bekachickenborn
Chirping
- Jul 17, 2016
- 85
- 29
- 81
Hi friends - It's been quite a while since I've posted, but I'm feeling discouraged and a bit sad. I suspect that my flock has a problem with Marek's. It started with my hen, Thomas, going blind. She progressively went blind, with a narrowed pupil. I just thought (I was less informed then) she went blind. She ended up getting lost during a free range last fall. My Easter Egger, May, developed paralysis last fall and was very sick. After trying to nurse her back to health for a few weeks, we had to cull her. One of my older hens, Red, recently/suddenly died...went up to the coop to find her laying there dead. Now, my Wellsummer has no function in her one foot. She is still eating/hops around on one foot. I have her in a cage in my garage. This recent chain of events have led me to believe that Marek's may be the issue (heart breaking as I type!). I'm confused though, as I have not added to the flock for over 2 years. But I guess its possible. Anyways...I was considering bringing new chicks to start building up the flock again this spring (I currently am down to 7 hens and 1 rooster), but now I feel like maybe that is unfair to expose more chickens to my infected flock. I read that Marek's can live for years without a host. Is this the end of chicken raising for me? Any advice is welcome...feeling defeated over the whole thing. Thanks for reading my dramatic story!