The Legbar Thread!

[Phage]

I think folks that everyone is actually saying similar things.

The vaccine gives some protection (from dying from Mareks disease) to the bird that is vaccinated, but may facilitate exposure of the virus to unvaccinated birds in the flock.

It also appears that the cream legbar (hens at least) are especially susceptible to this particular strain of Mareks, that may have been imported from one of several non US countries.

 

[redchicken9]

All GFF buyers: Under FAQ, GFF states: We will vaccinate your chicks for Marek’s disease if you specifically request it in advance of shipping and pay a $1.00 per chick vaccination fee. We do not vaccinate for other diseases. I did not have my chicks vaccinated. Are you sure yours are? Just asking since someone posted that GFF does this automatically.

 

[redchicken9]

OK, maybe I misunderstood. Maybe the point was all their chicks had been vaccinated. Apologies for the confusion. I had just been worried that my were vaccinated without my knowledge.

 

[klf73]

OK, maybe I misunderstood.  Maybe the point was all their chicks had been vaccinated.  Apologies for the confusion.  I had just been worried that my were vaccinated without my knowledge.

 

It was my understanding that it was originally optional BUT I believe they now vaccinate ALL. You should ask them if yours were vaccinated...then you will know.

 

[ChicKat]

With all due respect to participants in this thread.....would it be possible to start another different thread with the specific focus of Marek's?

It is tragic to loose a bird to the awful disease. Phage may have a point that cream legbars are more susceptable, but I think that rather the people who have cream legbars have more experience than most BYC posters, and so they will 1. Recognize it more quickly and diagnose more correctly and 2. Have pullets that are just coming to the point of lay - which is a bit stressful for the pullet, her hormones kicking in and egg-laying mechanisms starting etc...and stress is a trigger. Pullets are the most susceptible cohort of chickens from my understanding.

There is a lot of information and misinformation about Mareks... If someone were to pick up on recent conversations here, they would IMO be dis-inclined to select cream legbars for fear that they are genetically prone to Mareks. I think that they would statistically be just about like any other chicken breed.

Here are some threads
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/190815/mareks-disease/20
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/598100/rx-for-mareks-disease
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/178944/vaccinating-for-mareks-disease
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/21263/mareks-disease-diagnosis

Last fall when I lost a pullet to Marek's I read everything I could find on the disease. Among the posts was a quote from a university poultry specialist that explained it to the poster (i'm paraphrasing here) that there is a race in the chick between the lethal Mareks and the non-lethal (Turkey herpes, which is the vaccine)--and which ever virus "wins" in the chick's system determines the out come.

Mareks is everywhere...in conditions of stress, relocation, heat, drought cold, the virus can get a start in the chicken. So the vaccine isn't a magic sliver bullet to prevent the condition. And people most likely don't infect other people's chickens or chicks...but the stress of relocating may cause a problem. The same chicks that got Marek's as one poster above suggested, may never have gotten it had then never been relocated.

Although Mareks affects cream legbars, it affects all chickens. I don't want to discourage everyone who needs to voice on this subject, but I also want to come here and hear more legbar specific information. Am I mistaken in this? Thanks.

 

[klf73]

You are not mistaken. I agree with you fully.

On another note I just set about another dozen eggs from my girls but with the second roo. I know the hen chooses gender but figured I'd give it a try since they seem to be making tons of boys....

 

[RingedTeal]

Madmwlf are you still hatching the yellow Legbar chicks?

 

[madamwlf]

All GFF buyers: Under FAQ, GFF states: We will vaccinate your chicks for Marek’s disease if you specifically request it in advance of shipping and pay a $1.00 per chick vaccination fee. We do not vaccinate for other diseases. I did not have my chicks vaccinated. Are you sure yours are? Just asking since someone posted that GFF does this automatically.

I am positive they are vaccinated. My NPIP paperwork says they are and GFF confirmed they were. I did not ask for them to be vaccinated. Honestly I think that's rather irresponsible of the seller to vaccinate for Mareks not knowing if my flock was vaccinated for it.

 

[madamwlf]

Madmwlf are you still hatching the yellow Legbar chicks?

Yes I am. I just hatched 4 of the devils this weekend and my goodness, all 4 are hens!!!

 

[madamwlf]

I have some brooder moving to do this weekend so I'll try to get some pictures then of the whole clan that hatched this weekend past.