I accidentally killed my chickens
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- In this video, join me on a candid journey through the highs and lows of my chicken-keeping experience. Discover the lessons learned as I navigate the delicate balance between love and responsibility for my feathered companions. From the unexpected health challenges to the secrets behind providing healthier treats, this heartfelt story sheds light on the joys and heartaches of raising chickens. Watch to find out how I transformed setbacks into valuable progress in my coop. If you're a chicken enthusiast or curious about poultry care, this video is a must-watch.
E-mail me with questions: twoenglishacres@gmail.com
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I’m sorry that you lost your chickens but thank you for being vulnerable enough to share your mistake and spread awareness
I appreciate that. Thank you 😊
@@TwoEnglishAcres I completely agree. I learned from this. And others can learn too. It’s the best way to transform a tragedy. Nothing will bring them back but perhaps future lives can be saved
I have NEVER heard this! I am so sorry. But I am glad you informed us.
Thanks for listening! I had never heard of it either.
I'm so sorry. I've killed chickens too. 1st one: lack of calcium. 2nd: lack of protein 3rd: toxic pesticide (permethrin) 4th: pasty butt/accidental drowning (it was the smallest chick and I was trying to soften her bowels by forcing her to drink from a dropper). 😢 Breaks my heart every single time. 💔 I've had to learn a few lessons the hard way.
Awwww, I'm so sorry! You tried to help, and that's the best gift you can give. As long as we learn from these mistakes going forward. 🤗 Hugs
Newbie chicken keeper. Thank for having the guts to make this video. I’ve been giving my 4 girls a handful of sunflower seeds most days. I’ve NEVER. Heard of this issue. Ever. And I’ve watched hundreds of videos over 2 years in preparation of getting them! Bless your courage.
What an incredible, humbling comment. Thank you so much. I, too, watched a lot of material before diving into chickens....nobody talks about it. 🤷♀️
Are you able to give me any idea of how much is too much? I’ve bending a small palmful (heaping tablespoon) each of sunflower seeds, Pepitas and peanuts probably 3x a week. Do you have any clue if that’s too much?
@Bioluvskatz for your 4 girls? I don't think a tablespoon 3x a week will do much harm. But I'm no expert!
Now I’m all worried. My husband bought a huge bag of the black oil SFS and I just gave them some today. They don’t get them everyday but now I’m concerned and I’m also concerned because my husband gives them pecans. Any information would be appreciated! Sorry about your girls…. We are new chicken keepers. We have 6 hens and a rooster.
@@chihuahuamartin24 if you look it up,it says about a tablespoon scattered around the ground like 3 times a week is good,I think we are all learning something 🤓
This is one of the best videos I have seen on chickens. Heartwarming and informative filled with honest care.
Thank you so much for the confidence boost! I appreciate your comment so much! 🤗
May your flock be healthy and happy from here on out.
Thank you 🤗
Thanks for sharing. Sorry for your loss, you just saved thousands of chickens by sharing your story.
Thank you! I appreciate that!
This is the 1st time I've seen your channel. Thank you sooo much for sharing your story. This is such important information that I've never heard before. I know it was difficult to share your story but I'm so grateful.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching and leaving a comment!
I moved to a new location. We lost 20 chickens and 1 Guinea in a period of two weeks- new predators. A coyote grabbed my favorite little chick right in front of me in the middle of the day without fear. I was wrecked. I made a lot of changes to protect my birds, but I also have a more realistic acceptance that they are here for a very short time, regardless of circumstances. Your coop and foraging area is beautiful and something to aspire to achieving.
Hello. Gosh, how awful to see such a site! I'm so sorry! We do have predator pressure here, but mostly at night. Chickens of yesteryear weren't meant to last for a decade. They served their purpose, and once done, they were used for dinner. I am trying to shift the way I look at my chickens.
And thank you! We've worked very hard on our chicken area 🤗
😢 I cried, I know your heart and compassion for your animals.. I’m sorry you have had so many issues but I also know you are learning and sharing with everyone as you do is WONDERFUL.. ❤️
Awww, thank you. I do love them so much and we put our heart and soul into our animals.
Good video my friend.,thanks for sharing
Hello and thank you!
Such a great video! Most people don't realize how challenging, as well as rewarding, keeping chickens can be. I must say that you are incredibly dedicated. Your love for your feathered babies is very evident! I'm so sorry for the struggles you have and are facing. I really appreciate you sharing the hard things for us to learn. I would have never known that about sunflower seeds. Big hug and thanks. ❤️💜
Thank you, Janet 🥰 I do love them so much! Chicken keeping has been one of the toughest challenges for us, but now that we have some answers, I'm hoping it will get better. Thank you for the love xx
@@TwoEnglishAcres , I am so glad you didn't give up! You are most welcome! 💜
I like that name, Raven. Great name for a chicken, or a dog! The world of chickens is fascinating, I love the way they run after you and follow you around the yard like you’re the mom.
Raven is a great name for animals 😊 The girls even know my car. They come running when I pull in from work 😂
I gave that name to my daughter. It works for people also.
