Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I took the chance. I do not have proven mareks in my flock. It was a "possibility" mentioned in Legertha's necropsy report. I did not get vaccinated eggs rather I took a chance. It seems to have played out fine as Aster seems to be doing well but make no mistake, it was a risk.

Since Legertha was vaccinated for mareks I considered it an acceptable risk. @RoyalChick knows there is mareks in her flock and has to act accordingly.

I wonder is she could hatch the eggs under the broody, vax the chicks when hatched (herself or a vet if not), then keep mama and chicks inside away from the main herd, for 10 days. To let the vax take effect. By then the chicks would be ready for outside anyways.

Just a thought…

 

[Ponypoor]

Wattle Wednesday

Bad boy wattles (fyi his beak tip appears to be hardened overnight)

Good girl wattles

Wee bitty wattles

Turkey wattles

 

[bgmathteach]

I am leaning towards later.
I think going away a week or even ten days after I give them to her feels very stressful. For me I mean!
And this is going to be tricky because I need to give the chicks time indoors for the vaccine to take. There is some data on how long that takes which suggests 10 days. I could do a week maybe and accept the higher risk.
So I will be hoping she accepts week old chicks as newly hatched overnight. My gut says she will accept them just based on her broody behavior where she accepts anything as worthy of sitting on and doesn’t peck me at all when I pull eggs out from under her. But who knows?!

It is riskier trying to get a hen to accept 1 week old chicks - but you are correct, some will. I think if you go that route, the day before the 'night time stuffing under her', I would try to move them close enough so she can hear them peep, but not see them (kind of like in the shell), then that night stuff them under her. Get her 'primed' for chicks to 'appear'

 

[bgmathteach]

I wonder is she could hatch the eggs under the broody, vax the chicks when hatched (herself or a vet if not), then keep mama and chicks inside away from the main herd, for 10 days. To let the vax take effect. By then the chicks would be ready for outside anyways.

Just a thought…

But if Tassels is a carrier, then the chicks wouldn't have time to build up immunity from the vaccine before being exposed....by virtue of Tassels.

Also, it is very hard to get doses for a small flock. I haven't looked recently, but a couple or so years ago when I did, all I could find for information about it was that it came in something ridiculous like 1,000 dose vials/lots. Definitely geared towards large commercial hatcheries. Don't know if there is now access for small flocks (i.e. small vials/few doses) readily available or not.....but @RoyalChick would also have to be comfortable vaccinating them herself, too. IDK if she is or not.

Okay, have to leave for Dr. appt. (yup that's why I'm on at this time, not at work....

 

[RoyalChick]

I wonder is she could hatch the eggs under the broody, vax the chicks when hatched (herself or a vet if not), then keep mama and chicks inside away from the main herd, for 10 days. To let the vax take effect. By then the chicks would be ready for outside anyways.

Just a thought…

That is a theoretical option too. Higher risk because they will be exposed to Marek’s the instant they emerge from the egg, but I could reduce the exposure by bringing her in before they hatch and changing bedding so the only exposure would be if she is shedding (which she may well not be).
The vaccine probably has a shelf life once opened but I am guessing that it may be OK for the span of time for the eggs to hatch.
I will add that to the list of options.
I still think trying to get her to accept 7-10 day olds is going to be the simplest. May not work but feels worth a try. Just prefer to try when I am here!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Can you dig out a bit of the dirt floor and line it with hardware cloth? I like 1/2" X 1"...you can get it in 4' wide rolls. (obviously bend it up to the base of coop, and screw there), then cover it back up with dirt...then whatever you use for bedding. It will be a bit of work, but. pick-axe/grub hoe would make short work of it, and it would make it so much safer! Rats will take chicks (as you know), and they learn from each other - so they will continue to look/hunt for them once there are chicks there again and they get one.

Then - go for it with the broody of your choice.

Personally, I would get the cochins due to your winters....but @RebeccaBoyd would probably be a better judge of what you might need for the silkies to keep them okay through your winters.....and if she says it really isn't a problem - then I say pick your favorite (or, better yet, get a few of both!!!! )

Rats are a worry for chickens in general, especially chicks. Every now and then I myself have a rat issue. Thankfully I've never lost a chicken or chick to one. I cannot put out poison as there are too many cats in the neighborhood along with fear of my chickens finding some way to get into it. My rat solution is CeeCee. Forget cats keeping vermin down, nothing beats a good ratter. Rats is not my issue at the moment though, possums are invading again. CeeCee got another big one last night. Darn thing was feasting on eggs dad forgot to collect. I do not know why, but, spring brings those things off the hill and into the backyard.

Vermin issue aside, either breed would do well for you. Whose to say you cannot have both? I have not had person experience with bantom cochins, but I do have the big bowling ball girls. They look huge, but it is a illusion, they are all feathers. They also lay smaller eggs. Not much bigger then a silkie egg which was shocking at first considering their size. My 2 are prone to broodiness, but nothing compared to the silkies, or my Marans or old Momma Hen to be honest. I do hear bantam cochins are worse though. Truthfully speaking, I like my cochins, they are pretty but I spend the majority of the summer ready to strangle them. They are my egg eaters and if Rosie and my grandmother had not fallen for them they would already be chicken and dumplings. Grandma is gone but I cannot make myself get rid of "her" hens. When they are gone I doubt I will replace them though. This just means they will be like the ole bat Momma Hen and live forever.

