Colorado

[techpeak]

Oops, oh yeah, and on the dragonflies... I checked the worms on my own (I'm a veterinarian) and consulted with other veterinarians on the Veterinary Information Network on the source.

 

[techpeak]

I may be mistaken but I believe this to mean one should not eat their eggs while they are being treated, nor for about 2 weeks after treatment has ended. Duramycin/Tetracycline has been used to treat upper respiratory infections in birds for a long time.

Long term low-dose antibiotic treatment for the purpose of accelerating growth is, indeed, a primary reason I don't want to buy eggs at the store.

Natural remedies for bacterial infections include adding garlic and oregano to the feed, and if I'm not mistaken, cayenne pepper also supports their immune systems. Maintaining good bacteria with probiotics (yogurt with no added sugar, especially homemade) helps, and fogging/misting with Oxine can help combat bacterial and fungal infections. I am a new fan of Oxine, it isn't cheap, but it goes a long way, and can be used with confidence when not activated, carefully when activated with citric acid (which will kill even viruses, but one must clear out all the birds from the area being treated and wear a respirator - I don't have one, and don't plan to buy one, so I haven't used it activated).

I keep a spray bottle of 1 quart of water with 1/8 tsp of Oxine with me all the time now, I spray the food dishes every night after I wash them, and spray the waterers when I clean them and the trays underneath almost every night, even spray my hands before handling eggs I am putting into the incubator or moving into the hatcher, especially since this usually happens right after I've cared for all the birds.

About once a week I add 1/8 tsp per gallon of drinking water. When I clean a pen I spray the whole thing down with my quart bottle sprayer. I spray the air the chickens breathe a few times a week, can be done 2-3 times a day if one suspects the need for support. Non-activated, Oxine diluted with water is a fungistat and bacteriostat. Activated it kills everything, on contact, faster and better than bleach with less hazard to the environment, but as I said, it can't be used activated with birds present and the manufacturer warns it should not be inhaled in activated form by humans, either.

As an aside, I learned in correspondence with CSU that they OFTEN see mycoplasma (MG and MS) in necropsied birds, and that, as I have previously stated, Marek's is everywhere. They recommend purchasing only vaccinated birds. If one is buying only chicks from hatcheries that vaccinate and if one never hatches eggs, that makes sense. For me it does not, and I will no longer purchase vaccinated chicks. Many of you already read this a couple of weeks ago, so feel free to move on at this point For the rest: The vaccine used by hatcheries creates a situation wherein the birds shed live virus essentially throughout their lives, infecting unvaccinated birds in the process. If the unvaccinated birds are older than 6 months of age, or run with turkeys, no worries, but younger/no turkey exposure, means you have to hope their immune systems can battle the virus successfully. Many cannot. I had high losses of high quality (read: expensive) Speckled Sussex juveniles because I housed them among vaccinated birds. Those who have survived should be resistant and should produce resistant chicks.

I am looking into Midget White Turkeys. Turkeys carry a mild form of Marek's which can inoculate chickens and "teach" their immune systems to fight Marek's. I love my chickens, and love other peoples' turkeys, but for me, smaller is better when it comes to Turkeys, that's why I'm looking into the Midgets. If anyone here has had any experience with them, I'd love to hear about it.

I'm going to have to assume that Oxime is a peroxidase (creates ozone which kills everthing and then dissipates quickly). I have a specific unit in my coop that generates that same situation on a constant low level. I guess I just can't treat the whole outdoors with it

.

I really found the discussion on Marek's and turkeys interesting. We do breed our own chicks here. I'd be very interested in how your turkey situation goes.

The Duramycin thing isn't just limited to while you are treating and 2 weeks afterward OFFICIALLY. FARAD does occassionally suggest certain antibiotics or dewormers with an egg withdrawal time that SHOULD work, but it is supposed to be a specific recommendation for a specific instance. The tetracycline has been used forever in turkeys and that is how most of it is licensed, but that is because turkey production is based on meat birds, not layers.

I had heard a lot about the Mycoplasma too. Seems to be a big deal in lots of birds and it keeps cropping up in the rest of my species as well (although not the same variety). It's fairly easy to get rid of with the right antibiotics, but here we go again

Anyway, thanks for all the great thoughts! I am hoping most of the problem with that hen was that she came out of a cruelty case and probably had long standing health issues... poor girl.

 

[techpeak]

On a much happier note, we got the window put in the coop this weekend and set up the "nursery" just in time for our one broody hen to start sitting on the nest all day. Woo hoo! We'll have babies soon!

 

[Pozees]

I'm going to have to assume that Oxime is a peroxidase (creates ozone which kills everthing and then dissipates quickly). I have a specific unit in my coop that generates that same situation on a constant low level. I guess I just can't treat the whole outdoors with it

.

I really found the discussion on Marek's and turkeys interesting. We do breed our own chicks here. I'd be very interested in how your turkey situation goes.

The Duramycin thing isn't just limited to while you are treating and 2 weeks afterward OFFICIALLY. FARAD does occassionally suggest certain antibiotics or dewormers with an egg withdrawal time that SHOULD work, but it is supposed to be a specific recommendation for a specific instance. The tetracycline has been used forever in turkeys and that is how most of it is licensed, but that is because turkey production is based on meat birds, not layers.

