a comment or two letting me know I'm not the only one who's made this kind of error and recovered their chicken keeping spirit.
All future plans are: either aim to hatch 15 or more at a time and vaccinate, or simply buy from a hatchery and have them already vaccinated. Thus the cost is approximately the same.
Update: Going to give him vitamins and keep an eye on him for a couple days to see if his condition improves. Future updates will be in the comments.
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