Colorado

[samsr]

I am looking for new stock currently and hoping to find someone nearby who may be attending a show in the Southeast in the near future.  I had 25 beautiful chicks that all died from Marek's.  I have made contact with a breeder in KY who has nice stock who will sell me a pair and/or some eggs if I can find some way to transport, as he does not ship.

As many here know, I've had a very challenging summer, and Bob has often said he would have just given up long ago.  Marek's swept through the flock killing all 25 Speckled Sussex as well as a couple of RIR (both cockerels - go figure right?).  The rest of the flock survived but was weakened, and soon I discovered a Silkie hen was covered with mites, so we treated the entire flock for mites, then treated them for worms.  I just re-wormed everyone yesterday as I have a Legbar cockerel looking weak and will not take chances again, although I might not have caught it in time for him - he is still eating but the jury is out on whether he will survive.  I am beginning to think there are parasites residing in the soil here left by the livestock that previously occupied the property, and that I will be worming periodically for the foreseeable future.  Ultimately I need a flock resistant to all these things, and I will get there.

I had a strange thing happen here this past week - the trio of Egyptian Fayoumis has gotten along famously since they were youngsters, and all of a sudden one of the hens has been running from the cock bird.  Tonight we thought she had run away from home, we looked all over for her, Bob finally found her in the asparagus patch, and her neck feathers are all ripped out.  I think the cock bird has been far too rough with her, so we put her into the layers coop for now.  It was dusk and they were all in already so we will see how they get along in the morning.  Now the Fayoumi cock only has the one hen, the youngsters I have are just babies so won't be combined for a good long while yet.  I hope he doesn't get so rough on the other hen that I have to separate her from him as well, but we will keep an eye on her.

Do you know where in Kentucky this individual is at? My parents are coming from TN to here for Thanksgiving. I may be able to talk them into bringing them with if he can get the pair and the eggs to Jackson TN.
On a side note. The SS i got from you last spring has not developed any signs of merrics. I wonder what the difference is there.

 

[Pozees]

A rough year all around i think. Hang in there. Besides dismal fertility, and uber-low hatch rates, I lost about 25% of the chicks to Mareks. Then my last remaining pullets from my own breeding cut herself on a stray wire and bled out. Hoping for a better year in 2014

You and me both! Yeah, I'm hanging in too, some years are rougher than others. Just the way it is.

 

[Pozees]

Do you know where in Kentucky this individual is at? My parents are coming from TN to here for Thanksgiving. I may be able to talk them into bringing them with if he can get the pair and the eggs to Jackson TN.
On a side note. The SS i got from you last spring has not developed any signs of merrics. I wonder what the difference is there.

I emailed Walt to ask if Jackson was a possibility and will let you know what I hear from him, thank you!

The one you have is from Murray McMurray and is vaccinated against Marek's. The ones that died came from a breeder in Idaho and were not vaccinated. My initial reaction was that I should start vaccinating (they have to be vaccinated as day-olds, you can only buy the vaccine in 1000-dose bottles that are only good for a couple of hours after mixed, and what we can buy is not the same as what the hatcheries are using) but then I consulted some long-time breeders (some breeding 50 years or more) who all said they do not vaccinate for anything, that the flock needs to be resistant to naturally occurring diseases. The only thing many said they do is feed medicated food (starter, to chicks) if they are in areas heavy with coccidia. My take is, the breeder I purchased from this year has a strain very susceptible, so I will try birds from another breeder. Meantime I am also looking into adding Midget White turkeys, as turkeys naturally carry a form of Marek's which has the effect of inoculating the flock.

The more research I do, the more I realize many diseases and parasites are far more prevalent than I thought, often spread by the wild bird population, not really avoidable unless you keep your birds in a bubble, and the approach that makes the most sense to me for the long term is developing a resistant flock that also does well at our elevation and in our climate. I will treat for illness if it is identifiable and treatable, and I will treat for parasites. I prefer using natural and preventive methods, but I won't watch birds die if I can save them and if once recovered they can return to the flock and have a normal, productive life.

 

[megshenhut]

A rough year all around i think. Hang in there. Besides dismal fertility, and uber-low hatch rates, I lost about 25% of the chicks to Mareks. Then my last remaining pullets from my own breeding cut herself on a stray wire and bled out. Hoping for a better year in 2014

I agree with the rough year, although it has been more so family wise, not with my birds. My mom had a stroke in March and my sister-in-law passed away unexpectedly in June.

However, my hatching this year was very good. I hatched 14 welsummers - Whitmore stock. 14 black mottled cochin bantams - shyscreations stock. 20 black ameraucanas - John Blehm and Whitmore stock - about half of those are split for lavendar. I also purchased 7 white chanteclers and 17 buff chanteclers from Bob Rennolet. Yes, I am overrun with cockerals and pullets. There are youngsters everywhere.

I too hope 2014 is better for my family.

 

[Ashdoes]

Pozees~I completely agree that we need naturally resistant flocks. I also researched the vaccine, since we'll be hatching out Creams, but in the end decided I don't want the hassle or side effects of vaccinated birds with unvaccinated birds. I've also gotten quite a few birds from you, and have had zero issues that I would contribute to Mareks.
How big do midget whites get? We're trying to pick a turkey breed that doesn't get too big, although I love the blue slates.

 

[Pozees]

Pozees~I completely agree that we need naturally resistant flocks. I also researched the vaccine, since we'll be hatching out Creams, but in the end decided I don't want the hassle or side effects of vaccinated birds with unvaccinated birds. I've also gotten quite a few birds from you, and have had zero issues that I would contribute to Mareks.
How big do midget whites get? We're trying to pick a turkey breed that doesn't get too big, although I love the blue slates.

I can't remember offhand how big they get, but not as big as Narragansetts or BBBs for sure Seems like the typical size is more like 15 pounds-ish? Maybe 20? I touched base a little while back with a BYC-er who said she would have eggs for sale, I'll have to get back to her and see where she's at with them, how much she wants, etc. I'll let you know.

 

[wsmith]

Just got home from visiting Christie Godsey and her kids and flock up in Bennett. Good times. Helped her evaluate some of her Dominique hens for future breeding. Bought 1 pullet and one cockerel. These are birds out of a rooster she bought from me last fall, so they are cousins of my birds. The pullet looks nice. a little dark, but I like the darker Dom pullets. The cockerel seems to have some potential. A better back and tail than his uncle Abraham, and am hoping for some good chicks out of him. Now to wait a few weeks before we process the last two cockerels going to the freezer.

I liked the blue slate turkeys that Christie has....

 

[Pozees]

Just got home from visiting Christie Godsey and her kids and flock up in Bennett. Good times. Helped her evaluate some of her Dominique hens for future breeding. Bought 1 pullet and one cockerel. These are birds out of a rooster she bought from me last fall, so they are cousins of my birds. The pullet looks nice. a little dark, but I like the darker Dom pullets. The cockerel seems to have some potential. A better back and tail than his uncle Abraham, and am hoping for some good chicks out of him. Now to wait a few weeks before we process the last two cockerels going to the freezer.

I liked the blue slate turkeys that Christie has....

How fun! How big do the Blue Slates get?

 

[wsmith]

How fun!  How big do the Blue Slates get?

Christie said they average about 12 pounds dressed weight at 5 months. The birds seemed to have fuller breasts at that age than the Narragansetts.

 

[Pozees]

Christie said they average about 12 pounds dressed weight at 5 months. The birds seemed to have fuller breasts at that age than the Narragansetts.

That's smaller than I would have thought - how big are they as adults?