The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Lacy Blues]

I got mine from the guy that heads up the buckeye club. I believe he is back east somewhere. That's "back east" from me, not necessarily from you. I think he is in the midwest.

 

[hellbender]

I got mine from the guy that heads up the buckeye club. I believe he is back east somewhere. That's "back east" from me, not necessarily from you. I think he is in the midwest.

He's in Ohio ...If it's the same one. He lives about 4 hour's drive from me. We thought about 'conformation' birds but we shut down the show-thing with NNs and decided to go strictly meat...capons.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Wasn't sure where to put this, thought I would ask it here:

What does everyone think about Egyptian Fayoumis? Supposedly they have some resistance to bird flu. Do you think there's any truth to that? Anyone have any info to back it up?

 

[hellbender]

Wasn't sure where to put this, thought I would ask it here:

What does everyone think about Egyptian Fayoumis? Supposedly they have some resistance to bird flu. Do you think there's any truth to that? Anyone have any info to back it up?

Sorry but that's one of those breeds that not many folks know too much about. I know one when I see it and I've read up a bit on the history out of pure curiosity but since it's not a breed that could hold my attention for long, I've never gone farther than that.

You might contact a university in Cairo Egypt...Many/most folks there speak English so that sounds like a good bet but I'd wait 'til I'ts day time there....perhaps 5 or 6 AM eastern in the US.

Sorry I can't be of help but someone may yet come to your rescue.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

I was just looking for opinions at the moment.

About a year or two ago some "old-timer chicken folks" told me they thought this breed was going to take off like crazy in the US and become super-popular but it didn't happen. I thought it was kind of a strange prediction, to be honest... wondering why they thought that.

Anyway, I love this thread!

 

[hellbender]

I was just looking for opinions at the moment.

About a year or two ago some "old-timer chicken folks" told me they thought this breed was going to take off like crazy in the US and become super-popular but it didn't happen. I thought it was kind of a strange prediction, to be honest... wondering why they thought that.

Anyway, I love this thread!

Quite honestly, based upon the information I read, I can't see anything about the breed to recommend them. Perhaps a show bird but one would have to build a 'Chicken-Leavenworth' type facility to keep them out of the trees.

Of course, there are plenty of other breeds that could fall into that same type.

 

[dutchlion]

Welcome to the thread Maria! Which heritage breed did you choose and why? What region do you live in? I live near the coast in Washington state and I've been looking at various heritage breeds for when I add to my flock. Right now we have Black Copper Marans, Welsummers, Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas, Cream Legbars and Swedish Flower Hens.

Update on the girls in the tractor with MG: Well, I have seen no improvement from the antibiotics which they have been on since last Monday night (so we're on day 9). The one who was first sick, the younger CL, still has a clear runny nose but no sneezing/coughing and seems to be fine otherwise. I did catch her eating a nasty dark caecal poop though the other day. She was the only one eating it and ate quite a lot of it. Disgusting. The smallest (Scrappy) BCMarans still has a crusty nose with discharge and is coughing/sneezing....and, well, we lost the other sick BCMarans on The 4th to a neighborhood dog. My husband went to feed the chickens and was down at the main coop and there were 3 dogs in our yard. They came to greet him and were friendly enough. He went up to the tractor and heard crunching and saw something black on the ground and thought the dog had a crow. He walked over to the tractor and counted birds and then knew he had one of our birds. He was so mad he kicked it on its way out without checking the tags. The other Marans was sunning/dust bathing in the whole the dog dug so she would have been next. We found out who the dog was but haven't had a chance to find and talk to the neighbor yet. So, we're down to 2 sick birds anyway.

The Duramycin package says to treat for 7-14 days, but I would have thought they would show improvement by now. I don't know if this strain of MG is resistant to the Duramycin or not, but I'm not willing to try another at this point. I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that we may need to cull them. Since this is the first time we're going through this I would love some moral support - should we cull? The three older girls in with them are not showing outward signs of illness, although the older CL will be 32 weeks on Thursday and is still not laying. One SFH lays fairly regularly and the other seems less often. Some days we get 2 eggs, some none, some one.

