You stated that it is better to breed resistant chickens... How do I do that, if I don't know who has it and who doesn't. Also can those chickens be purchased??? if so where???
Thank you for your input I am trying to understand all of this.
In that link I referenced, a BYC poster, 'NYReds' who is also, I think, a poultry judge said something to the effect that his tool is a hatchet, and if a chicken in his flock ever got Merek's or any other disease he would cull that chicken. I think that he acknowledged that it sounds brutal, but then his flock never had any diseases. This is the attitude of a breeder too - and breeders need to be rather ruthless in culling.
That is probably more extreme than most of us could/would go. -- However, I think that vaccination is not a good idea when you really delve into it for the backyard flock owner. Hatcheries, and big factory farms where the motive is more profit and fast turn-around of chickens -- maybe. But for individuals - I wouldn't advise.
That probably means that some pet chickens will die and our hearts will be broken.
Breeds that are related to RI Reds seem to have more susceptability than breeds that are related to White Leghorns. It has something to do with gene B21. For that reason, Red sex-links and Black Sex-links are probably more likely to succumb than white leghorns are.
Merek's seems to hit pullets right at point of lay -- IF you have pullets at that point then try to reduce their stress as much as possible. Merek's seems also to hit chickens when they are stressed. So the waterer runs dry on a super hot day, or the temperature dips unexpectedly, or there are furious storms - or new chickens introduced. POL is stressful enough for a pullet. Having the pullets safe from rooster harassment is also an advantage if you can manage it.
So to bring together a couple of points -- from the perspective that I have and what I have read
1. Don't vaccinate your flock
2. Avoid stress
3. Do what you can to build their immunity-- good feed from hatch on ward, occasional vitamins, free-ranging or pasturing when it is safe for them
4. Try to select healthy breeds and be aware that White Leghorns may have some built-in resistance while RI reds may have some built in vulnerabilities.
5. Accept that you will loose some chickens -
As the years go by -- you may see incidences of it less and less -- until finally it seems to disappear entirely from your flock.
I would be interested to hear other viewpoints and flock experiences, and I bet you would too.....
Spirit
Greeter
Friend
