Dixie Chicks

[hennible]

Hi, just checking in. Still alive!

Didn't freeze?

 

[perchie.girl]

.........
give it to your flock. Mine are raised inside and I don't think they can catch Marek's in my laundry room. They would have to be exposed to it. The freeze dried ones in the store wouldn't seem to be a risk. The pathogen would have to survive without a host.

I highlighted the part in blue because there is obviously no proof for this part because the quote says "in the opinion of some scientists." which means there are others that disagree.

This is the part I agree with about raising meal worms and using dried meal worms for the flock. If you have control of the source and you know what they eat you are good to go.

Another thing I wont do is vaccinate for Marecks. Because they still get it when vaccinated.... this means that they still carry it and and can pass it on. I personally would rather know if my animals have a disease.... and cull. then quarantine the premisis for clean up... if thats possible.

I have discussed this with Oz because hes got a site devoted to vaccination... I am still not convinced... at least for home.

I believe he has a link to this site on his signature.

Also the reason I dont use medicted feed. My place is pretty isolated and the chicks raised by momma hens are pretty darn healthy. i hve never had a case of Cocci on the place. I also keep a pretty closed flock once I get them established. The only new would be in the form of chicks from hatched eggs.... Hopefully by broodies.

deb

 

[Peep_Show]

when do you switch them from medicated chick start to grower? is bird grit cheaper then chick grit? when do you start giving them non processed grains?

I switch after about two weeks. I don't know if parakeet grit (what I use for young small chicks) is smaller than chick grit, but definitely like sand in comparison to regular chicken grit. Start giving that to chicks about the same time I start grinding grains in the coffee mill so it's down to their size. I give them the non-processed (not ground up) grains when they're at the size they can eat it.

Today I switched up the afternoon corn-on-the-cob and gave them BOSS and dried mealworms instead. Believe it or not my chickens aren't real impressed with the dried worms. Could be because I made the mistake of giving them fresh meaty mealworms as their very first treat. Mea culpa. Spoiled birds.
(and they're worth it)

Ummm....I couldn't use them since my chopstick skills are nonexistent!

----
@NotAFarm
LOL! When I was younger somebody told me a good diet aid was to use chopsticks because it'll slow you down in eating. Guess what? It just made me really good at using chopsticks. Didn't help my weight a whit.

 

[perchie.girl]

Here is Oz's site for vaccinations

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-how-to-go-about-vaccinating-a-backyard-flock

He is very thorough....

deb

 

[Outpost JWB]

@Amberjem ,

Hate to copy off @perchie.girl 's answer on the most surprising thing about raising chickens is that they are so much smarter than I had heard...."bird brains".

I also would have to say that I never expected that they would be so complicated. Feed, water, eggs, meat, right? HA! HA! Reality is there is so much to all of that, then there is the perfect coop, diseases, pecking order, CLEANING, and on and on. I have learned so much. Whenever I talk about these things to my nonchicken friends, they seem confused, but interested. Maybe they are just being polite.

@hennible , I did research the whole maggot thing when I bought my BCFM roo (who recently died-he just never thrived). The reason I researched it was because the breeder I bought him from would take an egg (in summer time) and poke a hole in the top of the egg. She even uses baby chicks in eggs that did not hatch. She put the egg on top of the coop areas and the flies would lay eggs, maggots were dripping from the eggs. The chickens would literally stare at the egg waiting for the next maggot to drop. I couldn't believe the area didn't stink and anytime I can provide extra protein for them, I'm in. BUT after reading about botulism, I decided against it. I have no way of knowing if botulism has set in or not, but I am not taking the chance in losing my flock.

 

[BriardChickens]

Didn't freeze?

Only -23 or something. Quite warm!

 

[NotAFarm]

Off to catch the Blackhawks vs Wild game! Later peeps!

 

[perchie.girl]

@Amberjem ,

Hate to copy off @perchie.girl 's answer on the most surprising thing about raising chickens is that they are so much smarter than I had heard...."bird brains".

I also would have to say that I never expected that they would be so complicated. Feed, water, eggs, meat, right? HA! HA! Reality is there is so much to all of that, then there is the perfect coop, diseases, pecking order, CLEANING, and on and on. I have learned so much. Whenever I talk about these things to my nonchicken friends, they seem confused, but interested. Maybe they are just being polite.

@hennible , I did research the whole maggot thing when I bought my BCFM roo (who recently died-he just never thrived). The reason I researched it was because the breeder I bought him from would take an egg (in summer time) and poke a hole in the top of the egg. She even uses baby chicks in eggs that did not hatch. She put the egg on top of the coop areas and the flies would lay eggs, maggots were dripping from the eggs. The chickens would literally stare at the egg waiting for the next maggot to drop. I couldn't believe the area didn't stink and anytime I can provide extra protein for them, I'm in. BUT after reading about botulism, I decided against it. I have no way of knowing if botulism has set in or not, but I am not taking the chance in losing my flock.

It wont stink because maggots wont eat good flesh they only eat the rotted stuff. Pretty good idea on your friends part.... but here the eggs would be snagged off by the ravens....

deb

 

[BriardChickens]

Awesome info NAF.

I really like discussing stuff in our little Dixie chicks room here... I think it's great we can all be open and honest about our opinions and not fight and just continue to inform and enlightening each other! Much better than trying not to step on toes in another thread....
From time to time there will be people who I completely agree with... But they deliver their information in a really harsh way so I just don't like it... Idk...

We discuss many things here,it feels like among like minded friends. The people I work with or see everyday they don't care for chickens. The fact that we not just talk about chickens keeps it interesting my friends!

 

[hennible]

Only -23 or something. Quite warm!

Warm indeed. It was only -6 today nice for the birds.