Bresse Chickens

[ronott1]

One of the most difficult pieces of free-range management is exposure to wild birds. At Sunbird Farms, we have tried very hard to keep our birds as healthy as possible, joining the NPIP for testing, providing constant access to pasture, feeding soy-free organic feed, and vaccinating for Mareks. One piece we've tried to avoid is medicated feed. However, we have come to the conclusion that its better to use medicated starter early on, than to have to keep our birds in totally "contained" environments. So we make the trade-off, early use of medicated starter for the benefits of long-term access to open pasture. If you have free-range birds, you will have contact with wild birds. If you have contact with wild birds, you will get various "bugs" that will attack your flock. We have found that Mareks vaccinations and medicated starter really give our flock a boost. If we encounter any illness, we quarantine, provide extra protection from the weather, and add vitamins to the water. This seems to do the trick for most of these "wild bugs" that get into our flock. So far, all of our NPIP testing has been clean and we've only had to deal with the occasional illness, which has resulted in minimal losses. At the end of the day, its life on a farm. Thanks to everyone for sharing all that great information on treatment, its very helpful.
-Brice @ SF

Cocci is being discussed on a lot of threads now.

On the California Northern thread, Chiqita said that a Norwegian Vet provided information about medicated feed not helping in closed environments.

Why not vaccinate them for cocci?

 

[Arielle]

Just my 2 cents--- I vaccinated my original birds ( MM did the vacinating) and the reason I did it was because of an article based on commercial meat bird raising. The premise was that the chicks thrived better in an environment that was used over and over during the short life that they had, about 8 weeks.

KNowing what I know now, I prefer to not vaccinate, and use natural exposure to up the immunity. I made a mistake in the summer of 2012 when one of my kids asked to givegrit to the chicks brooded inside, with no exposure yet , so their feed was non medicated. They dropped like flies. Lost 80%. I knew the error as soon as son put the grit down but chicks had already gumped down the grit. I usually would put grit in oven to kill the cocci when they chicks are on non=medicated.

IMO coccidia needs to managed in an effective way, what ever way one chooses to do it. Sometimes I can get medicated chick feed and sometimes I can't.

One one group of 13 raised by a broody was very thrifty.Broody shoed up one day with 13 chicks, and we caught them up and placed them in a large wooden coop. I cna't remember the ffed now, probably medicated. After about 2 weeks, I let her out to see how every one free ranging took to the new chicks. Let her take the chick where ever she wanted. Usually some where far away and totally away from the main flock. Lost one chick early on at a couple weeks. She raised the last 12 up, and still mothered them at 4 months old. Bringing them all back to the large wooden coop every night. The12 all survived to be over a year old. ( I think they wore her out-- she has not raised any since. lol)

I'm still learning, but I see chicks raised on the ground as thriftier than my other chicks. THey are quicker and faster too. lol

 

[jime]

Thanks everybody for your recommendations, so far I started with the corid yesterday,moved their tractor to another area and clena their sleeping area.From 11 that I have now only one has the symptoms but I ma treating everybody.
I did have other chicks form GFF (bielefelders and did not have any issues) so I was thinking it was this batch that have the issues.

 

[ronott1]

Just my 2 cents--- I vaccinated my original birds ( MM did the vacinating) and the reason I did it was because of an article based on commercial meat bird raising. The premise was that the chicks thrived better in an environment that was used over and over during the short life that they had, about 8 weeks.

KNowing what I know now, I prefer to not vaccinate, and use natural exposure to up the immunity. I made a mistake in the summer of 2012 when one of my kids asked to givegrit to the chicks brooded inside, with no exposure yet , so their feed was non medicated. They dropped like flies. Lost 80%. I knew the error as soon as son put the grit down but chicks had already gumped down the grit. I usually would put grit in oven to kill the cocci when they chicks are on non=medicated.

IMO coccidia needs to managed in an effective way, what ever way one chooses to do it. Sometimes I can get medicated chick feed and sometimes I can't.

