Michigan - Page 3481  

Oh, so depressing, and distressing. I was thinking about you off and on all morning... Can't you just close your flock? Treat them, cull s needed and mot hatch out or sell eggs for hatching. And once those are gone, clean up, dis-infect give a winter freeze over and then start again with POL pullets...? Oh, I would just agonize over it. I don't think I would have made it to work.. You are in my prayers Daron.

Yikes.M2M. 

I know your local PD and they would never come to your rescue if there was any danger to them selves. It was that way when I lived there years ago.

Sadly, you are on your own. 

Be prepared.

Mom, that is just crazy!

Daron.

I agree with Opa. Don't be so quick to decimate your flock. Keep them closed for now and try the treatment if it that is feasible for you. Get a second opinion if possible.

Its terribly scary. 

I wish to beat the heck out of my neighbor for putting my children in danger. However, that would solve nothing.

Its not over- its never over once crap like this begins. There is always retaliation. Only one reason why they came BACK to look for something in the road...drugs...and they are packing weapons ...okay thats two reasons. 

 

It takes alot of guts/lack of fear to come down a dead-end road where the neighborhood is out on the road, to return to the scene. 

 

No. My neighbor brought the trash here. He will be so drunk by the time I get off work, I never see him sober- however, I sure hope someone around here does so they can at least say some of the words I am feeling. 

Raz - I am glad you had the wherewithall to notice the signs that your friend was in distress. He could have hurt himself and his family. I'll put him in my prayers today. That must have been really frightening for you to be witness to it all.

 

Mom - Oh my! Not the kind of exciting night you want. :( Hopefully they don't come back and the police has your neighbors house flagged for suspicious activity. Don't be afraid to keep calling if you see stuff out of wack.

 

Daron - It breaks my heart to hear the news about your flock. I am praying that the Denegard works.

 

b737drvvr - I have a 10 x 10 shed. We added three vents (front, back, and roof) and that still wasn't enough to keep it cooler in the coop. The girls would hang out in there to get away from the sun, so my DH put in a screen in part of the doorway so we could keep one of the doors completely open during the day  to get lots of air moving inside the coop. Works beautifully. Like the start of your coop :) I can't wait to see the finished product!

 

chickmate, was it you that asked about keeping chickens out of your flower beds? I have purchased some electric netting from Premier 1 it is a great way to fence off an area for the chooks it goes up and down easily (until our clay soil gets to dry) The 2 prong style has a foot that you can step on to push into the ground. I do not electrify as I don't have the set up but my standard size birds do not  fly over. I believe I have the 4ft. I got some last year on clearance, return item I think, you can find it on craigs list some times if you are on watchful. I can put it up and down by my self, Easier with 2 but with a little practice can be done by 1.   I also put little cages around ind. plants this time of yr. so they leave my more tender plants alone when they free range in the winter,early spring. They really seem to like the hosta, so I have switched to stronger leaved plants. I may try putting wire baskets over some plants this spring and let them come up through the wire, should look like a basket of floweres, 

Raz - you're a good man!

 

Mom -  Wow!

 

 

 

Farmerboy - I have also read conflicting information on vaccines.  I read it doesn't prevent the disease but reduces the shed level so it doesn't spread.  I have also been told don't bother because they still can get the disease so you would have to read and make up your own mind.  Here are two that I have read you have to scroll down to diseases. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps034  http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/poultry/extensio.htm

 

 

Farmer, so sorry to hear about the results.  Hopefully you can salvage what you have and move forward.

 

 

Opa - I bet that faverolle was good eating!   so far I think they've been the best tasting birds I've had!

Besides vaccination, there is somewhat encouraging research on feed-through preventative medications.  For a backyard flock this presents a slew of barriers however, so culling may still make the most sense. 

 

Sorry about the results.  Good Luck!