Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

Morning... I waved at you last night MnChickmom,,,,as I drove sorta past you...

As much as I dislike this cold snap, it is better than 90 above....Secondly I enjoy sitting here drinking my coffee and watching the Cardinals on my feeders.

I am in need of Holm's help, but he is woefully missing. I carry ad store water in 55 gallon drums in my pole barn. (I am not sure spending a small fortune to replace the water line is worth it.)

I need to refill the barrels about every 3 weeks. I try to pick warm days to do this. I have been unable to find many warm days this winter. Hence, I think Holm's should come down fill and carry my water drums so I do not have to worry about finding a warm day......

 

[MNChickMom]

Can anyone elaborate on the stop hatching for one year....break the Marek's cycle as it would pretain to a 4H family. I understand that without the chick for a host it dies, but if a fellow 4H'er were to show an infected bird (with no outward signs) and happen to be caged right next to my birds, there is a possibility that the virus could be passed correct? All of the chickens that are shown for 4H in Minnesota are young birds (hatched after January 1 of the current year), in my research Mareks is more prevalent in younger birds.

And for the MG vaccine.....has anyone experienced the spread like wildfire respiratory virus?

I am just trying to get a good reputable breeding program established with healthy, strong, winter tolerable genetics in place but I also don't want to discount natural immunity either. Chicken raising and Farming not for the meek.

 

[holm25]

Ralphie as much fun as carrying water sounds I will have to decline your generous offer

 

[holm25]

MCM I know what you mean... We spent a tiny fortune on good quality birds and it would really suck to take a year off... Maybe once I'm out of 4H I will...

 

[holm25]

Off to the Barber shop and a feed run and then to Oakes ND for Dentist appointment...

 

[MrsMistyReal]

Good morning hope you're all staying warm

 

[duluthralphie]

Can anyone elaborate on the stop hatching for one year....break the Marek's cycle as it would pretain to a 4H family. I understand that without the chick for a host it dies, but if a fellow 4H'er were to show an infected bird (with no outward signs) and happen to be caged right next to my birds, there is a possibility that the virus could be passed correct? All of the chickens that are shown for 4H in Minnesota are young birds (hatched after January 1 of the current year), in my research Mareks is more prevalent in younger birds.

And for the MG vaccine.....has anyone experienced the spread like wildfire respiratory virus?

I am just trying to get a good reputable breeding program established with healthy, strong, winter tolerable genetics in place but I also don't want to discount natural immunity either. Chicken raising and Farming not for the meek.

What Jerry also said was a closed flock. Showing a bird is not a closed flock.

Which is why I am going with the vaccine. I had a bad Maraks year. Normally, I lose a few but last year was more than I want to bear again. So I am going to vaccinate all hatches this year.

Jerry, as much as I think you're a genius, I am not sure of the one year off breaking the cycle. I would think we would still have carriers that shed cells with the virus in them.

Also I am not sure all my soil here would kill the virus with the shading I have in some areas.


That said, you have never been wrong before....BUT giving up hatching is a little too drastic of action to just kill a little virus off....



I was told by Shauna Voss MG in chickens was not a problem, she said almost all flocks in MN have it. Their main concern is turkeys. She also indicated the Poultry Board might look at dropping MG on them even. There are only 15 states that have rules on MG now, we are one.

I think it was a larger economic threat when we had millions of pastured turkeys in our area and west of here. Now almost all turkeys are raised in bio-security buildings and they do not suffer the 4-6 weeks of no weight gain that MG causes.

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, I don't believe you have to quit showing to maintain a closed flock. Just don't bring the show birds back home. Sell them at the show.

 

[jerryse]

Can anyone elaborate on the stop hatching for one year....break the Marek's cycle as it would pretain to a 4H family. I understand that without the chick for a host it dies, but if a fellow 4H'er were to show an infected bird (with no outward signs) and happen to be caged right next to my birds, there is a possibility that the virus could be passed correct? All of the chickens that are shown for 4H in Minnesota are young birds (hatched after January 1 of the current year), in my research Mareks is more prevalent in younger birds.[/B]

And for the MG vaccine.....has anyone experienced the spread like wildfire respiratory virus?

I am just trying to get a good reputable breeding program established with healthy, strong, winter tolerable genetics in place but I also don't want to discount natural immunity either. Chicken raising and Farming not for the meek.

In my search for answers in years past here is what I remember . Transmission is on young chicks and by dander of . Once said to be in the first two weeks of age . Later it was discovered it could be later also but still young . In my experience it shows symptoms at around 6 months of age . So I think showing is not a concern . So if you hatched or bought chicks in 2017 do not hatch or buy in 2018 . By spring of 2019 you will be free of Marecks virus . I have never had a bird recover . Some say they have . Bad idea as it can infect others . Cull all sick birds .

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie, I don't believe you have to quit showing to maintain a closed flock. Just don't bring the show birds back home. Sell them at the show.

ewwwwww that would be horrible!! Show your second best bird or sell your best breeders to someone else to beat you with next year!! Oh the misery!!!