The Buckeye Thread

[Blueface]

Why are Seabrights so susceptable? Why is anything so much more in one population than it is in another? Don't make spurious correlations and hold them out as gospel Joe. Your may experience lead you to a conclusion but mind you, yours is a very limited experience. I'd rather you base what you hold out there to be indisputable truth on more than your subjective and limited experience.

Breeding problems my guess...some breeds have better genetic resistance because they have been bred for it . As for my experiences....they topple yours rest assured. I've been around poultry my entire life and mentored by generations of valid experience...you'd be amazed what old-timers actually know and are willing to share if you show respect and consideration. No book or article can ever compare! My education came from the back hollers in KY and LA where strength and health were number 1...not pretty feathers. That's real life genetics 101, not the paperback version written by people who like to talk. You can believe whatever you want....but knowingly exposing possibly infected birds to a large volume of fowl is irresponsible. Even my "limited" experience knows better than that!

What I don't understand is that you don't seem to care....would you care if a breeder knowing brought birds full of lice? And they crossed over to your fowl? Why would anyone what to do that to someone else? I'm well aware that others don't care but respecting poultry and other people should be the real issue at hand.

 

[JoshU]

I guess the question to pose is.. Should you take members of your flock to a large show if you are still having deaths occur with in your flock. Is there a time frame on letting the virus run its course. ? I am grateful that I have and continue to have healthy birds. And I know it has to be devastating to lose a part of your flock. My concern and it is an honest concern is that .... even if all birds carry it and are exposed to it in many different ways, could birds exposed at large shows be lost from close contact with birds coming from an infected flock. I don't want to be seen as being "hysterical" but I am concerned. SO ..... time frame after last flock death to show arena? Time frame from recently affected flock need to not infect other birds who have not been vaccinated? I do not vaccinate and this is a real concern for me even with healthy happy birds.

 

[slfarms]

"Limited experience" has put more Buckeyes on champ row than all other breeders combined.

Did you know that if a bird is a carrier of Mareks it then transfers to its "offspring" genetically? Science/genetics are fascinating things.

 

[fowlman01]

Why are Seabrights so susceptable? Why is anything so much more in one population than it is in another? Don't make spurious correlations and hold them out as gospel Joe. Your may experience lead you to a conclusion but mind you, yours is a very limited experience. I'd rather you base what you hold out there to be indisputable truth on more than your subjective and limited experience.

Sebrights, Silkies and some others. Mostly because they kept birds that were susceptible. Folks need to read about Mareks. The very best thing to do is stop vaccinating and breed from whatever survives...if anything does...if they all die, get another line and try it again. I haven't worried aobut Mareks in 30 years and I show in all kinds of shows in many states. Mareks pretty much is transmitted by air, so no place is safe. That can be found at any reliable source.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

After reading the posts I think it would be good for folks to read about Mareks in the Merck Manual or some other scientific writings. Or..contact Dr Pete at First Interstate vet. Mareks is everywhere and it is airborne, so there is not much you can do about it other than raise strong birds. I have 50 years experience, so I have seen both sides. I don't worry about Mareks at all. To add ..I am a California Poultry Health inspector as well...and vets generally don't know anything about chickens. There is no money in it.

Walt

 

[Blueface]

Sebrights, Silkies and some others. Mostly because they kept birds that were susceptible. Folks need to read about Mareks. The very best thing to do is stop vaccinating and breed from whatever survives...if anything does...if they all die, get another line and try it again. I haven't worried aobut Mareks in 30 years and I show in all kinds of shows in many states. Mareks pretty much is transmitted by air, so no place is safe. That can be found at any reliable source.

Walt

Hey Walt, has anyone every told you that your old? I have read more about poultry illnesses than about chemistry and I'm a post graduate senior chemist....your thoughts regarding breeding non-susceptible fowl are spot in IMO and echoed everywhere in the poultry community. Thanks for sharing. But that doesn't change the fact that many people don't know any better or are uninformed. Years ago (20+) on my parents farm, I had a bad case Marek's in some Americaunas and killed them all and started over with game......that was the end of Marek's disease for me. My bucks are pretty resistant to almost everything. Really strong healthy birds....I had a person call me from both Ohio and NC contacted regarding all of there young bucks dying from one batch of eggs but the next batch where perfectly fine and both where raised side by side under great ...it is a breeders job to send out birds that are genetically sound.
I still don't see how it is proper to knowingly take potential carrier birds anywhere....yes I know that there are breeders that are not the least bit worried...I'm one of them but how many can actually say that? Greater than 50%, greater than 80%; what about the other 20%. If Marek's was not a problem in general their wouldn't be a vaccine for it.
There are all kinds of poultry illnesses out there....but knowing exposing other birds to anything has to be taken into consideration.....but then again I've not been preaching health for the last 15 years for nothing?!?!

