INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[amwchickin]

Pipd - i wish you the best with your flock. It was so hard putting my flock down last year. I've been more vigilant with things this year and I hope i never have to go through that again. So good luck with everything!

 

[Faraday40]

Hey, all, I thought I'd finally make a return to the thread. Sorry I've been gone so long! The end of the year was pretty rocky for me, but I think I'm at peace with everything now and I know how to proceed.

I've been trying to decide how to post this for the sake of sharing learning experiences--and psyching myself out of posting in the process--so I think I'll just say it. Last month, my beloved girls tested positive for Mycoplasma Gallisepticum.

So sorry to hear your flock is carrying. Thank goodness you took the steps to diagnose & prevent further spread. You have beautiful birds. I too am very bonded to my flock favorites, so I can understand your decision.

 

[chickiebaby1]

Hey, all, I thought I'd finally make a return to the thread. Sorry I've been gone so long! The end of the year was pretty rocky for me, but I think I'm at peace with everything now and I know how to proceed.

I've been trying to decide how to post this for the sake of sharing learning experiences--and psyching myself out of posting in the process--so I think I'll just say it. Last month, my beloved girls tested positive for Mycoplasma Gallisepticum. The truly scary part about the whole thing is that they have not shown any symptoms to indicate they are even carrying MG. As a matter of fact, save for one hen that has periodic sinus issues, none of my birds have shown respiratory symptoms for as far back as I can remember. I only found out that they are carriers because the rooster in quarantine with the ducks had a slight runny nose and afterward they tested positive for it. I'm fairly confident that nothing has gotten through quarantine, so I'm not sure at this point if my sacrifice bird gave the ducks MG or if they already had it upon arriving. Either way, it's already here, so I figure they might as well stay.

I am not depopulating my flock. I can't. I love these girls too much. For those in my area that may be concerned about it spreading, I have put in my fair share of research to be sure that I know when my birds are most at risk of spreading it and how, and I will be taking precautions to prevent it from happening. I think this should be a welcome reminder to everyone, though, to quarantine new birds and to avoid wearing the same shoes and clothing around your birds as you wear off of the property. I don't know how or when MG arrived, but it almost had to be in the era I call 'Before I Knew Better', when I would go sit with the girls after being at swap meets and things, and my idea of quarantining was keeping the new birds in rabbit hutches... in the chicken yard.

Please, everyone, learn from my mistakes!

As far as what this means for me in the future, well, whatever happens will have to wait a while. For now, my flock is closed. I have decided to take the route of breeding for resistance in the future. MG is out there, all over the place, and it seems so insidious that it's frightening! I would much rather put effort into breeding resistant birds than worry myself to death trying to avoid disease altogether. I'm still reading into the idea, but it sounds ideal thus far.


I have missed roughly 60 pages of posts, I think, so I'm not going to read everything. Sorry if I missed anything! Hope everyone had happy holidays and had fun on New Year's!

I still have a lot of plans for this year, even with the above mentioned diagnosis putting some plans on hold. Lots of building to improve my birdies' homes!

I'm not getting chicks this year (for obvious reasons), but I'm looking forward to spending the year just appreciating the birds that are already here.

I was beginning to wonder where you had been. I'm glad to see you back. But I am sorry for the news you recieved. I had something go through my flock at the end of fall that freaked me out a bit. Some of my babies got runny noses and watery eyes. I treated them with tylon and they are all better now, but I was so very upset when I thought I might have to put some of them down. The first one to get sick is one of my favorite polish roosters. This spring my DH and I are totally overhauling the coops and making some drastic changes to make things a little safer for all the birds and people. I hope everything else is going okay for you. Did you finish school yet? Are you in collage, I just remember you talking previously about classes and homework. I am right there with you. I am getting ready to start my second semester of nursing school.

 

[leslea]

Happy New Year, all. Hope all are staying warm tonight.

As soon as my little one lets me get up from the couch, I'm off to refill water, close the pop door, shut the window, refill the food...hopefully the roof doesn't blow off the run, bc hubby never nailed it down.

Think I will add some extra pine shavings, too. Can't hurt, although it's already pretty deep in there. Yeeesh!

I've been busy with the kids, probably going to continue to be scarce, but I always get an email when someone messages me, so I'm never far away if anyone wants to chat!

