San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[room onthebroom]

Cockerels 2 of 9 first time, 1 of 6 second time but the 2nd time there were 2 or 3 that got sick and ended up infecting the rest of my coop with what we're thinking was mareks. I only have 3 left

I don't know how common it is for EEs to lay huge eggs but one of the first round only laid giant eggs once a week and it ended up binding her no matter what I did and she didn't make it after 2 years of soaking her bum and lubing it up. I know chickens are prone to different things but I know that the second batch did the rest in. It was rough watching it affect different birds when I thought they were finally better.
I think I'm going to give Hawthorne a shot since I think they have vaccinated chicks.

Wow!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
did you get Mereks verified? Vaccination doesnt keep them from getting it it only keeps them from getting symptoms. I wish they didnt even call it a vaccine...

deb

 

[CarRod325]

I didn't take the dead birds in... one of my friends is a vet asst. And she checked them and she said that the symptom accumulation was indicative of marks. Thank you for the heads up about the vaccine. All of this happened a year ago so the 3 left have been healthy and never showed any signs.

 

[perchie.girl]

I didn't take the dead birds in... one of my friends is a vet asst. And she checked them and she said that the symptom accumulation was indicative of marks. Thank you for the heads up about the vaccine. All of this happened a year ago so the 3 left have been healthy and never showed any signs.

sad to say they will be carriers for life.... There are different presentations external and internal The disease is transmitted by dander and can live in the soil for several years.

If you want to keep chickens You should get only vaccinated chicks.... Then be very careful to do biosecurity so you dont pass the disease to other flocks.

dig up some of the threads on Marecks.... I only have knowledge from research. Find out from people who are dealing with it on an ongoing basis.

deb

 

[CarRod325]

sad to say they will be carriers for life....  There are different presentations external and internal  The disease is transmitted by dander and can live in the soil for several years.

If you want to keep chickens You should get only vaccinated chicks....  Then be very careful to do biosecurity so you dont pass the disease to other flocks.  

dig up some of the threads on Marecks....   I only have knowledge from research.  Find out from people who are dealing with it on an ongoing basis.

deb

That is sad about them being carriers for life. After my last hen died I dug out all of the soil in the coop (1ft down) and replaced with sand and topsoil. The idea of it and the remaining hens still being somewhat contaminated is such a bummer!
My girls moulted this winter so they're not laying again yet. I miss their eggs!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
sheesh I always spell it wrong its Marek....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

its a long article not a discussion. I know at least one person who has Mareks in her flock and she maintains it in isolation.... all new birds must have the vaccine and no shipping of birds off the property. yOu can still eat the eggs.

But read the article and pay particular attention to diseases that are often mis diagnosed as Mareks. The ONLY way to be certain is through necropsy and lab tests.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Oh and for what its worth either Cal poly or Davis has a service for doing bird necropsys... I belive they charge a minimal charge...

But I dont have the contact info. hopefully I will be able to dig it up or someone here will offer the info before you loose another bird.

Hang in there....

deb

 

[CarRod325]

That was a great article! Since no necropsy was performed it is somewhat impossible to know for sure if they had mareks or one of the other things listed! I didn't realize that so many it her things had leg paralysis as a symptom. It didn't help that I was very pregnant during the outbreak and cautious about delving into the depths of what was happening. That being said, the last bird died October'15... fine one day... died roosting when I went out one morning. Thank you for all the valuable information Deb!

What are your go-to'so for treating chickens. I have wormer, vetrx, and add acv to their water. What other things should I have on hand?

 

[perchie.girl]

That was a great article! Since no necropsy was performed it is somewhat impossible to know for sure if they had mareks or one of the other things listed! I didn't realize that so many it her things had leg paralysis as a symptom. It didn't help that I was very pregnant during the outbreak and cautious about delving into the depths of what was happening. That being said, the last bird died October'15... fine one day... died roosting when I went out one morning. Thank you for all the valuable information Deb!

What are your go-to'so for treating chickens. I have wormer, vetrx, and add acv to their water. What other things should I have on hand?

Good start on the medicine cabinet. I have had horses for 50 years so my medicine cabinet is filled with stuff that can be used for both. To be honest I havent had any issues with disease in my flocks.... But first aid I do have.

There is a first aid list being compiled here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1150128/suggestions-for-a-first-aid-kit-preliminary
The creator of the thread above has extensive knowledge and has written many articles. She is not a vet too many of us are in places where getting help from a vet experienced with Avaian needs is impractical or impossible.

I keep on hand basics... Dedicated to the treatment of animals keep them separate from home first aid.

Vasaline
Sharp Scissors
Vet Wrap (stretchy sticks only to itself one time use)
Blood stopper (I use white sugar for that)
Gauze
Bucket for cleaning dirty stuff
Clean Bucket for washing wounds
Blue coat the kind with a dauber
betadyne soap... or a good soap for wound washing.
Flashlight
Hospital cage... Dog crate works great.

Oh and a container to keep your first aid stuff on hand. Most of the stuff you can get at the Feed store... Definately get the Vet Wrap at the feed store a roll there runs about two bucks... at the pharmacy a similar roll for humans will run about six....

Blue Coat is a wound dressing found at the feed store. It is good for minor wounds and dies the skin deep blue helpful to protect the chicken from the others. Chickens tend to pick at blood so hiding it is a good idea.

Vasaline is useful for treating leg mites and for protecting Combs from frost bite....

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

I also want to add BYC has a wealth of information there are many many people knowledgeable and experienced with different areas of poultry management.

Views on the subject vary.... There are also sources of information through Agricultural agencies and Colleges.... Read and verify Take away what you need that fits your sensibilities.

We in San Diego County are fortunate in that the San Diego Zoo and animal park are such a big influence. Many of the livestock vets are willing to work with poultry. I am unfamiliar with ones in your area because I have been in East county for the past 50 years.

deb