Cream Legbars

[duluthralphie]

sometimes when I think about how casual we are or all can be compared to the risk, I do cringe. At times I want to put a big fence around the chicken portion of the property and put up biosecurity signage. Definitely wish that other chicken people who aren't authorized (like chicken-sitter when I am away) would be more aware. -- Non-chicken people less a concern that's for sure.

Had a cockerel with a swollen eye and thought it was MG -- took him to diagnostic Lab at A&M and he tested clean of MG. The vet there impressed on me how rare that was -- and the steps that I would need to maintain MG free chickens.

Here is a link from an article I had written for the CL club's newsletter regarding my discussion with Dr. Moore:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g4aklH2XpPWOGGrzq4Z5rER2JS0LjOL4cpgKLGSnbcA/edit?usp=sharing

Just one point:

• he said it is SO RARE NOT to have MG in a backyard flock that I need to be VERY careful to keep my flock that way. No new birds - no visitors to my pens, strict biosecurity, probably shouldn't go to shows because it could mean exposure to disease.

Everyone has to decide, of course, where their chicken enjoyment is infringed upon by their biosecurity needs......I'm still working on it.

Sometimes, I even worry when the State man comes to test my flock for P/T yearly, and when the man comes annually after P/T is satisfactory, to renew my state seller's license. (how many flocks have you already visited today?) -- I think I would have them walk through bleach baths or something prior to entering.....

.Few years ago, a friend and I went to Mammoth caves in KY, upon exit of which we needed to walk through a disinfectant soaked material so that our shoes would not carry organism of deadly white-nosed bat syndrome out that could infect other bats. Seemed little enough to ask. If the bleach walk-thru was set up before hand -- it wouldn't be too much to ask.

oops better post this and hope the storm hasn't cut the satellite reception

I am the other side of the line of thought. We have wild birds, animals and even the wind that can move nasty germs and bugs. We have common feed supplies and common meeting places. If something is so common that every flock in your area has it, maybe you are better off making sure your birds are exposed to it and develop natural immunities to it.

I know I am older then the majority of people on here. I grew up on this farm, I now own. When we were kids (back in the early 50s). Everyone we knew had birds and animals. we all walked amongst each others birds. Nothing catastrophic happened.

We all ate peanuts and played in dirt mud and cow poop. We survived and did fine. We did not have the asthma and allergies we have now. Opening a package of cracker jacks was a treat to look forward too not a death threat to anyone.

Maybe a little more natural selection of the weak would do all our flocks better so they could truly develop natural immunities.

Here in Minnesota we just survived a devastating AI break out! We heard dire predictions of how the backyard chickens were going to be a thing of the past! Waterfowl were spreading the disease, the sky was falling!


Then when it is over we find out not one backyard flock in the state had AI. They still insist it was wild waterfowl that spread it. How did a wild goose get by all the bio security and into a huge chicken or turkey factory to kill millions of birds but not manage to get into one free ranging family farm flock?

Just saying, no sense worrying too much about it, Things may not be as they seem.

 

[ChicKat]

Just saying, no sense worrying too much about it, Things may not be as they seem.

Yes, I absolutely agree -- that dynamic security of immunity is the best. That is one of the reasons that I decided to never vaccinate my chicks for Marek's (which vaccine for the home user is sometimes considered ineffective anyway).

I have tons of wild birds here -- and the robins haven't even shown up yet -- it is the overwintering birds - mostly cardinals. Do you think that your Minn cold is somewhat a protection for some of the pathogens? -- When I grew up in Ohio -- the ground froze as hard as iron -- here in the south -- no hard freezes of the ground. (waterers frozen with a crust of ice -- but not the earth) -- For that reason I think that the parasites are happier here --

I agree too that the AI outbreak wasn't as bad as the publicity -- but there were back yard flocks that did have threat and infection. Guess I don't want to risk my critters to either microscopic threats or normal predators. Kind of consider the biosecurity measures the equivalent of keeping out raccoons. Appreciate your blanced view. /;O)

 

[caychris]

I am the other side of the line of thought. We have wild birds, animals and even the wind that can move nasty germs and bugs. We have common feed supplies and common meeting places. If something is so common that every flock in your area has it, maybe you are better off making sure your birds are exposed to it and develop natural immunities to it.

I know I am older then the majority of people on here. I grew up on this farm, I now own. When we were kids (back in the early 50s). Everyone we knew had birds and animals. we all walked amongst each others birds. Nothing catastrophic happened.

We all ate peanuts and played in dirt mud and cow poop. We survived and did fine. We did not have the asthma and allergies we have now. Opening a package of cracker jacks was a treat to look forward too not a death threat to anyone.

