Colorado

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Anyone here vaccinate against Meraks? Randall Burkley sells the vaccine but I am not sure how easy it is to administer or if I could hurt the chicks giving it. :/

 

[suncatcher]

OH YAY! All three girls laid an egg today! I think there was no perm damage, just stress! Thankfully! Thought I'd share.

Glad to hear she is doing ok!

 

[suncatcher]

Welcom to all the newcomers!!!

 

[suncatcher]

That is such a pretty picture Thanks for sharing

I agree! Such lovley eggs!!!

 

[suncatcher]

Low blow!! I won't be fixin those for a few months still!
Thanks for the pointers. I'm not one to shy away from killing my own food

. I hunt rabbit/dove/deer/elk through out the year so hopefully chicken will add a little variety to the menu! People give their roosters away for free do they? This is something I need to look into...

There are ads on Craigslist all the time for fresh eggs. While yours are growing up, you can buy fresh eggs, and they do taste much better than the store bought ones for sure!!

I think you have made a great choice of the breeds of chickens you want for your flock, will be a colorful mix of egg colors.

 

[coloradogal]

I did a bit of research on culling. This video put to rest any hesitation I think I would have with doing it myself. I would recommend you watch this if you are having any second thoughts. The way she does this is really great(well as great as killing a chicken can be).

She doesn't actually do the deed until the about 4 minutes into the video if you would like to see just a bit of what she is talking about.

Just figured I'd share.

Hmmm.... I hate to be the one to tell her but that while that is a respectful way it is hardly the most humane way. That way is hardly instantaneous and I feel that she is a bit *edit hmmm, not sure the right word.

 

[Pozees]

Adam and anyone interested in buying local pullets. (some are local, some are from McMurry and raised to the feathered out age, so local in a sense of that)
I have put in an order with a woman in eastern Colorado who hatches birds but also will order what you want from McMurry Hatchery and raise them out until they are feathered and sell them to you at that point. It is a little more expensize than day old birds, but you get pullets and you don't have to mess with lights and brooding pens and such.
I have order 16 birds of various breeds for her to raise for me this spring.
Her name is Diane and she has been soooo very helpful with me choosing the right birds for what my needs are.
Here is her website; http://www.snappyturkenfarm.com/
Here is what I have ordered from her;
4 americaunas
4 turkens
2 houdans
3 cuckoo marans
2 speckled Sussex
1 golden laced polish
If any one does order from her please say you heard about her from me (I'm Mo)! I get a free chick if you order anything from her!!

This is what I will be doing this spring, too (raising day-olds and then selling them as started pullets) - have an order in with McMurray which is supposed to ship 1/28/13, I've had good luck with the birds they sell in the past, and hatcheries are really the only sellers of day-olds where you can order just pullets, unless someone is breeding a sex-linked breed, like Wendell should be able to pick out pullets day one.

There's a possibility there will be an additional order from Urch, BTW, not sure yet whether it would be earlier or later than the one we already sent in, and if my first group of started pullets sell well and quickly enough I will order anther group to raise. I'll start taking reservations next month, and if anyone wants something specific I'm sure it isn't too late to add to the order. Right now I've ordered 25 each Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, White Leghorn, and Ameraucana/Araucana.

 

[Pozees]

Hmmm.... I hate to be the one to tell her but that while that is a respectful way it is hardly the most humane way. That way is hardly instantaneous and I feel that she is a bit cruel.

I watched and thought the same ...

 

[Pozees]

Anyone here vaccinate against Meraks? Randall Burkley sells the vaccine but I am not sure how easy it is to administer or if I could hurt the chicks giving it.

I asked this question on another thread and no one who answered, vaccinates. The chicks I ordered from McMurray will be vaccinated, but what most said was if Marek's is present in the area, the easiest way to innoculate the flock was to run a Turkey or two.

 

[coloradogal]

I watched and thought the same ...

I'm a huge fan of Temple Grandin. Below are a couple of links. http://www.grandin.com/poultry.audit.html This is the audit she uses poultry houses.

Below is a link to her excerpt on poultry. http://www.grandin.com/inc/animals.make.us.human.ch7.html