Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[hellbender]

I received some good 'chicken' news.

The new owners of the Australorp flock will be here Saturday afternoon to pick up their new charges.

I'm retaining 5 proven birds to provide eggs to those who have been promised.

I have 'several' eggs on lock-down and the resulting hatch will be given to FFA/4-H kids who have been requesting them.

Heading into a new ERA on this farm. The NN production flock will be reduced 'dramatically' over the next two years, (as opposed to the original notion of five years). The remaining NNs will provide eggs for a few folks 'til they can establish other suppliers and for us but most importantly, they will be used to set our SOP project peeps, a job they are so well qualified for. Generally, if they begin to brood, they will finish the job...they are not quitters and are wonderful mammys and nurse-maids.

That is all............

 

[RedRidge]

So what will the new era entail?

 

[hellbender]

So what will the new era entail?

Working very hard on the SOP NN projects, Some badly needed R&R.>>> at least 3 weeks in Costa Rica, hopefully before (or after) the summer rains.

 

[lawatt]

How far back do those records go?

direct measurements of average global temperature go back to about 1850.

and yes, the climate is always changing -- what is different in our current era is the RATE of change (very fast), and the MAGNITUDE of change. both are pretty unprecedented.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: My chickens seem less effected by the major swings in temps, but other animals cannot take it. Horses are especially vulnerable.

IO have been looking at the barn and coop designs to see if alterations would make them betterfor the chickens. THe winter needs are very different than the summer--one to keep warm and the other to keep cool.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lets all have a big ol' glass!

Just having fun folks...This weather is affecting me badly.

My Naked Necked birds are taking this misery in stride but I'm having day dreams of Costa Rica.

Looking at places to live in that beautiful country on the net!

I may in fact hasten the 'attrition' of my production birds. Getting too old for this mess. It's negative 11 here at 7AM, likely a 'heat wave' compared to some places you folks are enduring...
Stay warm!!

I've been to most areas in CR (except the Osa peninsula and Golfito areas) . Once I spent 3 months doing volunteer work for Macaws.
I recommend John Howells' book 'Choose Costa Rica for retirement'. I've met him and he knows every small corner of the country.
I've read that there are Penedesencas there but I haven't been able to locate anyone that has found them.
Oh by the way, the coffee growers in CR have already been affected by climate change and are now having to move their groves farther up the mountains.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/23/business/la-fi-coffee-20110323

I'm sure you'll want me to hook you up with the Democratic Expat Americans club there.

A comparison of CR and Thailand

I'm not sure if this was directed toward me?

I have several roosters that are suffering from frostbite, or were actually, those issues did exactly as you describe. They turned black and fell off.

My splash boy was 5 years old (maybe 6) and his condition was worse than a little frostbite. His wattles, the first day were about an inch thick. The second day, after the wind changed directions during the night, his wattles swelled up even more til they were about an inch and a half thick. Plus his throat was swollen between his wattles. I didn't realize the first day that he probably did not eat (until evening when I clean up all the uneaten food) the next day he tried to eat but that caused his wattles to bump the side of the dish. He only tried to take 2 or 3 bites. I let him be, thinking he would be ok. I should have but didn't check on him until later in the afternoon when I found him still outside, all alone in the cold cold wind. I picked him up and he offered no resistance, not the slightest struggle.

I've been reading and hearing so much about how hardy my birds need to be and that if I'm having frostbite issues, that I need to increase ventilation. Well, I've been trying to do these things because I want my birds to be hardy and healthy and strong. I know that I probably fuss over them too much. I want them to be happy. Therefore, you can probably guess that I don't hear a little sneeze or whatever and immediately grab the hatchet. I did, however, have a respiratory thing go through my flock this past November and you better believe I culled every bird that exhibited signs... except a few. Now, I may be asking for trouble with those few but we'll see. I did not use any antibiotics for them at all. I may be wrong but I'm hoping that since they didn't get bad at all that they have a resistance to it now and are immune. I don't put any heat in my barns at all. I know I need to be harder on my flock as I don't want to have to baby them, in fact, I refuse to baby them. My barn is something of a shamble and I'm working toward making it what it needs to be. If it was already there, I probably would not have spared those few. But they don't have all that they need, in the way of shelter, and its something I cannot complete during the winter. I have plans to do it when it warms up, though it has been nice here recently, it is still winter and can change at a moment's notice. For instance, the wind kicked up late this afternoon and tonight we have rain.

