Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[AyaBlodgett]

Frozen treats. Thanks for the tips. Aya

 

[Totalcolour]

Quote: I'm trying to breed a resistant strain of chicken so that I don't need medication. Ergo, my chicks have NEVER had medicated feed in the past four years - never had a problem. Perhaps it's the way I have raised them, or just plain good luck.

From what I understand, the active ingredient in medicated feed is Corid, so there should be no need to also add it to the water; that would be a very high dose. Or, maybe that's why it works.

I think sometimes the manufaturer label instructions are wrong about dosage. When I had a sick goat, the Vet told me the worming meds should be QUADRUPLED from label instructions! (It worked)

 

[Meg2000000]

I'm sorry to say but my two little girls are going to be culled.. unless anyone else wants them???

 

[birdnbeast]

From what I understand, the active ingredient in medicated feed is Corid, so there should be no need to also add it to the water; that would be a very high dose. Or, maybe that's why it works.

I think sometimes the manufaturer label instructions are wrong about dosage. When I had a sick goat, the Vet told me the worming meds should be QUADRUPLED from label instructions! (It worked)

The "medicated" feed is at a "stat" dosage and if consumed at a normal amount for weight of animal is for maintaining the balance of protoza growth to the immune system until the body balances itself out with maturity. In nature all species provide a living for many others. In a confined living space and without food chain predators limiting the numbers per range parasitic and protozian colonies flourish and become an overridden slum in the host.

Depending on the dose of a med either given in food, water, or drench it may be used on a daily basis as a "**Stat" (holds level) or as a "**Cide" (kills off susceptible life-stage population) at a much greater level for a short period of time. This is all well and good but you can see that if you don't start a Medicated feed or water before a gross level has grown the medication will not lower the level of damage. That is why an additive is used (if you choose) at the very beginning on a fast maturing species that is 'self-fed' (like chickens) or before the immune changes that come with weaning on a 'parent-fed' species. All parasitic populations will explode in numbers with stress induced immunity suppression.

That means that a youngster raised at 'home' without forced separation (weaning) or other 'unnatural' stresses will better survive without human monitoring ..... and those that don't are sacrificed with the idea that that individual baby probably has a slightly weaker system or less of a dominate natural temperament to be on the upper half of the clutch, flock, pack, etc. Nature at her best, for sure.

You will notice that those of us that raise our own chicks seldom (like never) have a "sick" chick -- that is not by good luck. When we move the chick to a new and temporarily stressed life it pre-supposes it to a period of "un-well". I always medicate a new batch of chicks from another breeder as a precaution. By the time I get a chick home it probably cost me 10 times the chick fee in gas and stuff so a few pennies in a sufla-med or such is no big deal =:~)

Being very dyslexic I am sure that my writing is a pain to understand and I apologize.

k/

 

[tls_ranch]

So, sorry Meg, I hope you get this figured out. Don't give up on Barnies.

I agree with what birdnbeast and Andy wrote. Medicated feed for young or stressed chicks helps to control cocci populations until immunity is developed. When you bring in new chicks or sometimes even adults to a different environment (new brooder, pen, property, other birds) they could be exposed to new strains of cocci. "Your cocci bugs" can be different than what the chicks/birds have immunity to and it starts all over. Also, most chickens are raised in environments that concentrate the populations/levels of cocci and the chickens are unable to develop immunity before becoming over run. I did read somewhere that you shouldn't give extra vitamins when treating for cocci. If I remember correctly the vitamins can reduce the effectiveness of corid.

I usually start exposing my chicks from day 1 to the native dirt/sand while they are on medicated starter. Not filthy poultry litter from adults just regular dirt that would introduce lower levels of the strains of cocci the chicks will eventually be exposed to on my property. That way they can develop their immunity slowly. Some hatcheries even offer cocci vaccines that give the chicks a "starter dose" of cocci so that they can start developing immunity early on. Momma hens do pretty much the same thing and that could be one reason why many people claim broody raised chicks are healthier.

Warm, moist and overcrowded conditions can produce perfect conditions for cocci to spread. Sound's like most chick brooders right? Add in stress (heat, cold, shipping, another disease etc) and you have a real mess.

Trisha

 

[Meg2000000]

Thank you all for being so great and supportive! I haven't given up on BV's forever! They are such a beautiful! I'm going to wait a while before trying again

 

[Helen in the Desert]

Thank you all for being so great and supportive! I haven't given up on BV's forever! They are such a beautiful! I'm going to wait a while before trying again

Don't give up, It too me over a year to get birds but I am so glad I kept on trying

 

[Totalcolour]

. . .
You will notice that those of us that raise our own chicks seldom (like never) have a "sick" chick -- that is not by good luck. When we move the chick to a new and temporarily stressed life it pre-supposes it to a period of "un-well". I always medicate a new batch of chicks from another breeder as a precaution. By the time I get a chick home it probably cost me 10 times the chick fee in gas and stuff so a few pennies in a sufla-med or such is no big deal =:~) . . .

Wow! Thanks for the info! It makes so much sense and your dyslexia didn't affect your writing.

I raise my own chicks and never had a problem. I just though that it was good luck on my part. I'm getting some new birds tomorrow from a breeder, so I think I know what to do now, apart from the quarantine!

Thanks again (so much info on BYC!)

edited (my first Barnevelders)

 

[Meg2000000]

Hi All! Hope everyone is having a cooler day today!

I couldn't cull my two sick chicks last night. I thought if I posted I was going to do it it would make me do it.. But I just can't! Crap!

 

[RachaelS]

Hi All! Hope everyone is having a cooler day today!

I couldn't cull my two sick chicks last night. I thought if I posted I was going to do it it would make me do it.. But I just can't! Crap!

Very hard thing to do.