Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

well crap. so they could be a carrier, and then all the baby chicks I just bought... and my beloved turkey could die. Sigh. Okay- I did ask on the silkie thread if anyone in Kansas raised silkies and were npip or whatever you call it. Someone said they would pm me a breeder in Lawrence. Sounds like it might be worth the drive if I decide I want a silkie bad enough. Blah. Surely with all the people in Wichita and the surrounding area-- there is someone who raises healthy silkies. I should probably give up on it for now and just concentrate on my chicks coming. maybe.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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Figured I'd at least respond... I can't help you- maybe someone else does.

 

[Katy]

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NPIP does not guarentee healthy birds. It only tests for two things usually and I think gives people a false sense of security.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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NPIP does not guarentee healthy birds. It only tests for two things usually and I think gives people a false sense of security.

LOL!! Okay.... sooooo, I could do just as well with a CraigsList silkie breeder? BUt what if I buy them, they act fine for two weeks... and then I put them with my turkey and babies? They could all die?

 

[Katy]

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NPIP does not guarentee healthy birds. It only tests for two things usually and I think gives people a false sense of security.

LOL!! Okay.... sooooo, I could do just as well with a CraigsList silkie breeder? BUt what if I buy them, they act fine for two weeks... and then I put them with my turkey and babies? They could all die?

Any time you add new birds the risk is there to bring an illness into your flock no matter where you get them. Quarentining helps to minimize the risk.

 

[Hawkeye95]

okay-- so I'm ready for bed. BUT guess what?! I did the google on the BYC search bar, and it seems our own ChooksChicks has silkies! At least... I keep seeing her post silkies in the auctions. Although, it looks like it's been a year since the last one, that I can tell. Interesting. I trying PM'ing her, but it says her box is full. I might try calling the silkie 'dealer' near me too. It's like crack for chicken addicts. My DH is so not going to understand this. hehe!

 

[Katy]

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I'm not telling you not to get them just letting you know there are some risks when you start adding birds. Yes, Renee has silkies or at least she did.

 

[Ivywoods]

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I'm not telling you not to get them just letting you know there are some risks when you start adding birds. Yes, Renee has silkies or at least she did.

I agree with Katy. NPIP doesn't test for everything. If you quarantine your new birds for several weeks, you should be fine. You have horses. You can tell a sick horse when you look at it, right? I would go check out the silkies near you. Talk to the people. Ask questions and look their set up over. If you are comfortable with it, go ahead, but then isolate ANY new birds you introduce. This is alway advisable, whether bought from a backyard breeder, reputable breeder, hatchery or at a swap meet.

I would not put them with your turkey right away.
Keep your chicks separate from them... you will have to anyway. Many times older birds will pick on the younger ones.

Read up all you can about silkies. Yes, they are broody little things, but they also have some funny quirks.

Remember to keep in mind the fact that you have chicks coming, and you have to keep in mind what kind of space everyone will need once they are big birdies.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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I'm not telling you not to get them just letting you know there are some risks when you start adding birds. Yes, Renee has silkies or at least she did.

I agree with Katy. NPIP doesn't test for everything. If you quarantine your new birds for several weeks, you should be fine. You have horses. You can tell a sick horse when you look at it, right? I would go check out the silkies near you. Talk to the people. Ask questions and look their set up over. If you are comfortable with it, go ahead, but then isolate ANY new birds you introduce. This is alway advisable, whether bought from a backyard breeder, reputable breeder, hatchery or at a swap meet.

I would not put them with your turkey right away.
Keep your chicks separate from them... you will have to anyway. Many times older birds will pick on the younger ones.

Read up all you can about silkies. Yes, they are broody little things, but they also have some funny quirks.

Remember to keep in mind the fact that you have chicks coming, and you have to keep in mind what kind of space everyone will need once they are big birdies.

Yeah, I was thinking about that last night. I don't have another area to go separating more chickens (or more feeders). The coop can hold 18 chickens... but I just wanted to stay under that. I ordered 10 chicks just to try to control myself.

Thinking it might be less worry to just add a silkie to my order instead-- except they were all straight run. I might not get my hen. I guess I could call them and ask if they might sex them anyway? Or just forget about the whole thing entirely. This whole biosecurity thing is a royal PITA.

 

[sharol]

This whole health thing is really scary. I bought 5 chicks from Orschlen's in Topeka last spring, and they were integrated into the flock gradually over the summer. I worried the whole time that someone would make the others sick. So far so good. That isn't to say there aren't problems. I have two girls with bumblefoot (getting better, fingers crossed), but at least that isn't something that will travel to the whole flock (especially since I think I found the cause.) In any case I avoided buying locally hatched chicks for exactly the reasons everyone is talking about. I know that there probably isn't any more danger than with the hatchery chicks, but....

I'm going to break my own rule if I can find an older, experienced, gentle rooster for my little flock. Breed isn't an issue since I'm not planning to hatch any eggs, but I want a roo that will be gentle with my girls and protect them. Maybe someone's retired breeding roo? What I don't want is a teenager that is just hormones on feet.

I have two new girls laying, by the way, at 20 and 21 weeks (a BO and an EE). A lovely little brown egg and a pretty green one.