Should I have brought my rooster in the house to recover? What if it happened to more than one? Where on earth would I keep more than one large rooster in my house? And what about improving hardiness? Would that help or hinder?
I guarantee you, I did not make my decision lightly.

It was very hard for me as I probably hold my flock a little too high for my own good.

I'm not paranoid and I didn't cull him to protect the rest of the flock. I did it to end his pain. Should I have let nature take its course and let him suffer til he died? I'm sorry but I can't do that. Winter was only just beginning and would only get worse and colder.

Good point on the resistance thing.
How you choose to manage your flock is up to you. Plus, you were on site and are the only one that could observe his condition.
This is the worst frostbite year I've ever had. I had two that were as you described and I thought I was going to lose them. the infection didn't get as severe as yours though. Still not a speck on any of the big combed hens so I presume my ventilation is good. It's just the huge roosters combs and wattles, I'm sure a few will end up being half their original size.
Hopefully this year is an aberration and my young roosters won't have it so bad in the future.

Ventilation can sometimes be less than straightforward depending on the shape and size of the building and its site.

I learned a lot from this
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2321/key-factors-for-poultry-house-ventilation
http://www.fwi.co.uk/articles/20/06/2008/110933/ventilation-key-to-broiler-performance.htm

I think humidity is the main culprit and relative is anywhere from 50% to 90% here in winter. For me, closing off any openings in smaller buildings during cold weather is counterproductive.
https://www.poultryventilation.com/tips/vol24/n2
https://www.poultryventilation.com/tips/vol24/n10
After the first couple real cold snaps this winter, I started keeping a couple remote read thermometers/hygrometers in my least ventilated buildings. That way, comparing those readings to ambient air, I'll know when I need to take some action.

 

[Apdeb]

Have any of you tried using a dehumidifier? Instead of heat? I would be interested
Im in connecticut

 

[RedRidge]

 

 
How far back do those records go?

direct measurements of average global temperature go back to about 1850.  

and yes, the climate is always changing -- what is different in our current era is the RATE of change (very fast), and the MAGNITUDE of change.  both are pretty unprecedented.

My chickens seem less effected by the major swings in temps, but other animals cannot take it. Horses are especially vulnerable.

IO have been looking at the barn and coop designs to see if alterations would make them betterfor the chickens. THe winter needs are very different than the summer--one to keep warm  and the other to keep cool. 

The only thing affected here by the sub zero temps is me. Lol
-2 yesterday morning, -3 this morning - without the wind chill.
In case you are wondering that is exceptionally cold for TN.
I have a 5 month old pup who sleeps in the snow with the rams, lambs born as recently as 10 pm Tuesday night, chicks hatched last week, and several young calves - all outside.
They all look at me and roll their eyes when I mention it's a little nippy. None of them care or seem affected.

 

[smarsh]

there is no global warming and it is not man's fault. it is a myth created by politicians to separate more money from your wallet. legal theft. is there climate change? there always has been. is there anything we can do about it? no. as God's judgements begin to be poured out on this earth, a lot of freaky things with the weather will occur. enough of this. how are everyone's chickens surviving the winter. it was 6 degrees here and still snow on the ground this morning. the cubalayas and asils are handling it just fine.

...........oh never mind, no point to it

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Yup , this about says it all.

Karen
in western PA 15658 where it is a lovely sunny minus 5 degree afternoon.