California - Northern

[ronott1]

My new mahogany colored chicks do not like lout Rock music!

They are very bothered by it. I need to get some classical music going....

 

[Deerling]

Sorry to just pop in with questions. I don't feel like I have a lot to add to this thread sometimes

.

These are my questions:

- When do you cull eggs that appear clear or blood ringed? Day 7? Is it different for darker eggs?

- I didn't get my chicks vaccinated for Merak's (I tend to take a light handed approach to vaccines for my kids and cats and planned on doing that with chicks). Anyway, I was just reading about Trousers, who died of Merak's and the devastation and lasting consequences it has (as far as the property and needing to keep a closed flock, etc.) Anyhow, I just want to make sure I have all the information as far as keeping my girls healthy. I kind of feel like I failed them, not giving them the vaccine.

- Rats, I had another question. Can't remember.

 

[gryeyes]

Deerling, I do not vaccinate my chicks, either. The chicks I have ordered from hatcheries are not vaccinated (that is, I do not purchase that option).

The Merek's vaccination, actually, prevents the disease from forming A LOT of the cancerous tumors in that variation. A bird can contract Merek's even having been vaccinated, but won't necessarily develop the tumors.

Many affected birds often recover, depending on which way the disease progresses, for lack of a better term.

Some horror stories are truly heartbreaking, when whole flocks are devastated, owners have the soil removed, etc.

But if you were to ask every BYCer with chickens (yah, there are some with none - I know!) if they have their chicks vaccinated, the huge majority would say no. And that's with BYCers, remember, who are probably more responsible than some other folks who have chickens.

Now, if you're breeding chickens for sale...... In a big way.... Well, hmmmmm.

I would still buy stock from a non-vaccinated flock. That's just me, though.

But I didn't want you to feel like you weren't doing "everything" for your flock's health by not having your chicks vaccinated.

 

[Deerling]

Deerling, I do not vaccinate my chicks, either. The chicks I have ordered from hatcheries are not vaccinated (that is, I do not purchase that option).

The Merek's vaccination, actually, prevents the disease from forming A LOT of the cancerous tumors in that variation. A bird can contract Merek's even having been vaccinated, but won't necessarily develop the tumors.

Many affected birds often recover, depending on which way the disease progresses, for lack of a better term.

Some horror stories are truly heartbreaking, when whole flocks are devastated, owners have the soil removed, etc.

But if you were to ask every BYCer with chickens (yah, there are some with none - I know!) if they have their chicks vaccinated, the huge majority would say no. And that's with BYCers, remember, who are probably more responsible than some other folks who have chickens.

Now, if you're breeding chickens for sale...... In a big way.... Well, hmmmmm.

I would still buy stock from a non-vaccinated flock. That's just me, though.

But I didn't want you to feel like you weren't doing "everything" for your flock's health by not having your chicks vaccinated.

Thank you, that is very helpful. I'm glad to hear that. I'm not planning on breeding chickens - if we do it would be down the road. I guess I can research more until then.

I wanted add Faverolles as particularly awkward teenagers, for evidence here is Balthazar, our hatchery Salmon Faverolle:









My daughter drew these for me today

She was looking at the McMurray catalog.

And here is our incubator set up:






Is there any particular way I should distribute the eggs? Originally they were a little more uniform but two of the store bought were seeping so they were tossed.

 

[Deerling]

Sorry to just pop in with questions. I don't feel like I have a lot to add to this thread sometimes

.

These are my questions:

- When do you cull eggs that appear clear or blood ringed? Day 7? Is it different for darker eggs?

- I didn't get my chicks vaccinated for Merak's (I tend to take a light handed approach to vaccines for my kids and cats and planned on doing that with chicks). Anyway, I was just reading about Trousers, who died of Merak's and the devastation and lasting consequences it has (as far as the property and needing to keep a closed flock, etc.) Anyhow, I just want to make sure I have all the information as far as keeping my girls healthy. I kind of feel like I failed them, not giving them the vaccine.

- Rats, I had another question. Can't remember.

I remember what my last question was... one of our little roos (Balthazar, pictured above) smells kind of bad. Is that normal for Roos? I'm not worried about him, just wondering if there's anything I can do to make it less so. He's not so much fun to cuddle as is.

 

[Ali707]

Hello everyone. I just got back from a week of onsite and I need some help. I have a marans hen that comb is very pale (almost white) and is not laying. It has been at least 4 weeks. We sepeated her last week and tried sulfed in case she had cocci. I was going to try and give her some general antibiotics ( tylan) by injection to see if it would help but mario found a soft mass in her Lower abdomen. I have been afraid she has something internal . She had low energy but was OK until last week but she is going downhill. Mario tried putting her outside yesterday to some sun but she was litliss and getting picked on.

She is walking OK ( no penguins) and the mass does not seem egg like. Plus if she had been egg bound for more then a month I would have a dead hen no?

Any advice? Her poop looks OK and she had been wormed recently. I'm wondering if I should just give her a companion and let her go gently or if there is something to try.....

Chiquita you have been so helpful with my questions about the quail. I feel useless not being able to repay when it is clear you are sad.

I feel sort of stupid even mentioning this but here it is anyway. I had a cat that became lethargic and anemic (gums were white). He seemed fine in every other way. Continued to eat etc. but just started sleeping more. A week or so later I felt a very large tennis ball size lump swishy too in his abdomen. The vet said it was cancer most likely in either the stomach or liver. Probably the liver because he kept eating.

I know chickens and cats are very different, but the whole squishy lump thing reminded me of my cat.

I hope the antibiotics work for you.......

 

[threadgeek]

Quote: I am going to be in this boat in a couple months when I sell my extra chickies and I'm not looking forward to it... it's going to be hard to see the birdies go to a new home when I've spent so much time getting attached to them.

My new mahogany colored chicks do not like lout Rock music!

They are very bothered by it. I need to get some classical music going....

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Thank you, that is very helpful. I'm glad to hear that. I'm not planning on breeding chickens - if we do it would be down the road. I guess I can research more until then. I wanted add Faverolles as particularly awkward teenagers, for evidence here is Balthazar, our hatchery Salmon Faverolle: My daughter drew these for me today

She was looking at the McMurray catalog. And here is our incubator set up: Is there any particular way I should distribute the eggs? Originally they were a little more uniform but two of the store bought were seeping so they were tossed.

Look good just once every couple days rotate them a bit. I noticed even in my incubator exactly like yours there were cool spots on the sides. good luck!

 

[lizanne]

I bought some of these to put in my incubator, to separate eggs during hatching. I'm planning to put 2 eggs in each, to separate by egg color, and reduce the "egg soccer" effect. Will these be ok?

 

[threadgeek]

Here's a video of some chick keep-away! I need name ideas for this guy, he's ready for the NFL with those moves!