grannys gone and done it

[Granny Hatchet]

A lot of serious breeders are happy to share their chickens with deserving people and 4-h kids. Sounds like he feels he owes you for helping him with his problem, so you really should give him a break, and let him give you some hatching eggs so he will feel better.

If I were you, though, I would delay it until spring. You will be more mobile by then and the weather will be a bit milder for the little Seramas. I would be way too frustrated if I had adorable little chicks that I couldn't easily spend time with.

I culled my 3 new pullets today.

The lab found ILT (Infectious Laryngotracheitis) in some of the breeder's other birds, and he tracked the infection to some recently acquired birds that must have been carriers that had recovered. Fortunately I quarantined, and it did not spread to my flock. I have never had to cull before, and hope I don't have to again.

Granny, I sure wish they would assign you a new caregiver. The girl you've been working with seems to be more trouble than she's worth.

i am very sorry to hear of you chickens. culling is never an easy way to get thngs done I dont think i know ILT sounds like strep or laryngitis. glad you kept them away from your others

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Thank you, granny. ILT is another one of those nasty avian respiratory diseases. Highly contagious and birds that survive the virus become carriers for life and keep infecting others, even when they have no symptoms. Wild birds can get it too. I kind of cheated on the culling, no hatchet. I got some dry ice and put in on a piece of chicken wire across the top of a large Rubbermaid tub. Put the pullets in and set the lid on. They were not scared, did not struggle, and were gone pretty quick. Not sure of the exact time because I didn't want to check too soon and make myself cry by having to put the lid back on.

Carbon dioxide sinks to the bottom of the tub and they pass out from lack of oxygen and die. Poor babies.


Haha! I don't like buttermilk either! My mom used to drink it when I was a kid and gave me a sip.

Sourdough bread is good though, and sour cream (in small amounts, with Mexican food).

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i have never heard of so many different ways people use to cull their birds. it sounds horrible , they all do and we are not in there so we cant say one method is better then any other so we strive to get it done as quickly as possible. my amish friends use a stick. they put the chickens head under the stick and step on the stick then pull the chicken away snapping the neck. i myself have had to take a few swings with the hatchet because i didnt get a clean cut. the most humane thing i have found for the babies i do believe to be the best. grab your heavy duty garden shears ,(the ones that you hold in your hand and are meant to cut small limbs down) cup the baby in your other hand against your belly, (mine has a lot of cushion) until they settle and fall asleep. they will go to sleep like that. then i slid the shears under there and around the neck. yes, i might get some blood on me but its a small price to pay. i havent tried grown birds like this because i dont think my cutters would go around the neck but if i had some that would i would use this method for them as well.

 

[lularat]

Hi Granny, Sorry to hear about your infection.... I know it feels good to get the cast off for a while. I had one on my arm a couple of years ago and it worried the snot out me.

Thankfully, I have never had to cull, but if I do, I will have to have someone else do it for me. If I had the nerve to do it, I think your method is very humane. At least when they go to sleep in your lap, the last thing they remember is being cuddled.

 

[mrsc1951]

Quote: Wishing4wings, the best sourdough bread I've had in my life was from a little bakery in Sonoma across the street from the visitor's center. Probably 20 years ago. LOL I grew up eating yogurt and cottage cheese - my grandmother owned a dairy and my mother made her own yogurt and cottage cheese for years even after it was readily available. I'm partial to the greek yogurt since that's what is more like what mother made. Buttermilk is only good for making cornbread and red velvet cake, definitely not for drinking!

I've been extremely lucky and never had to cull any of my babies, but then again, I'm limited to only a very few. Supposed to be 5 but I usually have 7 or 8. I do keep it under 10. REALLY hard to do. It sounds like the dry ice was a very humane way to do it. Sorry you had to do it, but good idea.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i have never heard of using buttermilk in cake before. what does it do? my mom said it had hunks of butter in it but i am not buying that. what do i know about the kitchen anyway. lol not much. i read a post one time about culling birds and everyone on there, their way was better then anyone elses. lol they actually got into a fight over it. it is a sad time no matter, and much harder on some . personally i have to be in a mood and then it doesnt bother me at all. even when i had to put spazz down . im like nike, just do it / anyway, i hope i dont have to do any more and i am very sorry for those that do. Now, what kinda trouble can we get into? any one figured out how to make crank posts or e mails or whatever they are like we used to do on the phone before caller id was invented? no fun for kids anymore.

 

[alisan]

Hey granny! Hope your doing well. I had another question? I have 6 barred rock hens and 1 red hen(unknown breed. She was a rescue) is my 3×6 coop with 4×8 run going to be enough housing for winter? They will be going out in chick tractor during decent weather?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Wherefore art thou, granny?? Hoping your infection cleared and that all is well. We are having a little heat wave here. It should cool back into the 80s this week. Hot chickens!!

 

[campingshaws]

Wherefore art thou, granny??   Hoping your infection cleared and that all is well.

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[Suzierd]

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