Colorado

[COChix]

Woke up to about 7 inches of snow in Englewood. Our girls haven't ventured out of the coop. We haven't had enough time to get the run covered with a roof, so they have some snow in the run. Funny, up in Boulder the run is covered and the birds never are
In the coop except for laying and roosting. Guess that just goes to show that birds will go out into the elements as long as they have some wind breaks and straw to walk around on, at least our birds seem to be like that.

 

[Latestarter]

I have about 8-10" out here in Brighton area... tough to tell as the wind is blowing pretty good and drifting it. But it's still coming down pretty good, so not done yet. I guess the weather guessers got it right last night. If anyone is out and about, drive careful! It's days like this when I'm glad I'm retired and don't "have" to drive.

 

[coop410silkies]

Woke up to about 7 inches of snow in Englewood. Our girls haven't ventured out of the coop. We haven't had enough time to get the run covered with a roof, so they have some snow in the run. Funny, up in Boulder the run is covered and the birds never are
In the coop except for laying and roosting. Guess that just goes to show that birds will go out into the elements as long as they have some wind breaks and straw to walk around on, at least our birds seem to be like that.

Well, up until today, whenever I looked out the window, my Sussex cocks were out and about no matter what the weather was. Even my Silkies were not deterred by snow or cold. Not this morning, though: they are hunkered down. This snow is a blowing snow, and it is piling up around some of the covered shelters. Am hoping the birds will stay put. yes, covers and wind protection seem to make a big difference.

 

[COChix]

Was reading another thread about a gentleman's flock who has MG. he was dealing with a major hatchery and here
Is what the hatchery emailed to him. Thought it was worth posting...

Also, Ideal Poultry says this:
Quote:

Ideal Poultry is not MG clean, has never claimed to be and does not intend to be. NPIP does not require a hatchery or farm to be MG clean in the standard program, but does offer a separate MG program that we do not participate in. MG is a very common disease and is in most backyard flocks in the United States. Ideal Poultry supplies some breeders to most of the hatcheries in the United States therefore those flocks are also MG positive. None of the big hatcheries in the United States are MG clean. If our customers who are MG+ (again most of our customers are) obtained MG- flocks it would result in more problems and more sick chickens for them. Therefore Ideal Poultry having an MG clean flock would actually be a disservice to our customers.

Ideal Poultry has provided poultry to customers since 1937 and continues to be the largest provider of backyard poultry in the United States, selling over 5 million chickens annually.

If you have any further questions, please contact Mikaela Fuchs at 800-243-3257 ext. 5411.

Monroe Fuchs,
Chairman of the Board
Ideal Poultry

Teri Adcox
Vice President

 

[oshun55555]

Bus coops are cool, the standard bronzes don't fly like the Royal Palms ( those I clip the wings on) the coop has a very high ceiling and I put roosters up their and they are quite content. They will climb up the ramp and go in provided the door is big enough, I have a 24"x 24" coop door and the geese and turkeys can get in that just fine. The geese get a little testy in there, during mating season come March, then they hiss and chase all the other birds. But for the most part there is peace in the valley. Winter feed I mix my own organic grains and field peas, I get minerals to add to it from McMurray to make a complete food, give them free choice oyster shell. Summer I ferment the feed and add organic soy to up the protein for all the egg laying and chick raising. For some that may be too much work but I am a retired old man and got a little extra time to do this stuff (way fun as the kids say). However everybody gets the same feed, the geese an ducks in the summer eat a lot of grass in the pasture, in the winter i have a cage with grass hay and they all munch on that but mostly the waterfowl. Hope that answers your questions a little bit.

 

[oshun55555]

Was reading another thread about a gentleman's flock who has MG. he was dealing with a major hatchery and here
Is what the hatchery emailed to him. Thought it was worth posting...