One one group of 13 raised by a broody was very thrifty.Broody shoed up one day with 13 chicks, and we caught them up and placed them in a large wooden coop. I cna't remember the ffed now, probably medicated. After about 2 weeks, I let her out to see how every one free ranging took to the new chicks. Let her take the chick where ever she wanted. Usually some where far away and totally away from the main flock. Lost one chick early on at a couple weeks. She raised the last 12 up, and still mothered them at 4 months old. Bringing them all back to the large wooden coop every night. The12 all survived to be over a year old. ( I think they wore her out-- she has not raised any since. lol)

I'm still learning, but I see chicks raised on the ground as thriftier than my other chicks. THey are quicker and faster too. lol

The Vet said that chicks raised on the ground with a Broody mom were helped with medicated feed. The ones brooded under a heat lamp were not helped by medicated feed.

Is the Cocci vaccination too expensive compared to the Marks Vaccine? I have not lost any chicks to Cocci but do know of some a bit closer to the coast here that have.

 

[bayocum]

All great conversations. We do our own vaccinations, and honestly have had more problems with Markeks than with Cocci here on our farm. The vaccinations for Mareks have proven very effective. We also agree that we prefer measured exposure for building immunity. Since all of our birds go on the range as soon as they can, this program has worked well. Unfortunately, this year has been a little different. We have seen major temp swings, from 80 to low 40's in the same day. That has been tough on all our birds, not just the little ones. In those conditions, we have seen an increase in cocci symptoms. Understand, I am not a vet, but the treatments we've used have appeared to be very effective. For those with minor symptoms, we provide ample room (outdoors, quarantined), medicated feed, vitamins in the water, and shelter. For more severe symptoms, we have used a "hospital" container, with additional heat at night, and the same medicated feed and vitamin water. These methods have proven to be very effective. Certainly there are probably more than one way to "skin a cat," but this has worked well for us with very low mortality.
-Brice @ SF

(Ron, we buy our vaccinations from a local feed store and they don't carry the Cocci vaccination...because it hasn't been a big problem in the past, we weren't concerned...just wanted to make sure and answer your question)

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Vaccinations-- what is it worth if t saves your breeding stock. THat is how I evaluate expenses.

I remember one person, who I can't remember the name of, introduced her chicks to "contaminated" grass while in the brooder. Starting with grasses far far away from the where the general population of chickens travel, and collectes grass closer and closer to the epicenter of activity. I"m over simplifying a bit, but I think the principle is that slow exposure allows the chicks body to adapt, and then it can handle the heavier load. IDK. It seems reasonable.

One of the apects of "immunity" is genetic. No question about that. THe ability to fight specific disease is genentic gained from one of bothe parents. The old black plague or even AIDS. WHere an indiviualhas the genetic codes to fight off a specific organism. My conern extends to those birds that have recently moved to a very new area and are exposed to new and different organisms. Perhaps a different coccidia than in the homeland. Or as in the case of one of my mares exposure to lymes as her ancestors have had NO exposure to such a disease. In her case she fought it off without showing any sysmptoms. I"m wondering if the bresse has the ability to cope as well with our native coccidia as what was on it's own home turf.

In general each line will have it's own ability to resist specific diseases. A plan of support during the disease phase and then selection for the healthiest seems a reasonable way to have the strongest pass on their genes to help protect the next generation.

If I am totally barking up the wrong tree, some one tell me.

 

[bayocum]

Interestingly, our Bresse have been among the best at staying healthy and not succumbing to illness.

 

[juststruttin]

Got my first Bresse egg yesterday. My flock hatched 6/11 so they are just 1 day shy of 21 weeks. The egg is surprisingly dark. I did not realize they laid such dark eggs. Super pleased.

 

[ronott1]

Got my first Bresse egg yesterday. My flock hatched 6/11 so they are just 1 day shy of 21 weeks. The egg is surprisingly dark. I did not realize they laid such dark eggs. Super pleased.

Mine lay Cream colored eggs with one of them laying a darker egg with speckles.

They are supposed to start out a darker color and turn lighter during the laying cycle.

Congratulations.

 

[juststruttin]

Mine lay Cream colored eggs with one of them laying a darker egg with speckles.

They are supposed to start out a darker color and turn lighter during the laying cycle.

Congratulations.

I am a little shocked by the color. I will take a photo. Maybe I will get another one today.