Derperella, the (weird) Faverolles, & Friends

[ChickenChatten]

Hello All!

I'm new to Derp & Gang, in fact read the whole thread today! And gosh have I fallen in love with those chickens! I am very new to chickens and have a dozen two-week olds (6 Jersey White Giants, 6 Easter Eggers). I'm very sorry to hear about Trousers... He was such a gentlemanly roo, and I'm sure he'll be immortalized in one of your incredibly impressive paintings or figurines

Can't wait to hear more from Derpy!

 

[SoftBoiled]

I agree with Drumstick Diva - let's give our lovely Nambroth some space to sort things through. There have been a lot of difficult things that have happened, very fraught with emotion, uncertainty and heartbreak, so some reflective space would be helpful at this stage.

 

[Nambroth]

Drumstick Diva, thank you for thinking of me! It's okay. I think that folks are just scrambling to try to help me keep Trousers alive through his sons, and the sentiment is one I do find touching. I don't think that they are trying to push me. Everyone in this thread has always been very supportive and wonderful. Please, no hard feelings are meant.

NovaAman, that is so cute and silly!!

Could you buy a Marek's vaccination kit or something, and talk to the lady who hatched Trousers, and ask to set aside a few eggs of his sisters maybe this summer ? And incubinate them in her incubators, and after they hatch, ask her to vaccinate those chicks as soon as they hatch and then choose a rooster from those chicks ? Or if any of your friends are going to order any chicks from a hatchery this year, to add on a extra cochin rooster that is vaccinated, have him raised with the other chicks till they are grown and then take the young cochin rooster home to your flock ?

You can order Marek's vaccination to vaccinate your own chicks at home, http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=574

Also how to vaccinate your own chicks at home with Marek's vaccination
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=574

This would be a bit complicated. She keeps many breeds and many roos-- unless I helped her make a separate pen for her cochins, I'd have no guarantee about who the dad was. She uses a broody to raise chicks. Then what shall I tell her to do with any extra birds? She had a very hard time re-homing the VERY sweet boys last year. I don't think it'd be fair to ask her to go through all that for me even if I paid her for it.

The lady she got the cochin hatching eggs from is here on BYC and if I am Marek's free, and free of any other communicable pathogen that could have caused this, I might be very tempted to ask her to sell me some eggs. I don't think that she breeds using Trousers' mother anymore, because she was throwing the red feathers (which isn't 'proper' when breeding black/blue/splash) but her lines are known to be sweet birds.

If I ever do hatch anything here I would vaccinate, though, yes. I understand why people do not, but since my birds are pets, I couldn't stand having to go through that again with a bird I loved.
Again, this is all hypothetical. We still don't know for sure if his lymphoma was caused by Marek's or something else. Time will tell!

I agree with Drumstick Diva - let's give our lovely Nambroth some space to sort things through. There have been a lot of difficult things that have happened, very fraught with emotion, uncertainty and heartbreak, so some reflective space would be helpful at this stage.

Thank you! This has all been very overwhelming. I honestly don't recall any parts of last week except the time I spent with Trousers and my worry for him, and grief. Having had animals my whole life, I am no stranger to the heartbreak of them passing, but I have never had to had one euthanized before, and having to make the choice to end the life of some(bird) that you care so much for is soul-rending, even if you know it is time. Especially on an animal so young. My friend's family had a cochin live to be something like 14, and so I was of course looking forward to more years at least. Even though I knew in my mind that he would pass away in a struggle within days at the most, watching him pass away, even peacefully, by my choice was the hardest thing I've done, and I've not always had such a cheery blessed life.

Since then I have been researching his disease, what we know of it, and the parts that we are speculating until we get test results back in. I feel that education in these matters is the strongest weapon I can have, and even though I feel emotional and heartbroken and want to get another big, puffy, sweet cochin roo soon, I am trying my best to be careful about my decisions and some of them take a lot of thought. And a lot of it is just 'what if' because I don't know for sure if there is Marek's here, or Lymphoid leukosis (which CAN be passed vertically, augh!) or something else.

That said, I sure do appreciate all of the thoughts being sent my way, even if if it hard to consider hatching my hen's eggs right now.


THAT SAID... did you guys notice in the dust bathing videos, how silly Derperella looks?!!

 

[kitmarlowescot2]

Well if the lady who is breeding and sold the eggs that hatched Trousers isn't breeding the mother, maybe she is still breeding his father, or an uncle or aunt of Trousers. So their is always hope.

 

[Nambroth]

Well if the lady who is breeding and sold the eggs that hatched Trousers isn't breeding the mother, maybe she is still breeding his father, or an uncle or aunt of Trousers. So their is always hope.

There is always hope. I have found a great affection for big, well bred cochins. If it is safe for me to have another roo and I find a way to do it that is responsible, it will be a cochin.
There was not a single thing I disliked about Trousers. If other cochins are even slightly like him, I cannot look any other way.

 

[SoftBoiled]

Now, now Nambroth... Derp has come a loooong way from those first days as a shuffling loaf of bread - she actually gets her top dusted now

 

[CountryGeorge]

Little looks sillier (to human types, anywho) than chickens dust bathing. They seem to get such enjoyment out of it however and on the same note I'll never forget the first time my feathery ones suddenly decided to take a sun bath right in the middle of the yard...dead, wing out chickens all over the place!

 

[Tomtommom]

I was amazed at my little mystery chicks.

Imagine 6 fast growing production type birds at about 2-3 weeks of age, then this little bitty thing comes in at 1 week and takes a 'dust' bath (in pine shavings).. all 6 just kind of stood there, stunned. After that, everyone started doing it

Chickens, they're hilarious to watch.

 

[SoftBoiled]

I think in the midst of all our sorrow we may have overlooked a quiet hero.... Fud Lady, will you please give our best wishes, blessings, hugs and thanks to Fud Guy for his support throughout this very bumpy bit in the road of life.

Poor Fud Guy is now outnumbered by females. In this picture I imagine a man-to-man conversation, perhaps exchanging "swooning-chick" tips and tricks, you know, just between the guys.

 

[HenFriend]

So sorry to hear about Trousers, been away for the weekend so hadn't been able to read this thread.

I know how it hurts to lose a well loved pet, they are family too.

The hatching dilemma is difficult. One of my old Appenzeller/mutt hens wasn't looking so good the other day and it crossed my mind whether to pop the last egg she had layed under a broody as I only have 2 left from her family line. I decided against it in the end as a) there wouldn't actually be much of the original line left and b) what if it was a roo (I'm already overrun with them!) as although the roo she is with is a lovely gentleman his brothers were evil and I didn't want to chance that. Happily she seems to have got over whatever was bothering her and is back to her usual bossy self!