Also, Ideal Poultry says this:
Quote:

Ideal Poultry is not MG clean, has never claimed to be and does not intend to be. NPIP does not require a hatchery or farm to be MG clean in the standard program, but does offer a separate MG program that we do not participate in. MG is a very common disease and is in most backyard flocks in the United States. Ideal Poultry supplies some breeders to most of the hatcheries in the United States therefore those flocks are also MG positive. None of the big hatcheries in the United States are MG clean. If our customers who are MG+ (again most of our customers are) obtained MG- flocks it would result in more problems and more sick chickens for them. Therefore Ideal Poultry having an MG clean flock would actually be a disservice to our customers.

Ideal Poultry has provided poultry to customers since 1937 and continues to be the largest provider of backyard poultry in the United States, selling over 5 million chickens annually.

If you have any further questions, please contact Mikaela Fuchs at 800-243-3257 ext. 5411.

Monroe Fuchs,
Chairman of the Board
Ideal Poultry

Teri Adcox
Vice President

I have had MG in my flock for years, at first I had many die, and many turkeys, I did not medicate the sick ones, they were culled and I only bred from resistant birds, I have not had a case in two years, it takes time to breed something that will not get sick, because I have bred for good immunity, but it has been well worth the effort.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Wow so much has been keeping everyone busy.

Uzi I think he will heal well. The one I had that got frostbite healed with no points left on her comb. Hers was a lot blacker than what you are dealing with. I thought she would lose her entire comb but just the tips dropped off.

Lots of snow up here in Loveland. Lots of wind too. I could do without any of it but understand we are not at the equator so I will deal.

My main computer died completely so I am using a dying lap top today. I will certainly have a lot to read when I can get a new tower.

Have a great holiday everyone and stay safe.

 

[Latestarter]

Hang in there 21hens! I feel your computer pain... all too well... Ended up giving up on my old tower and bought a replacement. A couple of scares/glitches but no serious issues yet

Just checked and still forecast to slow by 2pm and clear after that. Still coming down pretty hard here and blowing. I have a 3 foot deep drift across my front patio in front of the door. I think we've had close to a foot so far or maybe more. Heaviest snow was forecast from Greeley south into Denver with the storm moving NE into Nebraska and out into the plains...

 

[rf12345]

something I never had before, wind did blow of lock from the egg door or something strange... the coop door closed, but I ended up with snow in coop. i use sand. birds were not happy, but i did cover under roof vents openings with blanket strips on inside so if the snow would blow from the top (not likely...). I still can not figure out how did snow got inside, unless it was blowing so ad that it did go under the roof....
and I added them heat lamp with thermostat (standard 35 on- 45 off)... I guess I'll have some casualties.
the door is reinforced with concrete 1/2 block...
there is not a lot of snow in coop, I did rake most out, but still some. I guess it is what it is, aside of 3 feet drift in run and chickens kept in coop. orlofs are like, snow so what... tough buggers
i'll start all new flock in a little bit as soon as eggs/chicks will start coming.

When it comes to MG and Ideal, in CO they can not legally ship MG infected chicks.So whoever got birds sick from them and can prove it as closed flock can seek returns and damages.

 

[uzisuzuki]

@coop410silkies He was just in a sleeping arrangement that didn't have enough ventilation to keep the humidity down.

I also woke up to a coop with snow in it. We had blizzard condition here again, but the winds were strong enough this time to get snow in all 6 nesting boxes, about 1/4 of the actual coop area & the west window unlocked. It was super frustrating because I thought I had sealed all the gaps around the nesting boxes. I'm going to have to figure something else out tomorrow when I'm shovelling the pen out. I don't think anyone but the peas ventured out into the pen today, but it was just terrible out here. Memnoch & Mercury are hanging out in the barn for the night, so I'm hoping everything is quiet until morning for them. If he wasn't fully into his adult crowing sound, I would seriously consider bringing them inside the garage again. I feel like I might worry about them the most because I hatched & raised them & they were my firsts. Probably a good thing I'll never have kids - I'd totally be the obnoxious helicopter mom!