@@pamelasilval428 yes my friend named her daughter Raven. I love the name
Oh I’m so sorry about Olive 😢 I have never heard of Marek’s disease! Thank you so much for sharing your story. We gave a bunch of our sunflowers to our chickens this year, I didn’t know you could give them too much? All in moderation I suppose.
Thank you ❤ Mareks is very common in birds. It's a death sentence.
Same!
Hun, I'm sorry you lost your feather babies, I can relate. Several years ago when I got my first Hens I lost one from heat stroke. I brought her in and gave her a cool tub bath in my bathtub and laid her on wet towels under a fan and she passed because I got to her too late. However, she went peacefully knowing she was loved and cared for. But I do remember how freaked out and paniced I was...because when your Animals go down, you feel so inadequate and want to do everything you can to help them so I get it. I didn't know that about sunflower seeds, and thank God you told me because I was giving my Hens alot of them, but now I won't. I will only give them a small amount a few times a week now. So THANK YOU FOR SHARING that info with us. I am a new subscriber and can't wait to see what you're doing on your farm. Stay safe!
Hello! Thank you for sharing your story with me 🥰 Raising chickens has been an absolute whirlwind. Highs and lows; good times and bad. Thanks for subbing and saying hello 🤗
You are a wonderful and loving chicken mama. When you don't know you research and learn. You can't ask for more then that. Good luck. ❤
Thank you so much 🥰 I love them so much!
What a heartwarming video.
Marek’s is awful. I lost my favorite Tillie earlier this year. 😢 I had to cull her myself because I was afraid if I took her anywhere I’d be made to cull them all. I cried all day. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I a true newbie to chickens. I tend to give treats almost daily. Since I only have two left, and I honestly believe they hate me, I love them and would never hurt them. They have plenty of fresh water and fresh food. I’m bringing to think a treat should be just that, an occasional goodie, not something to expect daily. Thank you and I’m so sorry you lost your chicken kids.
Hi Rosewood. I don't believe they hate you! My girls follow me everywhere, but the 2nd I walk towards them, they run 🤣
I'm very sorry to hear you're dealing with Mareks as well. It's so much more common than people know. Just keep loving your girls; it's the best we can do.
Thank you for sharing your experience, I knew that geese die from overfeeding and this is the way the industry grow them to make the liver paté. I have chickens since 2016 and my biggest challenge was coccidiosis with my first incubator hatching, had also had other losses and learning from each experience helps me to improve their care. My chickens are free ranging and I think this is important for their health, so they can find in nature many things that they need and don't feel boring.
Hello! Yes, unfortunately I have heard of overfeeding geese to. I'm not a fan of that. Coccidiosis has reared it's ugly head at us a few times as well. My girls get a few hours every evening to free range. Any longer and they're on the neighbors porch 🤣
so sorry my friend but this was truly heartwarming as weird as that may seem. The love you gave your birds and care you continue to give them makes you a great chicken momma
Hi Kris, thank you so much 🥰 I love my babies
@@TwoEnglishAcres I can tell you do. You know with children animals whatever the case may be we want to take care of them and provide for them and you did what you thought was best my friend
You are so brave and kind hearted-thank you for sharing 😢❤
Thank you for the nice comment 😊
Thank you so much for sharing this! You are a wonderful chicken owner and your girls are obviously loved. This is something that could happen to anyone so thank you for spreading the word.
You are so kind! Thank you! ❤️
Sorry you had to experience the losses.😢 I too enjoy having Chickens. Thank you for the valuable information. 🤗
Thanks so much for commenting! I appreciate you 🥰
Takes courage to admit mistakes and lack of knowledge. You obviously really love your chickens and do your best for them. You took it on yourself to find out more about your hens illnesses and I know others who don't do that, so I hope you don't feel too discouraged. You gained a new subscriber in me, even though we're far apart...I'm in north Sweden, where my small flock of eight hens are indoors for the months of winter now, as the temperatures hit the minus twenty Celsius last night and we have three foot of snow and ice. The sun barely peeps above the horizon and in a few weeks we won't see daylight much at all. I counter this by giving my hens light in their barn for a few "daylight" hours. They don't lay overwinter and I'm not into forcing that, but I do think a little extra light makes them happy. :)
My goodness! Do YOU have a channel? I would love to have a glimpse into your world. I thank you so much for the love 🥰 I'm happy to have a new friend.
@@TwoEnglishAcres I don't, no. I use my husband's channel to browse videos and sub to the ones I like. :) Thank you for the kind comment, much appreciated. Looking forward to more videos from you. x
@f.goossens8118 thank you! 🥰
Thanks for sharing! I over feed my chickens. I thought it just meant I was wasting some food. I've also started giving them a whole tea mug full of sunflower seeds every day for over a month! The wild birds and squirrels eat plenty of them... but now you've got me reevaluating how I feed my chickens.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I hope you can take solace in the fact that you have likely saved the lives of many others.
Hello! Thanks for watching! I've been raising chickens since spring of 2020, and I just learned this! But you're right. My loss may have an impact and save many more.
