Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Oh no! So, sorry.


There is an article here about someone learning to live with Marek's in their flock. It might be helpful.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/

You know, one thing (well, many, but this one stuck out!) from that article that really hit me was the impossibility of keeping things sanitary. I know every one's chicks drink 'wild water', but she just plain old flashed it with the drink poopy water over freshly clean water. While I know I am not as good about biosecurity on a daily basis as I should be (i.e. sanitizing shoe baths for in/out of the coop/run area, etc.) I DO have designated 'chicken clothes' and try to keep things clean. But, with the ducks making every possible water source a funky mud/poop bath daily, and chickens mainly preferring to drink that than the CLEAN nipple waterers water, I think I should just give up.

I will still try to give them a clean and comfortable environment....but maybe I should stop being so hard on myself about what a crappy (literally and figuratively speaking) job I seem to be doing.

@Chicken poppy Do you know any chicken farmers near you that you could look into whether or not they have Mareks and/or a Mareks resistant flock?

How old are your current flock members...could they be resistant already, so maybe you will only lose one or two, but most will make it??? Can you ask about the virulence of that strain of Mareks where you got the necropsy done?

@Chicken poppy

 

[bgmathteach]

Our first roses of the year and for tax Cholo the King of our yardView attachment 3449116View attachment 3449117

I think you have said this before, but I have forgotten...is Cholo a lavender Orrington? He is quite stately and handsome

 

[bgmathteach]

Thirsty Thursday

Marty seems to be her old self again thankfully! She must have heeded Rebecca’s warning and taken it to heart
View attachment 3449195

Wild water is the best, and even if it’s mud haha
View attachment 3449196View attachment 3449197

But some prefer the cleaner stuff
View attachment 3449198View attachment 3449200

Nah, ma, we don't prefer the cleaner stuff. it was just closer and we were too lazy to go searching for the good stuff!

 

[Sally PB]

I think your mistaken, she must have wanted the new trending “grass feathered feet” style all the other chickens are getting. What a cutie.

 

[Ponypoor]

I got the final lab testing results from Dixie (the one with tumors) and they found out she had Mareks. The others being sick sort of match up with this information.

Oh dear - I am soooooo very sorry to hear this, but I think I read somewhere that most all chickens will have been exposed to it one way or another. So I am wondering if they will just live with it like we all live with the Influenza.

Is everyone else ok? Other than having been ill... ? How do you think they all caught it? Or do you think it has just been there all along?

 

[Ponypoor]

The 2nd cochin mix just hatched. It is still very wet, but, unmistakably blue. I'm telling myself as far as I know these chicks are sold, these chicks are sold. Someone stop me from trying something. I've kept it quite, but Raven is broody and has been for a little over a week now. She is sitting on nothing. She took a chick last year after only sitting for a week. I want to rush out right now and give her the goose chick and this little blue one.

Do it
Do it
Do it
Do it
Do it

 

[featherhead007]

Thirsty Thursday

Marty seems to be her old self again thankfully! She must have heeded Rebecca’s warning and taken it to heart
View attachment 3449195

Wild water is the best, and even if it’s mud haha
View attachment 3449196View attachment 3449197

But some prefer the cleaner stuff
View attachment 3449198View attachment 3449200

Mr P, reminds me so much of doc Brown in back to the future (that hair)

 

[RoyalChick]

It was not until I had the idea of using a doorbell camera on the ceiling of the nest boxes that I learned how much these chickens move their eggs around.
You would think they would find that hard without fingers.
Particularly as mine are in dishwashing bowls so there is a real lip to them.
Not one of these eggs started out in the middle box. Not even the ceramic one.

In good news. Eli’s was exactly 2oz. The smallest she has laid since getting egg bound. I hope it stays that way.

 

[GregnLety]

Oh poor wee gal - how did she do that? These chickens are very stressful!

Her rooster is ginormous, probably 7 kilos so he probably played a part in it unless she roosted too high and injured it hopping off the roost.

 

[GregnLety]

I think you have said this before, but I have forgotten...is Cholo a lavender Orrington? He is quite stately and handsome

Yes Cholo and Jr are Lavender Orpingtons. We lost both Lavender Orpington gals but managed to hatch a couple of the last one's eggs.