Oh, yeah...less than 4 mo til our new babies come!

Time really is flying this year with the pullets keeping me busy.

Thanks for being part of the journey.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Hey, all, I thought I'd finally make a return to the thread. Sorry I've been gone so long! The end of the year was pretty rocky for me, but I think I'm at peace with everything now and I know how to proceed.

I've been trying to decide how to post this for the sake of sharing learning experiences--and psyching myself out of posting in the process--so I think I'll just say it. Last month, my beloved girls tested positive for Mycoplasma Gallisepticum. The truly scary part about the whole thing is that they have not shown any symptoms to indicate they are even carrying MG. As a matter of fact, save for one hen that has periodic sinus issues, none of my birds have shown respiratory symptoms for as far back as I can remember. I only found out that they are carriers because the rooster in quarantine with the ducks had a slight runny nose and afterward they tested positive for it. I'm fairly confident that nothing has gotten through quarantine, so I'm not sure at this point if my sacrifice bird gave the ducks MG or if they already had it upon arriving. Either way, it's already here, so I figure they might as well stay.

I am not depopulating my flock. I can't. I love these girls too much. For those in my area that may be concerned about it spreading, I have put in my fair share of research to be sure that I know when my birds are most at risk of spreading it and how, and I will be taking precautions to prevent it from happening. I think this should be a welcome reminder to everyone, though, to quarantine new birds and to avoid wearing the same shoes and clothing around your birds as you wear off of the property. I don't know how or when MG arrived, but it almost had to be in the era I call 'Before I Knew Better', when I would go sit with the girls after being at swap meets and things, and my idea of quarantining was keeping the new birds in rabbit hutches... in the chicken yard.

Please, everyone, learn from my mistakes!

As far as what this means for me in the future, well, whatever happens will have to wait a while. For now, my flock is closed. I have decided to take the route of breeding for resistance in the future. MG is out there, all over the place, and it seems so insidious that it's frightening! I would much rather put effort into breeding resistant birds than worry myself to death trying to avoid disease altogether. I'm still reading into the idea, but it sounds ideal thus far.


I have missed roughly 60 pages of posts, I think, so I'm not going to read everything. Sorry if I missed anything! Hope everyone had happy holidays and had fun on New Year's!

I still have a lot of plans for this year, even with the above mentioned diagnosis putting some plans on hold. Lots of building to improve my birdies' homes!

I'm not getting chicks this year (for obvious reasons), but I'm looking forward to spending the year just appreciating the birds that are already here.

Awww love the pics (especially violet but I am partial to Bielies of course!). I'm so sorry about what you are going through. I've read literature that speculates that a lot of backyard flocks carry a mild form of MG but very few backyard flocks ever get tested so no one knows. You are right that it is everywhere. I have a Purdue chicken farm a mile from my house and am trying to adopt a zen approach. I will deal with the cards I am dealt and not stress too much. Like you I wouldn't de-populate. Welcome back and sorry for what you are having to deal with!

 

[amwchickin]

So I have been MIA for a few months. Work has been super busy. There are way too many sick people!

I hope everyone is doing well. I miss talking to everyone and getting ideas.

I have built two coups lately, one for silkies and one for the Mille Fleurs that were sleeping in a tree all the time. I really didn't want to go out in the morning and find Millie-cicles. It was a real fun time trying to catch those little girls!

Egg production has been pretty good. All three of my EEs stopped laying at the same time. Such weird birds that they take laying sabbaticals. I did get two green eggs today though, so maybe they're back to work.

I've had a few attacks lately. Either a cat or a weasel took out most of my younger silkies. And a young rogue coyote trotted off with a pullet in broad daylight as I was in the garage 30 feet away! We have a depravation permit so my dad went after it with a shotgun.

One of these days when I move into a different area I will have better security, but for now having my birds out in the sticks comes at a cost.

I hope to be on here a little more as it warms up again. Whenever that may happen!

 

[urbanindiana]

Martinsville rural king has the heated dog bowls on sale from $16.99 now only $9.98. I got one now just need to get it "mcgyver'd" up!!

I just can't get myself to spend $34 for the heated chicken waterer!

I made a DYI heater from a cookie tin. It's from the Chicken Chick website, it's easy, cheap and works great. I used a 60 watt because temps have dipped to -6 today.