I'm sorry for your loss. I know it's hard to lose an bird but know that you gave of yourself. ❤
Hi Barb! Thank you for your kind words. I can only learn from my mistakes and do better! ❤️
Long time chicken keeper here and here’s my advice. Let your chickens out of that area onto the grass when possible. A few hours in the late afternoon will keep them engaged. They need “new” stimuli to keep foraging, not less food. The next thing is, your coop is to clean. Just like with people, keeping the house to clean doesn’t allow the immune system to develop stronger. Of course you don’t want it to be filthy dirty, but once a week cleaning is fine. Marek’s is horrible. This is why you should get your chicks vaccinated and if you’re going to breed, make sure your breeding stock is vaccinated and healthy. Remember chickens aren’t begging for treats as much as they are begging for attention.
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate the time you have given and thank you for watching!
I didn't know that about the new stemulì
I am going to research Mareks. I believe there is always something you can do. I pray the Lord shows us. Remember the Birdman of AL I atraz?? .....❤
@@ronirios3377 the good Lord can do ANYTHING 🥰
I’m so sorry for your loss, I have had chickens since I was young (I’m 59 now). I have never heard of Mareks disease before, over the years we have had various problems arise but nothing that has caused several chickens to die. We’ve never given our chickens store bought treats, they eat a lot of veggies from our local food pantry along with digging through manure. We also give cracked corn and layer pellets. We do however have issues with predators especially hawks so we can’t let them free range anymore. There’s an old saying, live stock is dead stock and we all go through the learning process. Thank you for this informative video, even an old chicken lady like me has learned something.
I think it's wonderful that you are willing to go off book to help your animals. I do the same for mine. There have been times when my vet has told me they can't help me anymore, and through careful experimentation I have brought some back from the brink. Two of my medicine cabinet staples are vitamin d and oregano oil. Colloidal silver is rapidly becoming a favorite as well.
Hello! It's worth a try, right? I do have Oregano oil on hand. I should try that too. Thanks!
Oh my sweet friend ( big hugs) I'm so sorry you went through this & that such tragedy struck. So many folks just don't realize how much work goes into proper chicken keeping. Your dedication to them, though, is beautiful & shines through.
Hey girl! Thank you. 🥰 If I had known 3 years ago what I know now...I'm not 100% if we'd even own chickens. I love them but wow!
Very informative! Thank you for making this video, even though it must’ve been hard to make.
I appreciate that. Thank you so much!
Thank you for the very nice video. I've had many problems with my chickens also so I can relate I didn't know that about seeds thank you for your video
I'm sorry you've had troubles, too. It's been a big mystery, but I'm glad to have answers. Chicken tendering can be tough. Thank you for watching!
Gosh that's rough. I hope you don't beat yourself up. You clearly love them very much. We all learn these kinds of lessons in some way or another.
Thank you. I'm glad to have the knowledge that I do now. Lesson learned.
I gave my chickens some pumpkin recently too. I found that the chickens liked eating the cooked scraps more than the raw. Just passing that along.
Thank you! Yes, they ate a lot of the first pumpkin, but the 2nd one they just picked at. Helpful info 😊
Thank you so much for sharing. I have a young flock of 8 that are dearly loved and I planted a sunflower garden and harvested the seeds this year to give to them. I’ve only given them small amounts so far but your story is a game changer to me. I will be very careful with them and the peanuts they BEG for. Thank you for sharing your heartbreak. I must say I skipped watching your video for a while because I was afraid of the topic. I can’t even think about losing my girls. But I’m so glad I watched now. The sincerest of thank you’s.
My stories will always be real, but I won't show anything to traumatize you ❤️ I'm so glad you tuned in. Good luck on your journey!
You embodied the challenge of Merricks disease so prefectly!
I have a large flock and we have Merricks. The decision to keep raising chickens after we had a necropsy done was a hard one! We decided to continue and do our best to mitigate the impact.
I keep a very close eye on their health and behavior. I have found that isolating, evaluating, treating presenting symptoms, watching and swift culling, as necessary, has helped keep my morbidity rate surprisingly low.
(Infected poultry are not running around flapping their dander everywhere!)
But every single time I see Merricks present itself, my heart breaks! 💔
It is a wonderful life and we get so close to our birds!❤️🐔❤️
And we ache everytime we lose one! 💔
Thank you for commenting! My heart goes out to you, too! Being a backyard chicken owner is much different than just owning livestock. We pour ourselves into these animals, and we love them! I'm glad you've decided to keep going too! 😘
I have a question . If mericks is in the flock why isolate when one gets sick wouldn’t they all have it ?
New chicken owner here.. what is Merricks and what are the symptoms?
@cheriejohnson9445 I was wanting to ask the same question ❤
@hellosunshine9915 hello! Yes, you are correct. If 1 single speck of dander is inhaled, they've got it. 10 years from now, they'll still get it. The only way is to control it by vaccinating, but even then they can still get it.
However, as chicken owners, we're taught to isolate as soon as we see a problem, so she's being a good chicken momma ❤️
Thank you for this video. With two well-meaning "chicken tenders", I have to be aware of what we each give the girls to keep from killing them with kindness.
