Never get chicks from chicken show or feed stores

[babsbag]

OMG I am not an expert..... just sharing the experience I had. I have never heard of Privatt ... I love baby chicks.... I have some that are almost 3 weeks old now too...

Our feed store orders from Privatt and they will even order them vaccinated for me.

But I want to say that Marek's dosn't always have to come from a person, place, or another chicken. Wild birds carry it too. 4 years ago I bought 9 young bantams from a local fancier that babies her flock beyond belief. She has never had Marek's and never vaccinates so no chance of it lurking undetected.

I brought the birds home to a place that had never had chickens, no chickens within a mile or more, and no visitors that had chickens. I do not show and have not been to any shows or fairs. I lost 7 or the 9 to Marek's . Had a necropsy done. No one will ever know where it came from and the breeder's flock was fine.

Since that time I have had over 100 chickens in and out of my place. (chicken math is wicked) and I have had a few with Mareks, but most do not get it. It seems that the ones the broodies raise never have a problem. I have bought vaccinated and unvaccinated birds and over the course of 4 years I have seen both succomb to Marek's type symptoms. It is a tough disease and there are other diseases that mimic it closely.

I am sorry you lost all of yours, that must have been hard.

 

[littlelambx3]

I don't trust store bought animals. From dogs, to chickens, to cats..
All come from bad places usually.

 

[Petty]

Wherever birds congregate is a haven for disease transmission. As a biosecurity measure, you must change you cloth and shoes, take a bath before seeing your flock. You mustn't dispose your shoes, you can just disinfect them.