I had heard a lot about the Mycoplasma too. Seems to be a big deal in lots of birds and it keeps cropping up in the rest of my species as well (although not the same variety). It's fairly easy to get rid of with the right antibiotics, but here we go again

Anyway, thanks for all the great thoughts! I am hoping most of the problem with that hen was that she came out of a cruelty case and probably had long standing health issues... poor girl.

The concern I have with Mycoplasma is whether it requires the extreme reaction I've often read of. Those with flocks infected with MG are told they must destroy the flock. Eggs can be dipped and hatched and often the resulting chicks test negative for MG, so it is possible to treat the adults, collect eggs from them, then destroy the adults, clean the coop, and start all over again with the hatched chicks. I have a LOT more studying to do on this one, but what I'm seeing so far is that the treated adults remain carriers for life. Is Mycoplasma particularly dangerous, that you've read? I assume there must be some particularly bad characteristic of the infection.

That said, I've read of people who believe the entire flock must be destroyed once they've seen Marek's, yet every longstanding breeder I consulted said it was hogwash, because it is omnipresent, and that the goal should be to breed a resistant flock. That's where I'm headed at this point, at least I hope so.

 

[Pozees]

On a much happier note, we got the window put in the coop this weekend and set up the "nursery" just in time for our one broody hen to start sitting on the nest all day. Woo hoo! We'll have babies soon!

Hurray! I have a Silkie hen who's just gone broody as well - love that look on a setting hen's face

 

[dennarahl]

I kinda doubt the crowing would stop but it would be a plus in his favor/keeping him alive; it's his aggressiveness.... you never know when he's going to come after you, and I sure don't want any incidents with my grand babies....and thanks for no lecture!

Would caponizing fix the aggressiveness after he's already become aggressive? I know with male cats that fixing them after they start spraying doesn't fix the problem, so I figure it'd be the same kind of thing with the caponizing.

 

[Wendi C]

Some people swear they can change an aggressive Roo's behavior, there are several websites that go into detail on how to go about, BUT, it takes time and energy! You have to let him know YOU are the head Roo. One gal sets up a smaller pen, then goes in, and when he comes at her, she grabs hims and picks him up. She then carries him around for awhile, petting and stroking him. Not sure if you have the time or energy, but this gal swears by this method. Will see if I can find her chicken site.....

Nice that every ones pullets are turning into laying hens!!! Yay, always exciting!

Wendi, I thought hubby found egg shells early in the morning, in the girls coop, but my reading comprehension has been known to be lacking!!!! If they are laying shell less eggs, whole other story!

Suncatcher, Hubby said he saw an egg in the coop at the crack of dawn, but left it for me to "find". When I went out to find it, there was no egg, just two small broken yolks under the roost (no egg shell in sight). The yolks were about 8 inches from each other. I wasn't sure whether it was one egg that they had eaten (only the shell) and spread the yolk about, or an egg that had broken along with a second shell-less egg. Anyway, Hubby has been instructed to collect eggs as he sees them!

Yesterday afternoon I found a beautiful green perfect egg away from the roost. It was still warm when I picked it up (about 5:20 PM), so I am guessing she's getting the hang of things. The sparkly fake egg in the nest box has been moved around too, so someone is trying it out (I hopeful it's the RIR).

I think I might be just a bit overprotective of the girls. I am a "worrier" so I suppose it is fitting that I feel like a mother hen...

 

[Wendi C]

I am looking into Midget White Turkeys. Turkeys carry a mild form of Marek's which can inoculate chickens and "teach" their immune systems to fight Marek's. I love my chickens, and love other peoples' turkeys, but for me, smaller is better when it comes to Turkeys, that's why I'm looking into the Midgets. If anyone here has had any experience with them, I'd love to hear about it.

Oh please share about the Midget White Turkeys- I might be interested for next year.

 

[annav410]

My chickens were hand raised from chicks and treated as pets. Generally speaking, they all will allow me to handle them but some would rather I not touch them. Some of my friendly girls will sit on my lap and I enjoy spending time with them in their run but wanted to get some advice on some new behavior. Some of my “friendly” chickens have started coming up to me and biting/pecking me very hard on my legs (edited to add, I am wearing long pants). Enough to cause bruising.

I have tried to shoo them away but they are very persistent. Any suggestions on how to correct this behavior? I don’t believe it is aggressive (??) but it is annoying and hurts! Help a newbie who loves her chickens but doesn’t want to have to always wear heavy duty jeans to avoid bruises.

 

[wsmith]

My chickens were hand raised from chicks and treated as pets. Generally speaking, they all will allow me to handle them but some would rather I not touch them. Some of my friendly girls will sit on my lap and I enjoy spending time with them in their run but wanted to get some advice on some new behavior. Some of my “friendly” chickens have started coming up to me and biting/pecking me very hard on my legs. Enough to cause bruising.

I have tried to shoo them away but they are very persistent. Any suggestions on how to correct this behavior? I don’t believe it is aggressive (??) but it is annoying and hurts! Help a newbie who loves her chickens but doesn’t want to have to always wear heavy duty jeans to avoid bruises.

mine peck at anything that looks tasty. Even if it is a mole or a freckle.....