Hi Chrystyn! Thanks for tuning in! We love our babies, and we want the best. Backyard chicken owners unite! 🥰
Recently I’ve been feeding my flock sunflower seeds. Now given this information I have to admit I was giviing more than I should have. One of my chickens got ill. I had to put her down, it was clear she had will but was just getting worse. Thank you for this information
I think somebody should...if they haven't already...write a brief little book outlining a few of the most important facts on chickens. I've never ever been told to NOT give them too many seeds. They're always pushed!
Black soldier fly larvae is a healthier source of fat. It’s expensive but it’s harder to overfeed.. especially with layers and babies being reared in a flock by broody hens. Also a great calcium source
@@TwoEnglishAcres this is true… what’s weird (and fortunate in my case) is my chickens don’t like Black sunflower. I bought a 50 lb bag. Chickens were like… yuck. But they were pre-spoiled with black soldier larvae. Or as I call them, Chicken Cheetos. They are also crazy for pomegranates, Broccoli greens, spinach stems, boiled eggs, and mustard greens.
On a side note- I just got my first ton tote of Kreamer Crumble from tractor supply… and it’s the best feed I have ever put down. If you can split an order of their chick starter with someone… store it in blue barrels.. it’ll stay good for a year or more properly stored
@PariahQuail "Chickens were like yuck." 🤣 spoiled princesses. I've never even heard of kreamer. I just looked it up. Something to consider. Thanks!
I never knew that sunflowers were good for chickens, but yet overfed them, would be deadly...I have 6 adults & 12 Ayam Cemani eggs due Dec..thank you for these tips, because I dont want to overfeed my chickens( i am guilty of giving bread, cooked rice & table leftovers)...I did have a brahma hen 2 month ago, who lived in our home in a wheelchair, due to Merricks disease...she recently passed away
Hello! Thanks so much for commenting. One day I'd like to have an Ayam cemeni. Very cool! Mareks is awful! Much love!
Thank you for sharing, I'm so sorry for your losses.
Thank you so much, I appreciate your support 😊
So well done; thank you; you are very informative and inspiring
Thank you so much! I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment 🤗
I really enjoy your story. And I'm sure that it will really help me a lot. I'm not going to give them sunflower seeds anymore. I have 7 beautiful hands and I do love them. Sorry for your loss, but thank you for sharing your story so you could help others.
Hello, and thank you for watching! Remember that sunflower seeds are highly nutritious and great in moderation 😊
So sorry, they are all Heartbreakers.
I'm keeping my flock small, just 8 months into starting them from chicks. Hoping they live long and safe while I guard them, love them while we all learn more.
You will do great! The best thing you can do for your flock is to keep learning. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your experience and being so transparent about the joys and sadness that can go along with caring for feather babies. This is inspiring me to not give my girls so many black soldier fly larva. So sorry about your loss. I've lost a couple recently, 1 was alive and happy and then gone and the other i Bridge died of a heart attack after being chard by a racoon... that's with a really secure run. We do so much to live then and keep them age and happy and it's so upsetting when we lose any of them. Big hugs. You have them a lifetime of love... that's all we all are really hoping for, isn't it?
Thank you for sharing with me. It is very hard to lose even 1 of these sweet birds.
Raising chickens by myself, I too had to learn some things the hard way. I lost 9 birdies this year due to predators.
I just started giving my little flock (8 hens) black sunflower seeds. I didn't know they could be bad for them, so thank you for the warning.
They are just so lovely, we only want the best for them !
Sunflower seeds are an excellent treat! But, they don't know any better. So, just like little kids, they'd rather have cookies than their veggies. But we know veggies are better for us and more nutritious! Keep the treats down to a minimum and they'll be fine!
@@TwoEnglishAcres Thank you for your kind comment, and excellent analogy.
Thank you so much for your video. I lost four chickens after rehoming this year. They were so young and one was my favorite. I really feel you, log story short, I felt really comforting and honest feeling and experiences you have faced, you are the first video I found the reality of having chickens. I am still grieving and studying every day
I'm so sorry! I grieve every time I lose one. I love them so much! Backyard chicken owners are set apart from just livestock owners. We are special! Thank you for your sweet comment ❤️
I raised chickens since 1972 ,and always vaccinated my pullets for marek disease. I feed layer feed only what they finish in a day and give scratch grain in the morning,and allowed my hen outside to forage. So sorry to hear about your loss,I learned many lessons over the years from mistakes I made in raising chickens over the years.
Hello Walter. I bet you are a wealth of information! Thank you for your comment!
I had my first chickens at 8 years I taken care of which my father helped me out. Had them ever since. Showed white leghorn bantams for years.
I’m sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is. I face the same thing with my girls. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Gloria! Thank you for your comment!
I am so sorry for your losses. This video has been so informative. I just go a cockerel for my flock of 10 pullets. If I hatch any eggs next spring, I will be sure to vaccinate for mareks.
