I had issues with grow outs dying last year in my Brahma and Rose Comb Rhode Island pens, about 50% was told vitamin deficiency and cocci. I had 5 Brahma out of 20 live and 3 out of 15 Rose Combs live.

Ended up purchasing property, building all new pens and purchased chicks from NPIP breeders.

Long story short I ended up with Marek’s in 6 pens so far and ALV in one pen.

The first Marek’s pen had a 70% loss but they were Erminettes and I figured maybe that the healthiest chicks. The next pen was 15 Black Copper Marans, they had only a few chicks but 2 came up with what looked like broken legs at the knee joints so I tested them for both Marek’s and ALV, both positive and the pen was culled and burned.

I have had a few more pens test positive for Marek’s but will just let them grow and cull birds that show symptoms.

I am trying to see if this ends my breeding career, other than selling hatching eggs etc, if I don’t cull all my current birds.

My flock is already been closed.

Since this lives in the environment it doesn’t sound good for any future as a breeder on the new property, which by the way had no chickens on it for at least 10 years or more.