Maybe a little more natural selection of the weak would do all our flocks better so they could truly develop natural immunities.

Here in Minnesota we just survived a devastating AI break out! We heard dire predictions of how the backyard chickens were going to be a thing of the past! Waterfowl were spreading the disease, the sky was falling!


Then when it is over we find out not one backyard flock in the state had AI. They still insist it was wild waterfowl that spread it. How did a wild goose get by all the bio security and into a huge chicken or turkey factory to kill millions of birds but not manage to get into one free ranging family farm flock?

Just saying, no sense worrying too much about it, Things may not be as they seem.

I do believe as a culture we are "sanitizing" our way into poor health. I think we have done the same thing to our livestock animals in many ways too.

 

[dheltzel]

Yes, I absolutely agree -- that dynamic security of immunity is the best. That is one of the reasons that I decided to never vaccinate my chicks for Marek's (which vaccine for the home user is sometimes considered ineffective anyway).

I have tons of wild birds here -- and the robins haven't even shown up yet -- it is the overwintering birds - mostly cardinals. Do you think that your Minn cold is somewhat a protection for some of the pathogens? -- When I grew up in Ohio -- the ground froze as hard as iron -- here in the south -- no hard freezes of the ground. (waterers frozen with a crust of ice -- but not the earth) -- For that reason I think that the parasites are happier here --

I agree too that the AI outbreak wasn't as bad as the publicity -- but there were back yard flocks that did have threat and infection. Guess I don't want to risk my critters to either microscopic threats or normal predators. Kind of consider the biosecurity measures the equivalent of keeping out raccoons. Appreciate your blanced view. /;O)

I think the most lasting effect of the AI scare is higher egg prices. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, it certainly helps the economics for smaller producers, nor am I saying that was the intent of the whole thing, since that seems like a conspiracy -- it's merely an observation.

 

[ChicKat]

I think the most lasting effect of the AI scare is higher egg prices. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, it certainly helps the economics for smaller producers, nor am I saying that was the intent of the whole thing, since that seems like a conspiracy -- it's merely an observation.

Good observation. There actually were a lot of commercial flocks that were destroyed, as I understand it.

 

[Red Banks]

My chickens are isolated, I have no chickens anywhere close nor do I have chicken friends (don't feel sorry for me

) but my chickens got fowl pox. I later found out it is very prevalent in the wild turkey population in my area. Since it is carried by mosquitos I didn't stand a chance. We have had such a mild winter we never had a day without them. The old timers here call it sore head and it is very hard on the turkeys. At least I know the chickens that were exposed won't get it again. I do my best but I am like DiluthRalphie, I grew up on a farm about two miles from where I am now. Maybe I was young and unaware but I don't remember so much fuss. I don't take unnecessary risks but I try to keep the fear factor in check.

 

[dheltzel]

Good observation. There actually were a lot of commercial flocks that were destroyed, as I understand it.

I wonder if all of those farms are back in business or if it was a convenient, government subsidized, exit strategy for some. If you lost your entire flock, perhaps retirement might look good with the check you get.

 

[ChicKat]

I wonder if all of those farms are back in business or if it was a convenient, government subsidized, exit strategy for some. If you lost your entire flock, perhaps retirement might look good with the check you get.

Agriculture is a tough business to keep profits going (I know first hand) --- and aren't the big commercial flocks insured -- so it is less painful for them to do all in all out, or to wipe out an entire population of chickens -- Once we had life-insurance on a bull -- because he was so expensive and crucial to our operation and none on ourselves.

The margins aren't that great, the risks are high, the work is "cain't to cain't" -- and there are no weekends and holidays with animal husbandry -- but of course we wouldn't trade in our flocks for the most part. Retirement is a great thing though.......

There are always supply/demand cycles with commodity prices -- Eggs always a bit cyclical

http://nebraska.farmergoestomarket....-competitive-commodity-information-egg-prices
https://www.quandl.com/data/WSJ/EGGS-Eggs-large-white-Chicago-dozen

For the most part, our food supply in the USA is abundant and lower cost than most of the rest of the world. Reliable and mostly safe as well.

 

[chrissyr]

Ok I hope you can help me on the pure ccl.
It's been almost a year since hatching and some of these new Rees birds aren't as clear cut to me.
So i apologize for clogging up the thread.
Here are what I determined as pure ccl boys.
They have light eyeliner to me. Are they still boys?
This is the same two boys, different shots

 

[ChicKat]

Ok I hope you can help me on the pure ccl.
It's been almost a year since hatching and some of these new Rees birds aren't as clear cut to me.
So i apologize for clogging up the thread.
Here are what I determined as pure ccl boys.
They have light eyeliner to me. Are they still boys?
This is the same two boys, different shots

boys