Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed - Page 229

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meg2000000 

Congrats!!! Are you new to chickens?

No, this is year 4, or is that NEW?

Started out with geese, then rabbits, and ducks and the chickens were the "fence testers" (for the lectric fence) and I got hooked on chickens and eggs and stuff.

Now we have goats too.

Love this farmin lifestyle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meg2000000 

That's not new at all! I would love to try ducks and goats! My grandmother is a very talented painter as well.. She's loving all of the pictures we send!

I like to make food "art" too! This is a boned, and stuffed Cornish, and boy was it tasty!

and fine art . . .

There's some good info on Coccidiosis from Trisha, Andy, and someone else that I can't remember now.  Trisha said it best problem when she said warm, moist, and overcrowded conditions are the best thing you can do to ensure your birds get Coccidiosis.  She didn't actually put it that way but you get the drift.

I had a Coccidia outbreak a few years ago and was tossing 2-4 birds a day.  After a great deal of research (there's tons of stuff on the net to read), I finally got it under control.  Here's a couple of things I learned that I didn't see mentioned yet.

1) There are like 8 (or was it 14?) different strains of Cocci.  Every bird carries it and your flock becomes resistant to its own strain.  A problem incurrs when you bring birds in from someone else.  Your birds are infected by those birds with a strain they're not resistant to and those birds become infected by the strain from your birds.  Cocci thrives in warm, moist environments and is deposited in the feces of the chicks.  The chicks ingest oocyst from pecking around in the litter.  Overcrowding and failure to keep the litter clean and DRY is a recipe for disaster and is self-explanatory as to why.

2) Due to the above, you can't breed total immunity into birds for Cocci.  However, like anything else, some birds are going to be more susceptible to a flare up than others.  Same as with CRD or what-have-you.  One wants to breed for the strongest birds possible but even the strongest can easily fall victim to Cocci in warm, moist, overcrowded conditions.

3) Medicated Chick Starter contains "Amprolium".  Corrid is a brand name for Amprolium.  It should be used to prevent an outbreak but Corrid should be used to raise the level to effectiveness if a outbreak occurs.  Recent studies I've read indicate that Sulmet and other sulpher-like medications may do more harm than good. 

4) According to the vet at Purina, it doesn't hurt hens or you if you eat their eggs and the hens have ate the medicated chick feed.

5) Due to the way Cocci works, you MUST take immediate action at the FIRST sign of Coccidiosis or the birds will most likely die.  I think it was Andy who mentioned bloody stools.  I'll show my stupidity here so others may learn from it - "bloody stools" don't necessarily mean you're gonna see "red" or "blood" in the stools.  I have seen that but I also found that bloody stools may look just real dark.  Almost black.  For sure and certain if you do see red blood, then by all means take action but be looking for the really dark (it's hard to describe) stools as well.  And certainly, if you see the bird hunker down, puff its feathers out, stand in one position with its wings held low to the side, and pull its head into its shoulders - take action immediately.  Otherwise the bird will be dead in a day or two.  Three at the most.  Cocci works fast!

I think that's it but I probably forgot something.  Hope that helps.

God Bless,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Totalcolour 

So, I'm getting my first trio tomorrow. I love the coloration - but if I were into breeding specific colours, I would love to have a Barnevelder with this kind of feathering (NOT the head or beard!)

Congrats on your Barnies:) and welcome to the Barnevelder thread:)

I will probably have a few Splash Barnevelder project birds by next year that will look close to your polish pictured. They won't be as "yellow" but rather a reddish gold with white lacing.

This pullet was the result of a test cross between 2nd and 3rd generation blue project birds. She didn't turn out to be double laced, but I have some 3rd x 4th generation eggs due in about a week that may be splash if all goes well. Again I just set the eggs as a fun test cross.  I hope I get a splash that has decent double lacing this time.

I gave this girl to a friend and she turned out to be a beautiful bird (but not double laced). She's so friendly and begs to be picked up, LOL.

So wondering here...when I introduce new birds to the flock is it best to just switch them to the medicated feed for a couple of weeks preventatively?

I have seen dark poo from my birds before but none of them ogt sick or (heaven forbid) died

...did I unwittedly  dodge a bullet?