I will always subscribe to a channel that is honest, thoughtful, and frank about mistakes they make in their animal care, and about the unexpected obstacles or surprises they encounter in terms of contagious diseases (such as from hatcheries). Thank you for sharing.
While Mareks cannot be cured, it can be vaccinated against so long as the animal has not yet been exposed. Have you considered buying chicks from hatcheries that vaccinate their flock, or vaccinating chicks yourself when you get them?
Hello! I appreciate your comment! Yes! So, vaccinated chickens still have a very small percentage to contract Marek's. We will definitely be ordering from reputable online hatcheries that vaccinate from here on out. Perhaps future video? 😊
Awww sorry you loss your chickens. I guess we learn from experience even though it’s such a heartache. Great video Kristen. Thanks for sharing.
Hi! Thank you for checking it out 🥰 I appreciate your support ❤️
Beautiful chickens! So sorry for your loss. You will learn and your future birds will be so thankful! You have such a kind voice. 😊
What a nice compliment. Thank you!
Sorry you went through this - my first batch of chicks had a very deadly strain of Marek's. I lost 9 out of 10 in about a 18 months. It's the worst.
Really?! Wow, they aren't safe from even the vaccine 😔 Ugh! So sorry
Bummer. Thanks for sharing this with us. I’ll keep this in mind if I ever get chickens, which I hope to do in the future.
Thank you 😊
Aw so sorry. Thanks for sharing. We all make mistakes. Iver certainly accidently killed a few of my birds before.
Thank you 🤗
So sorry for your loss but thank you for this warning.
Thank you ❤️
Thank you for sharing! My heart hurts for you as I can see you love your chickens like I love mine. I’m sorry you lost some. I’m thankful you shared your experience. I know more of what to look out for now. Thank you
Hello! Thank you for your kind words! ❤️
Thank you for sharing your story. We do love our chickens and do the very best we can ❤
Yes we do! Thank you!
very valuble lesson and one I am taking note of. I have been giving sunflower seeds regularly and now cutting them out except as a special treat. Thank you! you may have just saved my flock!
Hey friend! Yes! I've always been told and read on social media chicken groups, that BOSS are the very best to give to chickens. Nobody ever mentions fatty liver disease. I'm glad you found this useful ❤️
@@TwoEnglishAcres me too!
I just want to say I know how hard that must have been to create this video and share it. But, I am so very thankful you did. We have been through the wringer with our flock this year. From one mysterious illness to the next. Yes, we have our avian vet involved. He's even assured us we are doing everything right, which is all the more frustrating because there's nothing we can do. We've lost 6 birds since March. Which is a lot for us. So thank you for reminding me that sometimes it's just out of our control, no matter what we do.
Hi Ashley. Your story sounds like mine. We had problem after problem and we could never figure out why. 13 birds is our count, and though I know we can't take the blame for all of them, it has been an uphill battle of trying to figure out what is going on. We did get lucky and found out 2 reasons with Olives necropsy. And now I know each can present very differently.
This video came in a perfect moment... I was just wondering about bumping up the oily seeds amount for the winter, will not do it without extended research now. Thank you for sharing.
Perfect! It's always important to do our own research! I'm glad you caught my story 😊
This was a really good video! Thank you so much !
Hello...sunshine 😊 I thank you so much! 🤗
So very sorry for the loss you and your family have endured. I'm new to chicken keeping and it has definitely been a learning curve. There is so much information out there on caring for them and not all of it is appropriate as I have learned. My struggle is finding the right feed to sustain them through winter. Lot's of information on this too and it's confusing as to whether they need extra protein or not during winter months. Right now I mix their 16% with a 23% and I'm not even sure if this is appropriate. Wishing you a happy healthy chicken😊 journey 😊😊
Hi Lisa! We live in Michigan, and it can get pretty cold. I've never raised their protein content in their feed, but I will throw them a high-quality scratch grain as a treat. Not too much! I've never even thought to raise the protein in winter. I'll do some research. Thanks for tuning in!
So sorry for the loss of your chickens, they are so pretty! Thanks for sharing your misfortune, I thought chickens could discriminate the amount and/or the nutritional value of food.
Chickens love to eat. There are even certain breeds that love to overeat. Buff orpingtons are notorious for overeating. It's up to us to give them the right amount ❤️
great photography and love your coop. Good info. Thank you
Thank you!
I needed to see this video. Firstly, I am so sorry for your loss! Big hugs to you. Thank you for sharing your experience. I have also come to the conclusion that I overfeed my girls and that I accidentally killed two of them by fermenting my layer mash - I wasn't aware that it too can cause crop impaction. :(
Hi Eloise. I had no idea that food fermentation can cause impaction 😔 I'm sorry for you. Keep this experience and lesson with you always and their death will not be in vain. *hugs*
Thank you for sharing your story😢 I’m new to caring for chickens. I’ve only had my girls and my rooster 2 years and I’ve grown to absolutely love them. We’ve meet a few challenges along our journey.
May I ask what you used in your water?
Hello there! I'm fairly new. 3.5 years of chicken keeping for us. I suppose we all have our successes and failures, and it will only help us in the long run. Thank you for saying hello!
