The Legbar Thread!

[QuackerJackFarms]

The only thing about mareks is I thought is was younger birds. I'll google it some more. Thanks for those suggestions! I've never been so sad about losing a chicken. But they are my beloved Cream Legbar's.. lol.

 

[jeremy]

The only thing about mareks is I thought is was younger birds. I'll google it some more. Thanks for those suggestions! I've never been so sad about losing a chicken. But they are my beloved Cream Legbar's.. lol.

A bird of any age can contract Marek's. Younger birds usually die the quickest whereas older birds can sometimes survive the disease but they will then be carriers for life. If your bird did in fact die of Marek's but the other two birds didn't then they will most likely be carriers of the disease and any bird that comes into contact with them or their dander could potentially contract the disease as well.

You can have them tested to confirm whether or not they are positive.

 

[ChicKat]

Some sad news for me today. I went out to feed and water today and found Priscilla the non crested pullet dead. No clue why she was dead, just was laying there dead.

so very sorry that you lost your pullet.

 

[ChicKat]

Finally got a good pic of my pair to share with you. I lost my other hen a couple weeks ago. She started getting sick. First it was limping on one leg, then it spread to both legs, then wings, neck, to where she was moving. I was doing everything I could for her. I tried like heck to keep that bird alive. And she fought hard too. I'm baffled.



The last 2 weeks his comb is getting redder and redder. Doesn't that mean something? lol.

Also,, critiques welcome.

The birds look very healthy. One of the things I like about cream legbars is they are so distinctive.

Very sorry to hear about the loss of one of your legbars.

 

[Phage]

It seems that several people have had cream legbar hens die as subadults for no apparent reason.

I also had one die. She had gotten very cold during shipping as a day old chick but lasted several weeks before going down hill. I figured she never completely recovered, but now I am having second thoughts.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

A bird of any age can contract Marek's. Younger birds usually die the quickest whereas older birds can sometimes survive the disease but they will then be carriers for life. If your bird did in fact die of Marek's but the other two birds didn't then they will most likely be carriers of the disease and any bird that comes into contact with them or their dander could potentially contract the disease as well.

You can have them tested to confirm whether or not they are positive.

Good to know. Especially considering I have ALL my chickens together. 15 in all. Is this something they pass on to their young? There is some disease like that.. I can't remember which one.

 

[ChicKat]

Good to know. Especially considering I have ALL my chickens together. 15 in all. Is this something they pass on to their young? There is some disease like that.. I can't remember which one.

[FONT=verdana, arial, geneva, helvetica, sans-serif] According to Merck Vet manual -- there isn't vertical transmission of Mareks....... so what would possibly be passed to the young is immunity to a degree, IMO.[/FONT]

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203602.htm&word=Marek

I do think that although chickens can get Mareks at any age, it hits pullets just as they approach sexual maturity most frequently. Also vaccination is only effective 90% of the time.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

[FONT=verdana, arial, geneva, helvetica, sans-serif] According to Merck Vet manual -- there isn't vertical transmission of Mareks....... so what would possibly be passed to the young is immunity to a degree, IMO.[/FONT]

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203602.htm&word=Marek

I do think that although chickens can get Mareks at any age, it hits pullets just as they approach sexual maturity most frequently. Also vaccination is only effective 90% of the time.

Great info. Thanks for that.

 

[Papa Brooder]

Some sad news for me today. I went out to feed and water today and found Priscilla the non crested pullet dead. No clue why she was dead, just was laying there dead.

Dude, that sucks! sorry man. My friend said the same thing happened to one of her Swedish flower hens just the other day. didn't look great one day, dead the next. praying it's just the one and nothing that anyone else gets.

 

[klf73]

I have a question now that I just had 4 cockerals hatch

. Has anyone noticed if the chick down matters? I have some that are light and some that are dark. The darker ones have smaller defined dots and the lighter ones have smudgey marks on their head. I figure this probably has to do with the barring genetics and dilution(?) but if I were to keep one cockeral I am not sure which would be preferable? I will try to get a pic later as the orps still haven't finished their hatch...