Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

I am not really sure myself of the disease.
Everything written, and told, is just very hard to comprehend.
I hatched out eggs from a breeder in Texas in March.
Ever since then, I have had these few babies that just seemed "lazy".
My vet told me it was a neurological problem, and NOT Mareks.
Especially since it was from just these chicks in the spring.
I was under the understanding it CANNOT be transmitted thru the egg.
And this has happened slowly over time. First, they just stumble.
Then, they like to sit around alot. Then, they just stop walking.
They CAN move their legs, they have feeling in their feet....
But they act normal... still eating and drinking.
One of the boys still humped my arm whenever I picked him up.
Very confusing.
I am guessing my flock is positive, and just never realized it because I usually don't bring in new chicks.
It's said that all chicks under 5 months old be kept separate from the adults.
Yeah, I got the room for that....
Please be aware this is EVERYWHERE.
It can be brought in by a bird flying overhead.
Feather dander can stay in your coop for YEARS, and still carry the disease.
I think it is because these were the "special" babies, I kept them in the house.

It's kind of like the chicken pox virus. Try to understand it... you get it, you're done with it.
I just don't know if it is possible to vaccinate the older birds.
Still trying to comprehend all of this.
And, just like the name stoopid, I am talking about this.
Most people keep their mouth closed, and put their head in the sand, thinking if they don't talk about it...well I guess it didn't really happen.

To be continued....

You know, that I know how devastating it can be to deal with illness and loss in birds. I really feel badly for you. Have you sent one for necropsy to get a definitive diagnosis? That could put your mind at rest if you know what you are dealing with. Some diseases can be vertically transmitted from hen to egg, but I don't know if Marek's is one of those.
 
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Maggie, so sorry.
Kind of puts my chickens into a different perspective.
Big hugs to you and yours
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So sorry for both of you. May you each have a quiet moment this week where a fond memory from the past arrives and gives you a smile. My thoughts and love are with you each.
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You know, that I know how devastating it can be to deal with illness and loss in birds. I really feel badly for you. Have you sent one for necropsy to get a definitive diagnosis? That could put your mind at rest if you know what you are dealing with. Some diseases can be vertically transmitted from hen to egg, but I don't know if Marek's is one of those.
Marek's is very, very common. It affects birds similarly to polio in humans, and those that survive it can end up being paralyzed or crippled. I realize now that I have no idea if my two bantams were ever vaccinated and they could easily not be. It is transmitted by wild birds so I have stopped feeding the wild birds in my yard now to prevent droppings etc from building up.
 
Their description:
Dawn breaks. The hens descend from their bespoke Versailles-inspired Le Petit Trianon house to their playground below for a morning wing stretch. Slipping on your wellies, you start for the coop and are greeted by the pleasant clucking of your specially chosen flock and the site of the poshest hen house ever imagined. Your custom-made multilevel dwelling features a nesting area, a "living room" for nighttime roosting, a broody room, a library filled with chicken and gardening books for visitors of the human kind, and, of course, an elegant chandelier. The environment suits them well as you notice the fresh eggs awaiting morning collection. Nearby, you pick fresh vegetables or herbs from your custom-built raised gardens. You've always fancied yourself a farmer—now thanks to Heritage Hen Farm, you're doing it in the fanciest way possible!