You did a superb job on this video! I’m sorry to hear about you over feeding your chickens.
Thank you! 🤗
Thank you for your honesty.❤
You're welcome!
Thank you for sharing your struggles. I , too, have a Marek's positive flock.
In October 2022 I got our first 6 chicks; they were vaccinated against Marek's. Lost some to Coccidiosis, one to a predator, and rehomed a rooster. Eventually I was down to 1 hen and some chicks gifted to me. Iris, the hen, was a terrific egg layer. After a couple months of laying, she became ill on a Friday night and died Sunday before the vet opened on Monday. I decided to have a necropsy done. The cause of death was Marek's, which is strange because she was vaccinated. (While vaccines aren't 100% perfect, they are extremely important if we are to contain diseases such as Marek's.)
Marek's is so contagious the presumption is my entire flock has it. (Some people believe Marek's is so prevalent we can presume every flock has it.) Marek's spreads through the dander on feathers which can travel 5 miles on the wind. It spreads through bird to bird contact; the soil; your clothing, shoes and equipment. I wear boots in my chicken run and never wear them anywhere else. There's no way to test live birds for Marek's; diagnosis is possible only by a necropsy after death. While there's no way to confirm my flock has Marek's, it's safe to assume they do. To limit exposure to other flocks, the vet recommended "no chickens in and no chickens out".
When Iris died in mid to late May I braced myself to lose much of my flock to Marek's, but so far there have been no further deaths. Typically a chicken can live with Marek's until it is stressed. Extreme heat, like my area experienced this summer, is one such stressor, but I lost none of my 11 chickens. Marek's affects hens more than roosters, in part because egg laying is a natural stressor on hens and their bodies. (My guess is beginning to lay "activated" Marek's in Iris.) 8 of my 10 hens began laying this summer. I thought I'd lose some to Marek's, especially since they weren't vaccinated as chicks, but I haven't.
I continue to follow the vet's advice of adding no chickens to my flock and giving no chickens to others. For instance, a friend wanted to add a couple of my roosters to his flock. Unfortunately, I had to send them to "freezer camp" instead. (Marek's doesn't affect humans. Typically chickens with Marek's develop tumors throughout their bodies. When the roosters were processed none had tumors. I verified with our state's poultry lab that it'd be safe to eat these roosters.)
Vaccinations against Marek's are most effective when given within 24 hours of birth. I've looked into local hatcheries that vaccinate their chicks and have located one with breeds I would like to add to our flock AND they vaccinate their chicks. Also I'd like to add a flock of bantam chickens, especially Seramas. I will wait at least a year before bringing in more chickens. If none die by mid August of 2024, I'll have a discussion with our avian vet and the staff at our state poultry lab. Wild song birds also are affected by Marek's, so I removed our bird feeders to stop attracting them to our yard. As our state poultry lab expressed, attracting wild birds to a yard with poultry is not wise; they "share" too many diseases.
Hello! Wow, you are very informed on Mareks, I'm impressed! You are right about all of this! The pathologist we spoke to said it's much more common than we know, and it is spread very easily.
Our 2 pullets we took to the vet had very classic signs, and you're right. We had no way to confirm... until Olive passed. She didn't die from the Mareks. She died because of her liver, but they found Mareks too. So it gave up some answers.
Going forward, we will only buy vaccinated chicks from very reputable hatcheries. Thanks for your comment!
@@TwoEnglishAcres, what does your vet say about bringing new chickens into a Marek's positive flock? I'd like to get multiple perspectives on this. Thank you.
@@esga3207 He just said the next chicks I get better come from a reputable hatchery and never skip on the vaccinations.
@@TwoEnglishAcres, I've been told not to bring any birds regardless of vaccination status into my flock. After all members of a Marek's positive flock are deceased, the coop can be cleaned thoroughly with bleach and there is a product that can "clean" the dirt by reducing the bacterial (or is it viral?) load. I continue to do research.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. Bless you.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing this. Sorry you had to go through it.
Thanks for watching! Your support means a lot!
Whenever possible, buy from reputable local farms or hatcheries. This is one reason I really shy away from the huge hatcheries.
I agree. Thank you!
Garlic cloves & ginger root cures so many problems. Grow it/keep it handy. Also be mindful that feed bags can have chemical residues from spraying. Mimicking nature , is the best thing you can do ❤️🙏
Hi there! Thanks for the tip! I do grow garlic, I'll have to put ginger in too! I appreciate your comment!
Good job on using hardware cloth on the coop! We did the same and have no issues with predators. Unfortunately I have bantams so they have to stay in their run or I’d have a hawk farm instead.
Thanks! I do have a hawk that has been lurking, but the crows have been chasing it off. We have 1 old English game bantam. She's a scrappy little thing. 😬 We've had a few close calls!
Thank you for sharing your story and educating us on this disease
You're welcome! And thank you for watching!
I am very sorry for your loss! I don’t know the info on this but heard recently that you should never feed sunflower seeds to chickens because it can kill them due to kidney damage. I didn’t realize this before so took a mental note to never use it so as to not harm my flock. Just thought I would pass the information along in case you were interested.
