Used coop for unvaccinated chickens. Marek's Disease risk?

[farmland1]

Hello,
My 5 chicks are now 8 weeks and thriving. We need a coop asap. I've considered converting a shed or buying a used coop or buying OverEZ. I found a used used 12x5ft walk-in coop (looks like about 6 feet of it is caged open run) for $1500. She is selling it because they are moving. However, my chicks were not vaccinated for Marek's disease. If I clean out this coop really well and maybe cover all the inside of it with a few coats of high gloss paint and also cover the floor with linoleum flooring, would my chickens likely be safe? She got her chickens as chicks from a local breeder and does not have any known history of Marek's disease in her flock. But she did have one chicken die of unknown causes.

Our other option is to buy an OverEZ coop. Our main motive for that one would be that we could buy the wheels make it a chicken tractor. Just not sure of how I would handle the fencing for a run if I'm moving it around. We have lots of foxes and hawks so we for sure need overhead protection.

 

[AidKD]

I think it'd be fine to use it. I've never vaccinated my flock for anything and have never had a problem. If only one of her chickens died from unknown causes, then I'm betting it wasn't mareks. You'll be good to go with what you've found.

 

[farmland1]

Ok. Thank you for the reply! I think this walk-in coop is my best option other than trying to build one ourselves...but that takes time we don't have right now.

 

[townchicks]

That's a good looking coop and a good deal. Hose it out well and let it air out with all the doors and windows open for a couple weeks and you. are good to go.

 

[farmland1]

So I went to see that coop today and found out its a package deal....it comes with 5 chickens they need to re-home. 2 Silkies and I don't know what the other 3 are. They are all 2 years old and were purchased from a local breeder. I believe they were purchased as 1 day old chicks but I will have to double check. The were housed in this coop plus and enormous caged area attached to roam with gravel on the ground.

I was comfortable buying and cleaning out a used coop. But is it foolish to take in their 5 hens too and incorporate them with our 9 week old chicks?

I have to decide quick because they are receiving lots of calls on this coop.

 

[Red Mangrove]

80% of the chicken population is estimated to carry Marek's disease. The vaccine doesn't prevent infection, transmission, illness or death. All the Marek's vaccine does is prevent symptoms from showing until one day suddenly the chicken drops to the ground overwhelmed with viral load

It's more or less impossible to protect chickens from Marek's, and I would say the act of trying to protect them in the first place is what ends up killing them. Sanitary, sterile environments breed chickens with weak immune systems that die when a stray songbird carries Marek's to the flock

If you want healthy chickens let them outside as much as possible, and use the natural bedding from your land inside of your coop to immunize them to your biome

 

[farmland1]

80% of the chicken population is estimated to carry Marek's disease. The vaccine doesn't prevent infection, transmission, illness or death. All the Marek's vaccine does is prevent symptoms from showing until one day suddenly the chicken drops to the ground overwhelmed with viral load

It's more or less impossible to protect chickens from Marek's, and I would say the act of trying to protect them in the first place is what ends up killing them. Sanitary, sterile environments breed chickens with weak immune systems that die when a stray songbird carries Marek's to the flock

If you want healthy chickens let them outside as much as possible, and use the natural bedding from your land inside of your coop to immunize them to your biome

So would you take those adult hens in if you were in my shoes? I love the idea of having eggs immediately but I don't want to do it if I'll be putting my current charges at risk.

what kind of natural bedding? Grass, leaves, etc?

We were considering buying a chicken tractor too.

 

[Red Mangrove]

So would you take those adult hens in if you were in my shoes?

what kind of natural bedding? Grass, leaves, etc?

We were considering buying a chicken tractor too.

I would take them in, and for bedding I recommend raking in part of the area outside of your coop to the inside. Ideally get leaves, grass, etc. from all portions of your property. At least have it as 10% of the bedding so their immune system can develop some sort of immunity

 

[K0k0shka]

Vaccination is the only way to protect against Marek's, and it does work. Vaccinated chickens can still get the virus, but it won't make them sick or kill them like it would unvaccinated chickens. And no they won't just drop dead because of viral load. There have been studies to debunk a lot of common myths and fears about the vaccine (and there are a lot of those!). What was found was that vaccinated chickens actually reduce the total viral load in a flock/area, because the virus cannot reproduce and mutate out of control and spread within vaccinated chickens' bodies, it's kept in check. But unvaccinated chickens that become infected are burning hotbeds of virus where it explodes and mutates unchecked, and spreads to the environment.

Whether you'd take somebody else's chickens or not is a personal preference that depends on your personal comfort with risk. If it were up to me, I would not take grown chickens from anybody and add to my flock. There's just too much that they can spread to my own chickens, and not just Marek's - other avian viruses, mites, lice, etc. It's a biohazard that's not worth it for me. I might consider buying a used coop and scrubbing the crap out of it, but I would not take the chickens, especially if mine were not vaccinated. Actually I would not even be raising unvaccinated chickens to begin with, unless it was for meat and I only expected them to live a few months before being harvested. The chickens I keep for pets, which my children give names to, snuggle and get attached to - no way am I taking risks with those.

 

[farmland1]

Vaccination is the only way to protect against Marek's, and it does work. Vaccinated chickens can still get the virus, but it won't make them sick or kill them like it would unvaccinated chickens. And no they won't just drop dead because of viral load. There have been studies to debunk a lot of common myths and fears about the vaccine (and there are a lot of those!). What was found was that vaccinated chickens actually reduce the total viral load in a flock/area, because the virus cannot reproduce and mutate out of control and spread within vaccinated chickens' bodies, it's kept in check. But unvaccinated chickens that become infected are burning hotbeds of virus where it explodes and mutates unchecked, and spreads to the environment.

Whether you'd take somebody else's chickens or not is a personal preference that depends on your personal comfort with risk. If it were up to me, I would not take grown chickens from anybody and add to my flock. There's just too much that they can spread to my own chickens, and not just Marek's - other avian viruses, mites, lice, etc. It's a biohazard that's not worth it for me. I might consider buying a used coop and scrubbing the crap out of it, but I would not take the chickens, especially if mine were not vaccinated. Actually I would not even be raising unvaccinated chickens to begin with, unless it was for meat and I only expected them to live a few months before being harvested. The chickens I keep for pets, which my children give names to, snuggle and get attached to - no way am I taking risks with those.

Thanks,
The hatchery had actually discouraged giving them the Marek's vaccine and said that Mareks is really not a big risk in small family farms as long as they are not being exposed to others chickens.

I am in the same situation. I have kids. They have already named all 5 hens. I do not want their little hearts to break over dead chickens whether from disease or predators.