 

[kabhyper1]

Aww pipd, I'm sorry about your news. Honestly something in the amount of like 90 percent of flocks have MG. It's not surprising your girls have it. You didn't do anything wrong, it was probably wild birds. I have a girl with a runny nose now and my barn has been closed for the last 4 days and everyone was fine, so who knows what her deal is. About my little silke chick, thanks yeah she is going to be an interesting grow out, not because she is smooth, that was expected, but because she is half smooth half silkied. That's a bit different lol!. Glad to see you back. I lurk a lot, but don't post as much as I used to unless I get the camera out.

To the question about the snow blindness in chickens, I don't remember where I saw that. It was just recently I read it somewhere. and then saw a discussion about it. I guess it's something you just have to test for yourself lol.

 

[luvsdaytrotters]

Hello all. You still there Chuck Acres? I was away from site for a bit. Just checking back in to see how everyone else is faring.
I reside in NE central Indiana. We are currently experiencing, as I am sure all you "foul" people are a period of very cold weather.
Just wanted to tap in & see if anyone had any problems I might help with or learn from.
I don't have close to the experience some of you do, but I have had some very unique experiences I'd be more than happy to share. I.e.: Making my own incubator & being fortunate enough to video the hatching. As well as having bantams & full size hens brood their own.
I have a mean, but excellent Rhode Island Red roo (named Bach) that made it happen with a Gold Laced Seabright, (bantam of course) named Pox.

Haha, they made a "Box", a "Pack" & 3 others.
They hatched on July 4th. And they were all firecrackers! They were so tiny, they ran through the chicken wire like it wasn't even there!
Anyways, hello all.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Hey, all, I thought I'd finally make a return to the thread. Sorry I've been gone so long! The end of the year was pretty rocky for me, but I think I'm at peace with everything now and I know how to proceed.

I've been trying to decide how to post this for the sake of sharing learning experiences--and psyching myself out of posting in the process--so I think I'll just say it. Last month, my beloved girls tested positive for Mycoplasma Gallisepticum. The truly scary part about the whole thing is that they have not shown any symptoms to indicate they are even carrying MG. As a matter of fact, save for one hen that has periodic sinus issues, none of my birds have shown respiratory symptoms for as far back as I can remember. I only found out that they are carriers because the rooster in quarantine with the ducks had a slight runny nose and afterward they tested positive for it. I'm fairly confident that nothing has gotten through quarantine, so I'm not sure at this point if my sacrifice bird gave the ducks MG or if they already had it upon arriving. Either way, it's already here, so I figure they might as well stay.

I am not depopulating my flock. I can't. I love these girls too much. For those in my area that may be concerned about it spreading, I have put in my fair share of research to be sure that I know when my birds are most at risk of spreading it and how, and I will be taking precautions to prevent it from happening. I think this should be a welcome reminder to everyone, though, to quarantine new birds and to avoid wearing the same shoes and clothing around your birds as you wear off of the property. I don't know how or when MG arrived, but it almost had to be in the era I call 'Before I Knew Better', when I would go sit with the girls after being at swap meets and things, and my idea of quarantining was keeping the new birds in rabbit hutches... in the chicken yard. Please, everyone, learn from my mistakes!

As far as what this means for me in the future, well, whatever happens will have to wait a while. For now, my flock is closed. I have decided to take the route of breeding for resistance in the future. MG is out there, all over the place, and it seems so insidious that it's frightening! I would much rather put effort into breeding resistant birds than worry myself to death trying to avoid disease altogether. I'm still reading into the idea, but it sounds ideal thus far.


I have missed roughly 60 pages of posts, I think, so I'm not going to read everything. Sorry if I missed anything! Hope everyone had happy holidays and had fun on New Year's! I still have a lot of plans for this year, even with the above mentioned diagnosis putting some plans on hold. Lots of building to improve my birdies' homes! I'm not getting chicks this year (for obvious reasons), but I'm looking forward to spending the year just appreciating the birds that are already here.

Sorry about the news pipd. There are sooo many ways it can be spread. All te illnesses ou there are super frightening. I don't know what I would do if I was faced with the problem. I have so much fun showing and breeding and love every bit of it. But I have have a ton of emotional attachment to my flock. Kudos to you for being able to make the decision. Beets wishes for you and your flock