What is your strategy for adding new birds and risk management for Mareks disease

[Folly's place]

I only get more careful (paranoid!) as time goes by! Years ago, I did buy chicks from a couple of show breeders, and didn't have any issues, thankfully. I don't show my chickens either, and won't get any birds again from such sources. I'm sorry that happened in your flock!
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

As for you rosemarythyme with the possible ommission of the word 'would' I would think you maybe fit more closely into the first option if only because your decision to only buy from 1 feed store has indirectly led to only buying vaccinated chickens

Well, except I definitely would buy from other feed stores that don't order vaccinated chicks, if they offered breeds I was looking for on/around the dates I want them. I have only bought from the local store because of convenient location plus they offer a decent range of breeds, and they do seem to maintain good control over the bins (bins properly labeled and maintained, chicks not being handled by random customers, some staffers knowledgeable about breeds and chick care).

But my next batch of chicks will probably come from a different store, as I'm hoping for some breeds that my store doesn't routinely order.

One major difference between hatcheries and breeders that I can see is the ability to sex their birds... most breeders cannot do that. Also hatcheries are usually offering a much larger variety to select from with more reliable hatch dates.

This is a big factor for me. I want sexed chicks that aren't sex-links, so big hatcheries are a better bet when it comes to getting properly sexed birds. And I want chicks all in the same age group to minimize issues with raising them, so again, hatcheries are usually much better about being able to nail that.

 

[MaeIstrom]

Is Mareks more common in AU?

Yes it's considered quite prevalent here or at least that's what hatcheries that can afford the vaccine tell us. I believe it did quite a number on the Australian poultry industry in the 70's and 80's at a time when importing the vaccine was banned but not sure how wide-spread today. I know I've never seen a bird with Marek's but when you have hatcheries telling the local media that buying unvaccinated bird is almost guaranteed to end in disaster it becomes a fact to the general public.

One major difference between hatcheries and breeders that I can see is the ability to sex their birds... most breeders cannot do that. Also hatcheries are usually offering a much larger variety to select from with more reliable hatch dates.

The only sexed chickens available in perth are red sex-links or hybrid layers. Heritage breeds tend to get sold in straight runs for $10 a chicken with a generous offer to "accept" surplus roosters back. I tried selling a straight run of Araucana chicks for $10 and got no nibbles. I've been able to sell the pullets for $30 and give the roosters away but surprised at the total lack of interest in the chicks although it was a one-off winter hatching so maybe timing.

Paradoxically the first breeder to teach themself how to vent-sex chicks might find themselves with a considerable advantage although there are a few selling auto-sexing breeds like Barred Plymouths or Cream Crested Legbars. BP pullets seem pretty stable at $40 a pullet (vs. $25 for an Isa Brown pullet) but the bottom seems to have completely dropped out of the CCL market in recent weeks. Pullets have gone from $90-$100 down to $40. Cockerels are down to $5-$10 vs $50 and fertile egg prices have dropped by 30%. I think the CCL was always overvalued here so maybe just a market correction for that breed.

Are you working with a breed?

I'm not sure yet. I'm very into blue-egg layers atm but kinda disappointed with the pure breeds that lay them so I'm playing around with crossing high-yield hens with blue-egg roosters. My original goal was to cross a gold-based olive egger over silver-based blue eggers and create red sex-links that lay across a blue-green spectrum but given a lot of my birds seem to come out dominant white I'm also considering working towards a new breed that's a high-yield blue egg layer and forgetting about sexing chicks altogether.

 

[igorsMistress]

I don't vaccinate, and won't buy chicks from a feed store. I suspect Marek's was in my flock and have learned that the vaccine masks symptoms but doesn't prevent it. It can be leaky and possibly make the problem worse for all of us rather than better. I hatch my own or buy hatching eggs only.