Would love to hear your thoughts...thanks!

@JulesChicks I'm so sorry to hear about your girls... it is a decision that we are now facing as well...

i wish i could be more help - to both of us.
We have 1 confirmed case of MG & MS. Our little mottled Java pullet tested positive/positive for both.

We have a barred Rock that we believe will also test positive for either one or the other. The Java pullet has had no nasal discharge for a few days, but eye discharge- and very droopy eyes. But she's always so happy to have company and so sweet. She'll talk your ear off. She's gaining weight and her feathers are looking beautiful! The Rock only sneezes, but it is quite often. They are both in separate pens from the other 4 (who aren't sick) that we got from the "breeder". I'm so mad I could spit nails. I don't want to have to cull my birds, but I'm not entirely sure that abx will help- then there is always the concern about integrating them with the existing flock (stress causing a relapse). I could really go on about the whole situation, but that won't change anything. I just don't know what to do..... to make matters even worse... the state has quarantined our farm- well the chickens. We can't have any poultry (or anything related to them- eating eggs included) off the farm for 45 days. Not that our chickens go anywhere. The two sick birds have not been anywhere near our main flocks. But we can't even give away/ sell eating eggs from the main flock- there's a nice fine attached to the quarantine if we are caught breaking it. Meanwhile DUDE (breeder) is selling birds and eggs ... and b/c it's not on paper the state won't do anything.

try and do right and i get burned. i'm sorry- just venting.
if anyone has any comments, corrections, concerns, ideas, anything.... please help!

 

[tjo804]

Wow I don't have experience with any of this but I can give you this

Good luck

 

[JulesChicks]

@dutchlion It really does suck that this is happening in our flocks and that it happens in general. I haven't heard back from the breeder since she said they would test their birds. We did end up treating with abx for 9-10 days with no improvement. The smallest Marans still had a crusty nose and sneezing/coughing but was perky otherwise. The young CL was perky also and just had the runny nose and no coughing/sneezing. The other sickie was killed by a dog on the 4th so we didn't have to cull her. The other 2 was a tough decision as they were the friendliest in the new bunch but since they didn't respond to the medicine we decided to cull. My husband and a friend did it last night, along with the aggressive rooster. It was a tough night for us (I'm not much of a drinker and I had a little help from some Patron) - thankfully my husband had his friend with him and that helped lighten the mood. His friend actually took care of the cockerel that my DH didn't want to kill. At least it's over now. I just hope everyone else remains resistant to it.

Regarding the Egyptian Fayoumi- my brother and his family have one. His wife picked out a lot of random birds last year (at their co-op so they are hatchery birds) based on looks and such and picked out the Fayoumi. It is aloof and certainly not friendly like their Orps or Comets or RIRs - BUT this spring when they bought 2 Guinea keets she adopted them to raise. And, when most of their flock was picked off one by one over the winter by a coyote, she and a Buff Orp were the only two left (my guess is the Orp got lucky but the Fayoumis flightiness and maybe predator savviness saved her). So, they have decided she has value and will keep her around, hopefully to brood chicks in the future. She is indeed a pretty bird and certainly not useless.

Interesting to see the discussion on Buckeyes and the mention of Chanteclers - both of these were on my list this year but I had to narrow it down a bit. The breeder I got the littles from also breeds Buckeyes and Barnevelders that I was considering. There was someone selling Partridge Chanteclers on Craigslist and I was on her waiting list but she didn't follow up or answer messages. I may try again later for those. If anyone has more to share on these breeds I would love to hear it - or on other good heritage breeds that are calm but predator savvy (tough, I know), gentle roos, and lay a brown egg (DHs strong preference, well requirement

 

[shahtir101]

How much apple cider should you put in your chickens water?