Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[ashandvine]

Not sure what you mean, but I have two.

w.

Not that any of us think you fake any of the beautiful poultry you show!

That totally was not what I meant. You were being humble about having no artistic talents. Well, you know beauty when you see it, clearly have the gumption to keep trying and now you say you have two airguns. Well. I bet you could get artistic after all and show Dragonlady and me a nice van that actually looks like and SOP Duck Van It was supposed to be a friendly encouragement. Sorry it fell short.

 

[ashandvine]

Think she's talking about painting up that plain white van...

This could work with a trailer.

I can always rely on you to get my humor. I need to start using these little moving smileys so people have a hint I guess.

\
Ashandvine,

However, I do believe your question has merit. Just not sure it's worth the trouble. Just wondering.

Not sure which question you think has merit but... I did some reading regarding this in the thread suggested and it confirmed what I had heard, like you, about turkeys. The issue of course is that if you WANT turkeys to live too you have to be careful about the reverse transferral of black head. My question about why cull so quickly if you want immunity was quickly answered and I appreciate that. If its in the environment then you want it to stay weak not a full outbreak so the chickens have a better chance to become resistant. That made sense. The parts I said about folks encouraging new flock keepers/showers was that it was nice to have that sentiment expressed so concisely only discouraging to have so many people A) not know how work and fun intersect, and B) apprentice folks like me who learn well by doing or seeing. I can read and read and read but I won't forget it if I do it or have it happen. Savvy?

 

[Chloe77]

A breeder near me, who raises his birds in commercial brooders, top dresses his chick feed for a couple days with dried turkey manure in order to vaccinate them for Mereks, and he told me its working. This might be a successful way to do it without penning the birds together.

What does this breeder breed? I'm sorta interested in getting some heritage birds.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I had somebody very experienced and successful show me how to do it on young fowl. Came as a surprise to me. Passed that tit-bit on to one of my mentors and I'm pretty sure she fell off her chair. <sigh>

 

[Chloe77]

I can always rely on you to get my humor. I need to start using these little moving smileys so people have a hint I guess.

Not sure which question you think has merit but... I did some reading regarding this in the thread suggested and it confirmed what I had heard, like you, about turkeys. The issue of course is that if you WANT turkeys to live too you have to be careful about the reverse transferral of black head. My question about why cull so quickly if you want immunity was quickly answered and I appreciate that. If its in the environment then you want it to stay weak not a full outbreak so the chickens have a better chance to become resistant. That made sense. The parts I said about folks encouraging new flock keepers/showers was that it was nice to have that sentiment expressed so concisely only discouraging to have so many people A) not know how work and fun intersect, and B) apprentice folks like me who learn well by doing or seeing. I can read and read and read but I won't forget it if I do it or have it happen. Savvy?

 

[thebirdguy]

I am a lurker here... don't post very much but read a ton... I have never exhibited my birds in a show but have had poultry of various kinds for 30+ years so I feel like I have at least turned the corner on being a newbie...

Currently I raise heritage turkeys, heritage & landrace chickens and heritage ducks (and a few guineas)... I always hatch and brood my turkeys with chickens (this year guineas too) and have never had a problem with either getting sick. I have free ranged them together as juveniles and as adults with no problems as well. In the barn I separate for breeding but they are either in a pen that had something else in it previously and/or are just separated by wire. I have never had mareks or blackhead (or any other disease) in my birds... knock on wood.. I attribute this to good stock, good care and plenty of space. I think that animals are just like us.. if we are rested, hydrated, eat a good balanced diet, get plenty of exercise and can find time in our "own space" now and then... we will be healthy. Yes we will be exposed to germs/viruses etc but our immmune system will be able to fight them off. even if we "get sick" we recover quickly and don't get really sick.. On the other hand, if birds are stressed, fed a poor diet, are overcrowded, are from poor stock to begin with, and/or don't have clean water at all times, they will more easily succumb to anything they are exposed to. Any one of these factors is enough to tip them over the edge from health to sickness...

There's nothing I hate worse than a person who doesn't take good care of their animals... in my opinion how a person takes care of their animals reflects their character and how they treat other people (especially their family).

Just my two cents..I'll go back under my rock now..

 

[Chloe77]

So right. A person is shallow and cruel not to take care of his/her animals.

 

[cgmccary]

Quote:
You either have blackhead in an area or not. It is very common in the Southern USA. Our wild turkeys (who have ALL the space, water, great life) are inflicted with black head at a consistent % die-off annually. Ours is a humid, very hot environment which invites and nurtures pathogens (see the jungles of Africa). It also doesn't ever get cold enough, long enough to kill things here.So, it also has to do with WHERE you live, what strain of Marek's you have on premises (if any), etc.. etc. -- all the good diet, space, exercise, hydration, straight bleach, in the world won't overcome a virulent strain of Marek's as it is incurable. You can vaccinate as chicks and hope it takes, keep turkeys on premises (hope it takes) or slowly build your flock's resistance to your particular Marek's strain(s). I have heard of folks in Arizona, New Mexico or other more arid sections of the country who swear and tell me over and over, they never have external parasites, never have any disease. I have also heard of someone not having Marek's for decades and then ONE bird brings a new strain on the place and it strikes at random and suddenly, they have Marek's. Different places, different breeds of chickens. I agree all those things you mention are important, factors, etc. but that is not the whole story.

I must be honest, here in the South, I wouldn't believe anything anyone said if they claimed never to have had death as a result of sickness or never to have had mites or some such parasites (if they had kept chickens long enough). I certainly would not want any of their birds.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

No, you got it. That's all there is to it. Can't understand why so many people have a problem with it.

 

[Chloe77]

I know, I'm lame!