Silkies, I cannot say enough good things about silkies and I highly recommend them. You want broodies, check. You want child friendly, double check. You want little clowns whose antics will have you laughing....triple check. Silkie zoomies, enough said. When they are not broody they are very reliable egg layers. Broody raised or hand raised even the most standoffish silkie chicks will grow up to be little nosy busybodies who want to be in your business and lap. I have officially now even won over Barbosa and Davy who were not handled that much and skeptical of me when they first arrived. Silkies will need a little more care then a cochin but it is very easy to do. If they free range, they will need their crests trimmed so they can see. People often say silkies are dumb. No, that is very much not true, they are wicked smart. They just need to be able to see. In the winter is when they really need extra care. All they need though is a draft free dry coop. But all chickens honestly need that and should be given that. In the fall just insulate you coop with a tarp and keep it clean and your silkies will be good even in frigid temps. Kentucky can get bitterly cold and mine do just fine. It was my silkies who had a blast in the snow while my other birds protested the white lava and thought it was going to kill them.

 

[RoyalChick]

It is riskier trying to get a hen to accept 1 week old chicks - but you are correct, some will. I think if you go that route, the day before the 'night time stuffing under her', I would try to move them close enough so she can hear them peep, but not see them (kind of like in the shell), then that night stuff them under her. Get her 'primed' for chicks to 'appear'

Love that idea. Should be easy to do.
I need to dig up the study on the Marek’s vaccine time line and look at the data. How much better is 10 days vs 5 days for example.

 

[RoyalChick]

But if Tassels is a carrier, then the chicks wouldn't have time to build up immunity from the vaccine before beign exposed....but virtue of Tassels.

Also, it is very hard to get doses for a small flock. I haven't looked recently, but a couple or so years ago when I did, all I could find for information about it was that it came in something ridiculous like 1,000 dose vials/lots. Definitely geared towards large commercial hatcheries. Don't know if there is now access for small flocks (i.e. small vials/few doses) readily available or not.....but @RoyalChick would also have to be comfortable vaccinating them herself, too. IDK isf she is or not.

Okay, have to leave for Dr. appt. (yup that's why I'm on at this time, not at work....

Yes. The risk in that scenario is Tassels herself. But the risk would be less than if they were exposed to everyone.

 

[featherhead007]

6 is a lot of ‘wives’

Six is six too many wives!
My rooster would tend to disagree

 

[Ponypoor]

Rats are a worry for chickens in general, especially chicks. Every now and then I myself have a rat issue. Thankfully I've never lost a chicken or chick to one. I cannot put out poison as there are too many cats in the neighborhood along with fear of my chickens finding some way to get into it. My rat solution is CeeCee. Forget cats keeping vermin down, nothing beats a good ratter. Rats is not my issue at the moment though, possums are invading again. CeeCee got another big one last night. Darn thing was feasting on eggs dad forgot to collect. I do not know why, but, spring brings those things off the hill and into the backyard.

Vermin issue aside, either breed would do well for you. Whose to say you cannot have both? I have not had person experience with bantom cochins, but I do have the big bowling ball girls. They look huge, but it is a illusion, they are all feathers. They also lay smaller eggs. Not much bigger then a silkie egg which was shocking at first considering their size. My 2 are prone to broodiness, but nothing compared to the silkies, or my Marans or old Momma Hen to be honest. I do hear bantam cochins are worse though. Truthfully speaking, I like my cochins, they are pretty but I spend the majority of the summer ready to strangle them. They are my egg eaters and if Rosie and my grandmother had not fallen for them they would already be chicken and dumplings. Grandma is gone but I cannot make myself get rid of "her" hens. When they are gone I doubt I will replace them though. This just means they will be like the ole bat Momma Hen and live forever.

Silkies, I cannot say enough good things about silkies and I highly recommend them. You want broodies, check. You want child friendly, double check. You want little clowns whose antics will have you laughing....triple check. Silkie zoomies, enough said. When they are not broody they are very reliable egg layers. Broody raised or hand raised even the most standoffish silkie chicks will grow up to be little nosy busybodies who want to be in your business and lap. I have officially now even won over Barbosa and Davy who were not handled that much and skeptical of me when they first arrived. Silkies will need a little more care then a cochin but it is very easy to do. If they free range, they will need their crests trimmed so they can see. People often say silkies are dumb. No, that is very much not true, they are wicked smart. They just need to be able to see. In the winter is when they really need extra care. All they need though is a draft free dry coop. But all chickens honestly need that and should be given that. In the fall just insulate you coop with a tarp and keep it clean and your silkies will be good even in frigid temps. Kentucky can get bitterly cold and mine do just fine. It was my silkies who had a blast in the snow while my other birds protested the white lava and thought it was going to kill them.

Ya silkie zoomies hilarious!

My dumplings are prone to fits of zoomies.

Smart - yup, and devious little beasts.

Just really need to keep on top of their crests so they can see. I need to do the dumplings again!!!! I just did them last weekend!

Yep they are cute little farts, silkies.