Hen Contest #2

[PeepersMama]

Violet
Black australorp
Age 3 at time of death July 2014
My username / pic is her. Sweetest, smartest chicken I ever had, beautiful too. This is the only pic I have of her on my phone.

I think it looks like she is smiling

Oh Violetsfeathers, I feel your pain. I had a lavender cuckoo orp, and I only have one decent pic of her

So sorry you lost your "mascot."

 

[PeepersMama]

Okay dad's kicking me off. I'll finish in the morning
I was on page 17. Just so I remember.
Goodnight all

And Summer, tell Jake where I went and that I told you to tell him so he doesn't "get mad at me"

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Oh Violetsfeathers, I feel your pain. I had a lavender cuckoo orp, and I only have one decent pic of her     So sorry you lost your "mascot."

Aww thanks, she's in chicken heaven now, with all my other chickens that died, waiting for me.

 

[PeepersMama]

Aww thanks, she's in chicken heaven now, with all my other chickens that died, waiting for me.

Let's see.... I have something like 25 chickens in heaven. Including my Peeper

I totally should've kept Peep... sis got to keep Caroline!

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Let's see.... I have something like 25 chickens in heaven. Including my Peeper   I totally should've kept Peep... sis got to keep Caroline! 

How do you keep a dead chicken????
I have some feathers from violet.

 

[daxigait]

I have maybe a weird question:
I know things can transfer from pen to pen by shoes, touching & so on; some birds are carriers but.... If I was to get an egg from a different flock, wash & place it under my hen.... Is it the same risk? Could I infect my flock with something?

You need to make sure that flock does not have conditions like ms, mg, Mereks, etc. The chicks born from infected flocks are born carriers!

The vet college in NC that studies Mycoplasma synoviae warned me when I inquired. The poultry expert for the state of Missouri said around 85% of backyard flocks already have or have been exposed to ms or mg and just don't know it. They just treated for a respiratory infection and went on. It can come from so many environmental things that it is hard to avoid if you free range, wild birds can poop in your run, or you wear shoes out somewhere and track it back.

 

[daxigait]

My vet said if I get a respiratory infection in the future (I culled and started again with NPIP and mycoplasma free stock) that it is best to just cull the ones that get really sick, not to breed the ones that sneeze or show symptoms, and to breed the ones that have no symptoms. Then you build a resistant flock.

 

[Girlywelder]

You need to make sure that flock does not have conditions like ms, mg, Mereks, etc. The chicks born from infected flocks are born carriers!

Thank You, I don't know what those are but I will research them.
The chicken world is all new to me. I went to the "Chicken Expert" agurcultal center here to ask about the testing & vaccinations. He acted like I was wasting his time... I've never had a critter that didn't go to the vet. (ferret, rabbit, iguana,dog, cat, chinchilla) all seen a vet but not a chicken? Wierd to me....

 

[daxigait]

Thank You, I don't know what those are but I will research them.
The chicken world is all new to me. I went to the "Chicken Expert" agurcultal center here to ask about the testing & vaccinations. He acted like I was wasting his time... I've never had a critter that didn't go to the vet. (ferret, rabbit, iguana,dog, cat, chinchilla) all seen a vet but not a chicken? Wierd to me....

You can get a blood sample to test for them, but most people don't since they so prevalent. I just treat my shoes and anyone who comes to my house and hope to avoid it. Eighty percent will live, and if you don't cull the survivors of what will be a bit less prone to respiratory illness in times of high stress. They will remain carriers. Thus, just keeping the ones that don't get symptoms builds a stronger flock, but you would have to be aware if you sell birds.

 

[daxigait]

@GirlywelderAvian vets exist, but are more expensive. My local vet will do blood draws and send them or you can sacrifice a bird I you gave a big problem for testing to help the others.
As to vaccines you can do baby chicks for Mereks.
If you have any sick or one dies you can send them for a necropsy and if you are in CA they even do it free.

Regular meds for chickens care after off label, orchard for me. I am leaning casportpony and others have lots of good threads and are very helpful. I just learned about ms the hard way . I brought in some 6 week old pullets hand while I quarantine them I did not keep myself separate enough, and I got mycoplasma synoviae in my first flick. It was a hard lesson.