Bob, I am so happy to see this lovely picture of a Cochin in any color, but especially a Partridge! I've never seen one live and in person. A fellow keeper has a pair of Black Cochins I gave her as chicks that turned out fairly nice, and she has offered to loan/give them back to me as soon as...
Pathfinders, what an interesting line of questions! I would guess Bob selects for something that goes along with slow tail feathering, do you know what his priorities in selecting pullets are? What do his males' tails look like compared to yours?
This is how all of us learn, thank you for...
I have a few pics to post. RIR pullets from Greathorse that are almost 6 months old, and a couple of SLW also from Greathorse that are just shy of 3 months old. My Fogelly RIRs and Albritton Speckled Sussex decided they didn't want to pose the day I had the camera out there, so will try again...
Scott, your original plan still has great merit. If the quandary centers on limited space, and you want to try breeding some pullets to their brother(s) as well as to their father instead of breeding the hens to the sons (pullets' brothers), you might be able to "loan" the hens to someone...
MagicChicken, until you have time to do all you want, for the moment if you have some Oxine I would spray everything with it (1/8 tsp per quart in a spray bottle is what I use), turn the ladders sideways so they can perch on the wide side of the 2x4s if at all possible, add fresh shavings, or...
Thank you all for your answers on this topic, I deeply appreciate it. I would be interested in knowing what breeds tend to be more susceptible - thanks for mentioning that Dutch are, what others would one be more likely to vaccinate? Is there a percentage loss above which vaccination is...
I have a question. I have been driving myself crazy reading this, that and the other thread about Marek's, reading the page from the University of New Hampshire saying it is everywhere, that if you have an adult flock it has been exposed and your birds are either naturally immune or vaccinated...
YHF, I tried all spring to get leghorns from Mr. Urch. He had none available. I left the order in place hoping for some next year. I do have a trio of Egyptian Fayoumi I'm playing around with, and find them similar in some ways to leghorns.
This is completely off topic and I apologize in advance. I believe there is a member of this thread who is an arborist or certified nursery specialist, and I don't remember whom. I have a cottonwood tree DH just cut down because it is completely infected with cytospora canker. The fungus is...
I may try this. I had heard running a turkey with the chickens could create the immunity you describe, but didn't really want to raise any turkeys this year - I have never raised one, and felt like I had enough projects on the table this year already. A couple of local NPIP chicken friends are...
I agree with this if it is possible. It is hard to anticipate what they will do, some will bicker and then get over it, some keep escalating the aggression. None of us can watch over them 24/7, so it's probably better to separate if at all possible.
Karen, I am currently having an argument with myself, about vaccinating for Marek's, and was never a proponent of annual boosters in dogs, so I understand your state of uncertainty.
Any hatchery chicks I've bought, I've had vaccinated for Marek's. Any chicks I hatched here or bought from...