Colorado

[maggiemo]

maggiemo, was it Kristy who said MG = cull the flock? Because Sarah has said the opposite to me twice. Interesting.

Before we had the test results back, in fact they said this while they were taking samples. Both Sarah and Kristy said IF it is MG the best thing I could do was cull the flock and leave the run fallow for at least a year. They said if I didn't I would have to deal with this endlessly. I was in tears.
I cannot tell you how scared I was. I swore I would never add a bird to the flock, only chicks from hatcheries or hatch my own eggs. Last year a friend had some POL beautiful birds that I really wanted, but I didn't want to quarantine for months and still I knew I would worry if I did.
I called Sarah and asked if she could test the new birds, if that would be sufficient to not need to quarantine if I treated them for worms and lice too. She said, yes. I said, why don't we do this and not quarantine? She said she didn't know, no one has called her to test before they were sick.
So, I got them tested, and wormed and treated for lice ( I didn't see any evidence of either, just being paranoid I guess). I tested a few of my flock at the same time and kept everyone separate until all the tests came back. All the test were negative and everyone is living happily together now. It cost me $40, far less then setting up a quarantine area. The peace of mind is priceless.

 

[Ashdoes]

I'm with you Maggiemo, I don't know if I can take the uncertainty of new birds.

 

[Pozees]

Before we had the test results back, in fact they said this while they were taking samples. Both Sarah and Kristy said IF it is MG the best thing I could do was cull the flock and leave the run fallow for at least a year. They said if I didn't I would have to deal with this endlessly. I was in tears.
I cannot tell you how scared I was. I swore I would never add a bird to the flock, only chicks from hatcheries or hatch my own eggs. Last year a friend had some POL beautiful birds that I really wanted, but I didn't want to quarantine for months and still I knew I would worry if I did.
I called Sarah and asked if she could test the new birds, if that would be sufficient to not need to quarantine if I treated them for worms and lice too. She said, yes. I said, why don't we do this and not quarantine? She said she didn't know, no one has called her to test before they were sick.
So, I got them tested, and wormed and treated for lice ( I didn't see any evidence of either, just being paranoid I guess). I tested a few of my flock at the same time and kept everyone separate until all the tests came back. All the test were negative and everyone is living happily together now. It cost me $40, far less then setting up a quarantine area. The peace of mind is priceless.

First of all, excellent story, and so right, way cheaper to test! I can only imagine how awful you felt wondering if you were going to have to cull your flock.

I saw Sarah a few months ago and mentioned one of the groups I follow was having a lengthy discussion about MG (Mycoplasma Gallisepticum), and that the state vet in her state had told her to cull the entire flock. Sarah said that was ridiculous, that MG is endemic, and that they commonly get positives for it. I later emailed her and got the same answer. I've never seen or heard of it in my area, but I was so horrified at the thought of this keeper culling 120 Orpingtons I wanted to know what the thoughts were in CO. Now I guess I still don't know. I have read you can collect and treat eggs from your flock, hatch, and test the chicks and possibly re-start your flock with your own birds before culling, and also that you can treat the sick birds and just make sure you don't sell or give away any of your birds because they are carriers even though no longer symptomatic - that's what most mean by a closed flock. As I recall, coops and grounds can be disinfected without having to leave fallow a year, but that's one of those recommendations that might have changed.

It is all so confusing sometimes, especially when informed opinion changes as more information becomes available.

 

[ryan820]

Hey guys,

How late is too late for a hen to hatch a brood of eggs in Colorado? I live in parker and have a very broody hen and I doubt very much if I'll be able to break her of this without letting her sit. Thoughts?


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[Ol Grey Mare]

Hey guys,

How late is too late for a hen to hatch a brood of eggs in Colorado? I live in parker and have a very broody hen and I doubt very much if I'll be able to break her of this without letting her sit. Thoughts?


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A good broody can raise chicks at any time of year - she will provide the needed warmth and care to keep the little ones safe/warm and healthy, even in the dead of winter.

 

[ryan820]

Wow ok...well She is new to this brooding business but I'm certainly willing to let her put her energy to work instead of waste. Perhaps I need to let her have a few eggs and set her up so that she has some peace and quiet and isolation.


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[Double Kindness]

Caponizing yesterday was a learning experience. We tried 7 roos, 1 was successful, 1 we git 1 teste out and the other 5 we tried we didn't cut in the right spot on 4 and 1 we couldn't get the testicles out b/c they were pretty fused into the cavity.

All are still alive this morning. Today is my bf's bday, I'm going to go make him a cake now and a special dinner. Not every guy is so willing to put up with me, yeah, let's do surgery on chickens in our backyard on Sunday instead of watching football. That's love.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Caponizing yesterday was a learning experience. We tried 7 roos, 1 was successful, 1 we git 1 teste out and the other 5 we tried we didn't cut in the right spot on 4 and 1 we couldn't get the testicles out b/c they were pretty fused into the cavity.

All are still alive this morning. Today is my bf's bday, I'm going to go make him a cake now and a special dinner. Not every guy is so willing to put up with me, yeah, let's do surgery on chickens in our backyard on Sunday instead of watching football. That's love.

 

[Double Kindness]

If you would like hatching eggs,I have fertile eggs you can stick under her. They would be olive eggers, or polish and a rc leghorn covered by a salmon favorelle x wellsummer x light brahma roo, very sweet mild mannered cold hardy breeds. I'm just curious as to what the chicks would look like hatched out lol. But as they aren't part of my bf approved projects for breeding, he says I can't hatch them.

I can only breed/hatch fibromelanistic chickens, and white bresse he put his foot down. Again. He does that right before he'll drive 3 hours round trip to take me to get other birds, like muscovy ducks. Or take me to the post office at 11pm to pick up live shipped chicks. That's him putting his foot down.

 

[ryan820]

Thanks for the egg offer. I have a rooster, though, and can confirm that he's getting the job done. One of the eggs she hoarded was definitely in development when I went to make breakfast. Gah!!!!!


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