The reality:
It is 4 am, one of the 25 chickens you were told would be pullets begins to crow in your "no roosters allowed, 6 bird limit" township. You run screaming, half naked, in your slippers, from the house to bring the offender inside, lest your crotchety neighbor hears and turns you into the township zoning board. The hens make a break for it, squacking and trampling in the dark thinking that it is time to gorge on feed that costs far more than the eggs you collect. You slip on the mud and chicken poop that is now the yard. The "living room", broody room, and library are covered in hardened poop and slick with last nights offerings. The straw you put down is disgusting and in a bad need of a change, the gardening books "for visitors of the human kind" are caked together in droppings and fly marks (so is that pretty chair and the paintings). The youngest of the bunch are perched atop the elegant chandelier because it is the highest thing in the coop. As you are sorting all of this out you notice that the custom built raised bed gardens are the favorite place for your chickens to perch and eat the fresh vegetables and herbs. You have always fancied yourself a farmer and now you realize that you are not, never will be, and decide to turn that pretty little hen house into a playhouse for your over indulged children that never help you take care of the chickens anyway.
Christine, this is f'ing hilarious and I wish I'd written it.
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My thoughts were, Versailles? Really? Did anyone think about the fact that Marie Antoinette forced real peasants to do the actual work in her pretend little village so she could play milkmaid - how well did that end up for her? The Headless Queen is not a look anyone should want to emulate.

I also thought it would be much better if they had gone with an American Icon of architecture to replicate. Since Neiman's is based in Dallas, why not The Alamo? Or The White House? The Capitol Building? Monticello? Or my personal preference Falling Water, Frank Lloyd Wright's house in PA.

I once trailed a fancy lady and her much younger paramour through the Pet Pantry store in Greenwich, CT as they packed a cart with chick supplies and smashed ceramic brooder lamps on the floor (not offering to pay for any of them natch). She asked that a different color cage be brought to her since the one the staff picked out would not coordinate with her decor. I nearly lost it and had to smother a giggle. Did she not realize that poop pretty much doesn't match any sort of Greenwich decor? After she left I asked the staff what would happen and they said within three weeks she'd be back with all the stuff covered in **** trying to return it all full-price and ask them to rehome the chicks.

I do like the paintings though, did anyone else see the Smithsonian series of chickens dressed as famous people? THey should have framed those for the interior.
 
BST? Oh oh...all I can think of is ...."Danger Will Robinson!"
I feel your pain. I have been waiting for chickens to be shipped since 9/23. The weather hasn't been cooperating and there are 3 zip codes that must have good conditions (not too hot and not too cold) for the flights. These birds are for my daughter and it's driving me crazy. I'm hoping each day, that we catch a break and get the right weather combination.



I've been complaining that I could just drive ere and have been home already, honestly if I knew I would be this antsy about them being shipped, I would have just drove out and picked them up....I have a friend visiting from Illinois this weekend and she totally could have picked them up for me :)


It's def. peep pressure....enablers ....lol my brother called me today and asked why I sounded sad....I told him. I was waiting for my chicks and disappointed they hadn't come. He was like why did you buy chicks ...get some eggs and hatch them.....he doesn't even like chickens and yet he too is an enabler...my entire family loves animals lol...I have a feeling by next year it's going to be an extended family project....not just my immediate family
 
I've been complaining that I could just drive ere and have been home already, honestly if I knew I would be this antsy about them being shipped, I would have just drove out and picked them up....I have a friend visiting from Illinois this weekend and she totally could have picked them up for me :)
It's def. peep pressure....enablers ....lol my brother called me today and asked why I sounded sad....I told him. I was waiting for my chicks and disappointed they hadn't come. He was like why did you buy chicks ...get some eggs and hatch them.....he doesn't even like chickens and yet he too is an enabler...my entire family loves animals lol...I have a feeling by next year it's going to be an extended family project....not just my immediate family


Can I sheepishly admit that I've been considering driving to pickup our birds? I must be crazy. I can't believe the things I do for my daughter. If it was my non-disabled son asking, I'd tell him that he was nuts. LOL
 
Don't trust the tracking info for USPS. I have gotten packages delivered, checked the website, and they were still in transit.
 
LOL well the info with the tracking number said to expect the tracking number information to be delayed. I totally surprised my sister in North Carolina yesterday. I shipped my niece a bunch of dress up stuff from a cute little website. They provided UPS tracking info alerts. So I called her up when it texted me that it was delivered. She was like ....its not here yet. I told her check her porch, she walks out the door and is like seriously? It was sitting there and the guy was still pulling away from her house :) lol
 

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