Phew, glad to be back!!!!

[elvie]

Arrrrrrr, at last!!! Hello Everbody!!

It has been so long since i have been on this site, i am ashamed with myself!!! The last time was August 2011, when i lost my dear Esme after a long and very severe molt, she suddenly collapsed in the garden after running after some mealworms I had thrown down for them. She was a beautiful ex bat of 2 1/2yrs old, who had grown beautiful feathers and looked a picture of health...

I hope you and all your girls are doing ok and surviving the winter? Cant wait for spring just round the corner!!

I am wanting to know what you all think to buying hens without vaccinations?? The reason behind it is, Just before xmas, i was soooo lucky to purchase 3 18wk old lemon sablepoot bantams!!! They were adorable!!!! After a week of having them, one developed a limp. A week later, she had to be put to sleep as she was soooo poorly. Yesterday, i lost my 2nd sablepoot.... She developed stiff legs and eventually could not stand. Sadly, my beautiful Milly was put out of her misery this morning even after trying her with a antibiotics prescribed by our vet. I adored them and i am soooo upset, it breaks my heart. I have 6 ex battery hens. They are kept seperate and none of them have mingled together. I have my suspicions that i may have carried the mareks virus from my clothes to the new unvaccinated hens. I have heard that even though ex bats have been vaccinated against mareks, they can still possibly carry the virus?? We decided to have an autopsy done on Milly as we felt we needed to find the cause of her death. I also have 2 bantam pekins who i bought after i lost my first sablepoot in december. These are not vaccinated either. I am worried i could loose them all. I dread the thought : (

Has anyone had any experience of this??? Do you think all day old chicks should be vaccinated even if you only have a few to keep in your back garden??

The vet commented that how can you have free range or organic eggs when hens have not been vaccinated yet contract disease when free ranging and therefore have to have antibiotics to make them better or sometimes not make them better??? Plus the eggs cannot be sold or eaten if the hen is constantly on antibiotics??

Personally, if i bought any hens again, i would ensure they had all their vaccines regardless, to prevent this heartache happening again and to stop any unnecessary suffering.

I will let you know what the results are for Milly's autopsy. I will have to wait and be patient and in the meantime, my eyes are scrutinizing every move my other bantams have....

I also feel that people should be aware of the possibility that this may happen if you have ex bat hens... Unfortunately, i was not experienced enough to know this and have paid the price to 2 lovely girls. RIP my little Milly this morning and Lilly in December 2011

Love to you all,

Elvie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and my beautiful 6 ex bats and 3 adorable bantams xxxxx

[solarbats]

Welcome back Elvie - it's about time you said hello

Firstly - so sorry you have lost your little ones to what sounds like Mareks.

Secondly - we have two "resident experts" on Mareks whose opinions should count here. They are battwoman and jojo - hopefully they will be on sometime soon.

[elvie]

Hi Solarbats!!!!

Thank you for that!!!! And yes It is good to be be back!!!

love Elvie xxx

[275wright]

Lovely to hear from you Elvie, but what awful news. You must be heartbroken. I am so sorry. Hope this is the end and you other little ones are Ok.
Love Sharon xxx

[Littlechick]

Hi Elvie, welcome back. Sad news though for you. It is possible that your new additions to the flock brought the Mareks with them and that it wasn't transmitted by the Batties. There are many of us on here who mix batties and pure breeds (unvacc) and haven't had a problem. It is hard to get birds that have been vaccinated sometimes. However, if you have a source that guarantees vaccinations then it would be a good idea to get your birds from them!

[3jojo4]

Hi elvie
So sorry to hear your news, it's heartbreaking to lose your hennies like that.
From personal experience, I would never now have hens that haven't been vaccinated. Over winter I lost all my chicks thati hatched last year. I now have 2 older birds with secondary bacterial infections. Poppy has been fighting it for 3 weeks now and on anti bs, I am today considering putting her out of her misery. I can't begin to describe the heartache.
Vaccinated birds can carry mareks and pass it on to those without protection. I have been over to Retford poultry who are experts on avian health. Chicks can be vaccinated from hatch and up to 3 weeks. The vaccine costs around £14 and you can do it yourself ( they are going to show me what to do), they have also suggested that I inoculate my older birds. Whilst it's no guarantee, it will provide them with an element of protection and something you may want to consider.
For £14 I just don't think it's worth taking the chance. I've spent a fortune at the vets trying to save some of my hennies and it's all been wasted money. That aside, it's just awful watching them die and knowing there is nothing you can do.
I don't want to preach but I would urge everybody to vaccinate against mareks it's certainly the advice that Retford advocate.
Good luck and I really hope the results go your way, I wouldn't wish this on anybody!
Jo x x

[elvie]

Ahhh Thankyou, it is possible that my new sablepoots could have bought the mareks virus although i was assured that the breeder was well known for breeding strain resistant birds. My first sablepoot took poorly about 3 days after getting them even though they were and are kept seperate from the batties in a covered run etc. I took her back to the lady i got them from and she looked after her for me as i am out all day and worred that i couldn't watch her as i would have liked. Within a week even after antibiotics, there was no improvement. Infact she got worse. Not able to stand, no interest and very weak. 8 weeks later, i have lost another so it does seem strange as symptoms were more or less the same. I am hoping for the results of the post mortem this week. I am very interested in getting in touch with the place at Retford Jo spoke about as I only live in Nottingham.

Do you think it is worth giving this a whirl should the results come back as positive for Mareks?? My other babies are coming up to 28/30 weeks old. Fortunately, no signs of illness yet but like i say, i am watching them like a hawk!

Love Elvie xx

[3jojo4]

Elvie
Sounds suspiciously like mareks. It's notoriously difficult to identify unless the vet knows what he's looking for in the pm. My own vets didn't diagnose it. Would highly recommend Libby, just google Retford poultry practice.
Good luck x

[battwoman]

welcome back elvie i'm so sorry it's with bad news i was also told that it could have been the batties that carried it to my flock but have my doubts.
i have now decided to just concentrate on the batties, i've been helping on re home days and bringing home the odd little lady too poor to be re homed. i have 12 of them now! and little lucky2 who is living upto her name
if i did decide to breed again i would inoculate, it's too heartbreaking to go through twice. good luck in whatever you decide to do, if i can help with anything just fire away.
fi xxx

[monkeymummy]

Elvie,
Welcome back and I'm so so sorry about your news.

I've been searching for ages to find vaccinated birds (without having to take out a second mortgage) and I'm glad I've waited having heard what you have said. Hopefully I will be picking up some vaccinated birds (Pekins) on Sunday. I know it wont stop them from being ill over other stuff but it at least helps.