Thank you Pam for passing this info along! I'll look into it. 😊
I'm so sorry. I understand. Hugs
Thank you
Thank you so much for your video. I give my chickens sunflower seeds as a treat also. That ends today! This video may have saved some of my chickens. Again, thank you! 💕😊💕
Glad it was helpful! Sunflower seeds are very nutritious in moderation. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you so much for this video! I just subscribed, honestly at first I almost didn't watch because it breaks my heart whenever a chicken dies of sickness. But, with that being said, it's the best way to become aware of the do's and don'ts so that you can learn by others.
I'm going on 65 years old next month and here's what I've observed to date: times have surely changed, and unfortunately, not for the better. When I raised my chickens some 40 years we NEVER had the issues we face today, such as mareks, lice, mites, etc...our only concern was to keep them safe from predators....These days are much different! My personal belief, it all begins with the hatchery or breeder you purchase from, you have a much greater chance of getting a longer lived bird if it has a great immunity. I've been through soooo much loss over the years, but rather, with my birds, parrots, and most recently with my beloved chickens....it's literally a crap shoot, it's not your fault! All these diseases and viruses of today are NOT normal.....it's an uphill battle that most of us have to contend with, and it breaks my heart. We need to pray for a healthy flock, but also, stay informed and simply do the best we can. We love our chickens just as much as any pet we've had, we are also "parronts" of a 28 year old Goffin's Cockatoo and a 5 year old African Grey.....Birds rule! I'm deeply sorry for the loss of your feathered family and I can truly empathize with you. My wish for you is that your next flock has a great immunity, you deserve a break! ❤
What a great comment! I appreciate your input so much. You are absolutely right about the changing times. I feel there are more "backyard" chicken owners now than there has ever been and it's a detriment to this beautiful, wonderful animal. We are loving them to death. 💔
Such a great video. Thank you for saving tons of other sweet chickens by sharing these tips you've learned. I'm so sorry for your losses. Perhaps this is what happened to 3 of my sweet girls. Guilty of too many "nutritious" treats.
Hello and thank you! We can only learn and do better! ❤️
Wow I'm so glad I found you I just got my first two hens that are full grown from my brother, I haven't got a clue I'm so scared I'll do the wrong thing I want feed them properly more than anything, thank you for your help I will continue to watch.
Hello! Congratulations on your new girls! Raising chickens is a lot of fun and very rewarding. You will meet some challenges, but there will be a whole lot more good days than bad. Thanks for watching 😊
I almost didn’t watch because I knew I would cry. I am glad I did though. I, too, love my girls! This was good information and I appreciate you being willing to share❣️
I'm glad you were able to watch. It's important to stay informed!
I lost I lost my entire flock from two fisher cats. It really hurts
Hi Evelyn, I am so sad to hear this! I had to look up fisher cats. They remind me of wolverines. It is devastating to lose animals, and I would be so hurt as well. I cry my heart out everytime I lose an animal. Hugs to you, friend 🤗❤️
Fisher cats remind me of hyenas ! I'm lucky I haven't lost any chickens to them! So sorry for your loss!
Thank you for sharing. Great information. This video as hard as it was for you to make, will be an incredible resource of information for many and will save chickens lives.
You are so welcome! I appreciate your kind words. Thank you!
Thanks for this very informative post. Yes, I just subscribed & I will be following you. God bless❤️🙏
Awesome! Thank you! I appreciate your comment!
So sad, sorry to hear this, but thank you for sharing.🙏I gave a poorly chick a little water - it couldn't handle it. My rescue hens often eventually die of peritonitis, but i have had some Silkies die of unknown causes, including leg-paralysis - I suspect Mareks. They free-range forage so meet wild birds. Thank you for the sunflower seed warning, they do love them and I believe the nutrients keep wry-neck away - everything in moderation. Keep on keeping them!👍
Hello! Thank you for your comment! I had an Isa brown die from peritonitis; I think it can be common for them. They're a bird that needs extra protein because they're such heavy layers.
You may be right about the leg paralysis. 1 of my pullets died like that.
Sunflower seeds are so nutritious, but yes, moderation!
I had no idea sun flowers seeds in excess could kill my chickens. Thank you for this piece of information. I am usually quite stingy with the sun flower seeds but I did not know I must remain stingy. :-)
I lost 7 chickens to a fox this spring. That was half our flock, never had a problem in 3 years. Also after that a Bobcat got 2 more. Now the new chickens stay in. I miss them free ranging.
Ugh! I'm so sorry 😔 Sounds like you live in the wilderness. We have had a few predator threats, but we've been fortunate. Hugs 🤗
Foxes will stalk your chickens and study YOUR habits. Don't let your chickens out the same time every day .This will deter all predators.Bob cats can jump 8 feet but prefer to climb .They are deterred with one strand of electric fence wire 2 foot off the ground and another strand on top of a 4 ft fence. They can sense when a fence is powered on. Best of luck!