At times I actually miss the gamefowl fraternity...there were never any behind the scenes crybabies and feelings never got hurt. People where honest, took critizm and stood up for themselves. They put the health and care of their flocks only after their immediate family. They had a put up or shut up mentality....I wish all of the poultry world could be like that!! I took over VP responsibilities of the state gamefowl breeders association by member vote....a bunch of older gentlemen voting on a young guy....why?....because they know my determination and I've proven myself as credible. That is where the strongest poultry resides

 

[sumi]

Very interesting discussion! I read the posts here this morning and decided to ask BYC members their opinion on whether or not they think it's acceptable to take chickens from their farm to a show while dealing with a contagious disease.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...try-and-safety-precautions/0_30#post_14168887

Walt, I wouldn't send my son to school if he's got a cold and argue that the cold virus is everywhere. I get what you're saying, but if someone with Mareks on their farm takes birds from their farm to a show they are increasing the other exhibitors' birds' exposure to the disease. The people I know personally who dealt with Mareks in their flocks will not let a live bird leave their farms for awhile after making sure the outbreak is under control. I don't think they are overreacting by choosing to do so. Just my 00.02c

 

[fowlman01]

Very interesting discussion! I read the posts here this morning and decided to ask BYC members their opinion on whether or not they think it's acceptable to take chickens from their farm to a show while dealing with a contagious disease.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...try-and-safety-precautions/0_30#post_14168887

Walt, I wouldn't send my son to school if he's got a cold and argue that the cold virus is everywhere. I get what you're saying, but if someone with Mareks on their farm takes birds from their farm to a show they are increasing the other exhibitors' birds' exposure to the disease. The people I know personally who dealt with Mareks in their flocks will not let a live bird leave their farms for awhile after making sure the outbreak is under control. I don't think they are overreacting by choosing to do so. Just my 00.02c

Rather than put it the way you did, why don't you ask about the specific problem ....Mareks. It is a lot different! Your birds have been exposed to Mareks as have Joe's and everyone reading this. It does not matter if you are at a show or in your backyard with a closed flock that never goes anywhere. I'm not sure why you folks dopn't get this, but if you do research where there are knowledgable people, you will get the same answer I am giving..

Walt

 

[buckeyechicken]

Last month I entered Buckeye's in our county fair, my birds are healthy and they eat and give me eggs just like they should, and show no signs of symptoms of being sick. When I brought my birds back home I quarantined them for 30 days. The state vet was there pulling random checks on the poultry and testing for MG, MS and other thing. I asked him how I could find out the results from his sampling and he said to call him and he would give me the results. I sent him an email and his response was There was significant cases of MS and MG in the random sampling 1 in 5. So since my birds have been exposed to ms and mg I have to have my birds quarantined, or that is the right thing to do. This will stop me from entering in the State fair, because someone brought some unhealthy birds just to win a ribbon and and a couple of dollars. And what does this do to me a person who is trying to do right and raise healthy birds, if it is found in my flock I will have to depopulate my flock. I have over 150 birds and it has took me a year and a lot of money to get where I am at now. If a person knowingly brings a sick bird to the show he is not being fair to all who his birds infected. There should be severe penalties for this person. The only place my birds could have been exposed to any disease was at the fair. there is no one withing 5 mile of me that raises any type of poultry.

 

[fowlman01]

Hey Walt, has anyone every told you that your old?

I have read more about poultry illnesses than about chemistry and I'm a post graduate senior chemist....your thoughts regarding breeding non-susceptible fowl are spot in IMO and echoed everywhere in the poultry community. Thanks for sharing. But that doesn't change the fact that many people don't know any better or are uninformed. Years ago (20+) on my parents farm, I had a bad case Marek's in some Americaunas and killed them all and started over with game......that was the end of Marek's disease for me. My bucks are pretty resistant to almost everything. Really strong healthy birds....I had a person call me from both Ohio and NC contacted regarding all of there young bucks dying from one batch of eggs but the next batch where perfectly fine and both where raised side by side under great ...it is a breeders job to send out birds that are genetically sound.
I still don't see how it is proper to knowingly take potential carrier birds anywhere....yes I know that there are breeders that are not the least bit worried...I'm one of them but how many can actually say that? Greater than 50%, greater than 80%; what about the other 20%. If Marek's was not a problem in general their wouldn't be a vaccine for it.
There are all kinds of poultry illnesses out there....but knowing exposing other birds to anything has to be taken into consideration.....but then again I've not been preaching health for the last 15 years for nothing?!?!

At times I actually miss the gamefowl fraternity...there were never any behind the scenes crybabies and feelings never got hurt. People where honest, took critizm and stood up for themselves. They put the health and care of their flocks only after their immediate family. They had a put up or shut up mentality....I wish all of the poultry world could be like that!! I took over VP responsibilities of the state gamefowl breeders association by member vote....a bunch of older gentlemen voting on a young guy....why?....because they know my determination and I've proven myself as credible. That is where the strongest poultry resides

Oh I know I'm old Joe and will be another year older in 20 days..... But I'm not so old that I don't remember that you and your group were having problems with Coryza during the summer. Now that is a problem. If a person has Coryza they should not bring a bird off the place until it is gone...and then still wait a few months.

Walt