Should I be worried?

[Kahfia]

Hi. I am new to chicken raising. I have 12 chicks. They are between 1 month to 1 1/2 months old. Still in house in brooder. I just bought a very well made chicken coop/run combo and the owner told me that she had 6 chickens and 3 of them got Marek's and died. This coop has been unoccupied for some time and was taken apart and has been sitting out in the weather. I have read that Marek's will be around for a while, but doesn't survive in cold as well as temperate climates. We have had several nights this winter that got pretty cold. I don't think my chicks were vaccinated. I just learned about this disease. Should I be concerned with using this coop?
Thanks. Any information will be appreciated.

 

[Farm Bird]

I don't know what others on here might say but personally I would be worried. I would probably spray the heck out of it with lysol and/or bleach water before it was brought onto my property. That's something that no poultry owner ever wants started on their place. I've been very lucky to have never had any get sick from it but it's my understanding that it can kill your entire flock. Of course it may also already be gone from the coop too but you just don't know for sure. That's my 2 cents anyway but either way, I hope all goes well for you!

 

[Kahfia]

Thank you. I have done a lot of reading and have found out it is airborne. It could be any where. I wonder why all chicks are not vaccinated.
Anyway I plan on disinfecting and cleaning it well.

 

[Farm Bird]

I did not know it was airborne, YIKES! I thought it hung out in the dirt or on surfaces or something. I'm not sure why they don't vac more chicks but maybe it's more of a problem in certain areas? I also think the vaccine has to be used when you open it and quickly! So maybe small flock owners waste more than they use since anything left has to be pitched. That and I don't think most vets will do stuff for chickens either. I know most hatcheries will give you the option to have them vac'd but if you buy them from a feed or farm store they might be or might not be.

Well, there's my 2 cents again, lol! What kind of chicks did you get?

 

[hrhta812]

I think the airborne transmission refers to how live birds can spread it among each other, via breathing it in and out.

Scrub off, or power wash off, the whole thing, and then spray it down with a 10% bleach & water solution. Let it stand with the bleach solution sprayed on for at least 10 minutes, then rinse.

Don't skimp on any of those steps and you should be fine.

 

[Kahfia]

I have 6 assorted pullets and 2 Amaracaunas (sp) and 4 red sex links.
Thanks for the information.

 

[Kahfia]

I will do that.