I have had the same problem with bobcats. They have eaten a total of six of my chickens over the past 2 years. I have had to invest in putting up a large run for them and cutting down trees so that nothing can get in. They used to free range and visit us on our front porch. I don't miss the presents they left on my porch, but I miss the company. They seemed much happier roaming the property.
My Maremma saved 3 hens this summer from a determined fox. Ellie keeps a watchful eye over her chickens and alpacas❤
Oh my goodness, that was an eye opener for me. I had no idea about the fat content in the sunflower seeds 😮. I’ve lost a few beauties too. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. I will give my girls some corn during the colder months as I’ve read that it helps them stay warm. Do you have any knowledge or experience with corn being a problem for chickens?
Hello! So corn in the winter is good because of the high calories but doesn't necessarily heat them. Because corn is a high calorie/carb food, it will also put weight on them. Moderation is key! 😊
I accidentally caused the death of a couple of our hens. Our chickens are free range but we had to keep them cooped for a bit (they are mostly free range). Any way, when they free range, they are always picking and eating weeds around the yard. So when they were cooped for a bit, I pulled 2-3 inch weeds from my garden and gave them to the chickens in the coop. I did that for a couple days until one morning there was one that had died. Fluke I thought but the next day there was another one that had died. I seen a couple more with very full gullets that seemed full of water. Squishy and sloshy. I knew something was up at that point and went to investigate. Eventually discovered that my feeding of the 2-3 inch weeds from my garden had plugged up the gullet so nothing could get down to the gizzard. Chicken don’t chew, they just swallow and they were swallowing the weeds whole and it plugged them up. When they free range, they pull off small bites which is just fine, they don’t pull up a whole weed. I Found the remedy…you turn them upside down to get all the water out ( it just runs out of their beaks when they are upside down), then massage the gullet a couple times a day). Thank goodness as that remedy worked. I didn’t lose anymore and they have been fine ever since. 👍 🐓 ❤
Oh no! Yes, I have heard this about long grass and weeds. I try to keep my grass mowed and weed whipped. It's a big lesson!
Im so sorry you lost sweet Olive and now Raven having some challenges. Love and prayers. Im impressed with your choice of using the antifungal and then the colloidial silver with Raven. 💪💪It is amazing stuff and can kill lots of unwanted things in the body. Good job. Praying for you and your flock. You are doing your best. Our best is sometimes not enough, but God knows what is needed. Jesus has more though... He has come to give abundant life. John 10:10 I know He loves you. Also I think he loves your chickens, and is pleased with the loving way you care for them. 😘🩷🐔🐔🐔
Thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate your words of encouragement and sharing the Lord's word with me. ❤️
Thank you
thank you for sharing your experience, as a new chicken owner I'm trying to figure out how to know how much to feed them and it's difficult to know how to measure.
Hello! Welcome to a wonderful new challenge! On average, I give my girls 1/4 to 1/2 cup a day of feed, depending on their size. This has helped out tremendously!
@@TwoEnglishAcres thank you so much that is so helpful, I'm going to count that out per each of mine and give it a try! Blessings!
Thank you for this video. I am new to chicken keeping and I haven't learned this till now. I bought a big bag of sunflower seeds, mainly to sprout. I will make sure not to over feed them these. I also live in Michigan.❤
Hello fellow Michigander! I'm glad it was helpful! Who would ever think they could be so harmful??
Wow. I learned through your mistakes. Thank you for sharing this. I bet it eas hard for you. Thank you so much for sharing
Thanks for watching! I appreciate your comment ❤️
Thank you for sharing your story and this video! It has been informational! I've had chickens for a couple years now and have lost 3 of my 12... I think one of the chickens (my favorite - Green Queen) was egg-bound but the other 2 I do not know. When I ordered my chicks online, I opted for the vaccine for Marek's (HVT) and I fed my chickens the medicated feed... I don't know if any of that has helped or not, as I never had a necropsy done to find out the reason why I lost the other 2... the next one I lose, however, I will be having one done. And you are correct. Unfortunately, having animals comes with illness and death, as well as joy. But I do love my chickens and will continue to have them as long as I can physically take care of them.
Hi! Thank you for sharing with me 🤗 It took me a long time to finally say enough is enough. I should've done it sooner, but I guess later is better than never. Don't you just love your girls? Chickens are wonderful creatures 😍
@@TwoEnglishAcres Yes! they are very entertaining to watch... and of course, they provide me with eggs! and the fertilizer for my gardens! I actually get excited when I have to clean out their coop knowing where it's going! lol
Thank you, that’s great to know 👍
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for being so candid.❤ your video has made me realize my chooks are probably getting too many sunflower seeds too!! Glad I know now and can limit their access!!
You are so welcome! I'm happy you took some time out to check out my video!
Thank you for sharing! I'm sorry for your losses! Chicken keeping is rewarding and heartbreaking! But so worth it; nonetheless!
Thanks so much for your support! 🥰
I noticed immediately that Sunflower seeds caused diarrhea in my chickens. It makes me wonder if they hurt the wild birds as well. Almost all wild bird feed has sunflower seeds
Hmm, that's an excellent observation. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks!