INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[SallyinIndiana]

@kittydoc

Are there any clear recommendations for keeping our flocks safe? Should free ranging be banned? Should all runs be covered to prevent wild bird poo from falling through a net? I had some of my birds free ranging today. Since I have breeding pens, the birds have to take turns. But even in the rain the turkeys come outside.

 

[kittydoc]

Purdue will only talk to you with a referral. Poop.

Usually, a veterinary school's "extension service" will communicate directly with "herd/flock" owners (I know that is the case at U of Illinois). The poultry extension veterinarian at Purdue is a DVM, PhD who is also in the diagnostics lab, so I don't know inclined she would be to help a backyard flock owner with a single-bird case, but it might be worth a shot.

Here's her info, for anyone who may want to give her a shot. Don't tell her a fellow veterinarian told a whole list about her, though, LOL! I've had good luck contacting ISPA. Purdue has a resident in poultry medicine who is working on advanced studies and is a DVM already. The resident has helped me out by email with some general questions (vaccine recommendations under specific situations, for example), but I do NOT know if that is generally true or if it was professional courtesy to a fellow veterinarian. It can't hurt to ask! Here are the links.

ISPA: http://www.inpoultry.org/contactus.cfm I believe the person who answers their email (administrative person) is named Chelsie Lawyer. If you email ISPA and ask nicely, you might get referred to the Purdue resident. That's how I found the resident anyway.

Purdue Veterinary Extension Service (Poultry): Dr. Patricia Wakenell http://www.vet.purdue.edu/directory/person.php?id=97

If anyone learns that the Purdue extension service vet requires a referral, please let me know. I hope that won't be the case with Dr. Wakenell in her capacity as an extension vet.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Thanks for the links. When I get calls about the chickens I sell, sometimes people ask about the bird diseases.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: how have everyone's turkeys been laying? I have yet to see an egg out of my 6 hens.

Mine are not yet, I am farther north east. My oldest BR is 3 this year so watching her for eggs first. Nothing yet from my MW. My toms are both very active and hens are squatting so it should be soon for us. I hatch every turkey egg I get here, not wasting a single poult!
Turkeys sort of freak me out! I don't know why...but they do! I would love to raise a few, but they are super creepy to me! LOL
Oh my, I love my turkeys. Had I raised them first I may not own chickens at all...(JK) I got my first BR egg today! Super excited! Puppy, my BBW turkey hen has fallen for my midget white tom, squats the second he fans that tail

She is a pet, but we tried hatching her eggs last year and they just don't develop. I may go ahead and put her in their pen.

On the subject of the growing Avian Influenza epidemic, isn't it a bit strange that it has only hit huge Turkey farms so far? I wonder if they all got infected from the same source somehow. I have been around those farms, those birds never leave the building so they couldn't have had contact with wild water fowl. So far I haven't heard anything about how any of these farms got infected.

It makes me a bit nervous because there is some sort of Purdue poultry farm about a mile and a half from me.

I wonder what the water sources are fed from... just a thought.
Would make sense if they use a stream or lake thats visited by waterfowl.

 

[Faraday40]

@kittydoc

Are there any clear recommendations for keeping our flocks safe? Should free ranging be banned? Should all runs be covered to prevent wild bird poo from falling through a net? I had some of my birds free ranging today. Since I have breeding pens, the birds have to take turns. But even in the rain the turkeys come outside.

x2

I've been keeping mine enclosed in the coop/run for over a month. (1st b/c of a pesky Coopers Hawk & now b/c of fear of bird flu.) My chickens want OUT & can't understand why I'm keeping them inside on such a beautiful day.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

and our thread

We are practically neighbors, Pendleton here.

I'd love to keep bees. But I'd die from it.

Oh goodness, can't have that!

 

[Faraday40]

BTW- Thanks for the heads up about the shoes. I never really thought that wearing my shoes to the feed store might track something to the backyard.

Is there a quick spray- like Lysol - that can be applied to the soles of street shoes or shoes of visitors? Most guests do not have poultry, but who knows if they went to a park with ducks/geese.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Its a wonderful experience. I had stopped keeping chickens for about 30 years, and went back to it 3 years ago. Really missed them.

Advice: a nicked quick

One of my hens had a bloody toe. It was slowly dripping blood. I cleaned it well, dabbed with peroxide, applied cornstarch, then triple antibiotic, gauze, & vet tape. Good News: She stopped bleeding very quickly & laid an egg. Bad news: she took her bandage off.

Any advice on her return to flock? I was going to put her back since it's only been 30 min, but I don't like the idea of her walking through the run if it may start bleeding again. Any ideas on how to bandage it? (Middle front toe)

Add: Most of the nail is in tact, so it's not really the toe bleeding, but the quick of the nail.

Lots of good advice already, bandages wont stay. liquid bandage or super glue will.

Haven't been on for awhile, I have been reading a few post now and then. Been pretty busy around here. Trying to cut back on birds , since my only daughter still at home only has 2 more 4-H fairs left, but keeping some as she does want to continue showing at the open shows.

We are adding polled nigerian goats to the farm. Been going to alot of open rabbit shows and will be going to goat shows as soon as we found out where and when they are.

Had a few minutes just want to jump in and say HI !!! to everyone.

great to see you!

Quote: Adore the lil kids

Hey everyone! Spring has sprung! BUT I have some "indoor" chickens. Their coop door is open 10 hours a day for them to free range. But they won't come out side for more than 5 minutes at a time! How do I get them more interested in being out!?

How old are they? Treats, patience, and carry them out if need be.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

@kittydoc here are the frizzled moderns that just showed up in his breeding.

Very unusual, but I think its attractive.

These guys arrived today! Can't wait to add them to my buff barred pen!

GORGEOUS rooster, love them!

Here's my silkie babies that hatched yesterday! They are sooo tiny! Correct toes comb and skin with what appear to be nice starts of top knots!

 

[kittydoc]

BTW- Thanks for the heads up about the shoes. I never really thought that wearing my shoes to the feed store might track something to the backyard.

Is there a quick spray- like Lysol - that can be applied to the soles of street shoes or shoes of visitors? Most guests do not have poultry, but who knows if they went to a park with ducks/geese.

Better to keep a tray of antiseptic solution active against 99% of viruses in your mud room or near your most commonly used door out to your car/in to your house from the "outside world," and scrub the soles of your shoes. Don't wear nice shoes to the feed store, LOL! Don't wear your farm boots, either, though.

A thorough spray with Lysol would definitely help if the soles of the shoes can take it. If the soles of your "outside" shoes are pretty flat or at least not clogged with mud (ha ha, in Indiana, right now). If they're caked with mud, the Lysol will only get the surface, but that is still better than nothing.

Veterinarians who make farm visits (commercial or private) always take their own disinfectants or wear disposable hospital-grade booties over their shoes.

I think shoe scrubbing is erring on the side of caution for now, since HPAI is not here yet, but I sure wouldn't tell someone not to do it. I probably won't start this until it's only one state away. If it hits Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, or Kentucky, I am SO going to wear special shoes to the feed store and disinfect them, and make DH do the same.

For visitors who don't have livestock, I don't think you need to disinfect their shoes. For chicken friends, you could keep a pair or two of spare farm boots for them to wear while they keep their shoes away from your poultry area, like on your front porch if your birds never go there. In dry weather (will it ever get dry?), disposable booties would be fine and easy. In quantity, they are cheap.

I meet buyers at a neutral location not because of AI in particular, but because of biosecurity in general as well as the physical safety of my birds. I know someone whose Jubilees were stolen not long after a prospective buyer was shown a breeder's property. Somebody can probably find me if they really want to, but why make it easy for strangers?