INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[twoboystwogirls]

She should also inform the authorities that she's dealing with of this information. That is a key element.

She said that they are also euthanizing her Muscovies and Blue Swedish ducks. The authorities believe she got it from her own flock of ducks. She bought ducklings from TSC last year. These ducks ended up being partially "wild". They stayed on her property all winter but this spring they were "coming and going". So, the authorities believe they probably landed on a water source and mingled with migrating geese and ducks then came back home. I misunderstood about the meaties. She said that her meat chicks and turkey poults had not been picked up yet. She had ordered them and was going to pick them up when the sickness started. So that isn't the source because she told the feed store that she could not pick them up because of having sick chickens. She is very heartbroken.

 

[ChickCrazed]

I am placing an order today for some Marek's vaccine. Does anyone in the Indy area want to get in on the order to split shipping (since the cooler and ice cost just as much as the vaccine?). Please PM me if you do.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I misunderstood about the meaties. She said that her meat chicks and turkey poults had not been picked up yet. She had ordered them and was going to pick them up when the sickness started. So that isn't the source because she told the feed store that she could not pick them up because of having sick chickens. She is very heartbroken.

Got it. Thanks.

I keep hoping we can find a "factory hatchery" source that will put an end to it - or at least save people from ordering from the factory hatcheries for awhile.

 

[twoboystwogirls]

One of the people out testing her farm and nearby chicken owners told her that ducks seem to be the culprit with backyard chicken keepers. They can be carriers and not get sick. They are also more likely to leave the property and return. She has decided that she will not own ducks again because of that.

 

[ellymayRans]

I have many partridge brahma mix chicks available and some buff/buff barred bantam Cochins if anyone is interested!

I want buff barred!!!

 

[Bawk]

Very sorry for your friend. I wish we didn't have to worry about disease so much. My husband always shows old pictures of chickens just out free ranging, many of them...wonder how nice it was with no worry of disease back then.


I told him we chase the geese off but the Mallards need to go too..but he pointed out any birds can spread it and that's true.


Will pray for her, feel so sorry for her.

This highly deadly avian flu is spread by wild waterfowl, so if I were you, I'd chase off the wild ducks and not worry a bit about the songbirds.  It has never been reported by any authority that it comes from songbirds, just wild waterfowl, which are just geese and ducks, mostly Canada geese and mallard (though can be any species) ducks.  I just want to correct this so people don't flip out if a sparrow lands on their property.  

Worry about what's real, not what's speculation.  Marek's is the only disease that is everywhere in the environment and carried by all species of birds, which is why everyone should buy vaccinated chicks from hatcheries, or vaccinate their birds themselves.  It is the only vaccine recommended for backyard flocks by the avian veterinarians as Purdue.  They need to get on the stick and come up with a multivalent vaccine against AI, but it's hard because like human flu and colds, there are almost 100 combinations of it.  It's very, very difficult to make vaccines against that many different genetic types, but they could focus on the worst strains surely.  I hope within a year or two there will be a useful avian influenza vaccine for our poultry, but for now, all we can do is be alert, and do not be afraid to report deaths in your flock.  If you do nothing, you will still lose all your birds, and also contribute to its spread which is unfair to your neighbors.  You would not want someone to stick their head in the sand and by doing so expose your flock.

Be vigilant.  Be smart.  Be knowledgeable.

Great info to know, thanks for the info. Now glad the Mallards didn't stay (though we have no chickens yet). Very sad the wild birds are so at risk too! I was told MG and MS also can be spread through wild birds, MGhas to be tested for about every 3 months as it can crop up because birds can spread it. A show chicken breeder in TX told me that.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Very excited to discover feathers on the feet of 4! We had considered getting a BCM for some Olive eggers but wanted less assertive breeds. DH is especially ecstatic! Now we have an excuse to get more EEs!

We are visiting my MIL this afternoon. DH is working on some computer stuff for her. You can tell she thinks we've all lost our minds. She stooped asking us questions about our chickens awhile ago but the kids start talking and getting excited and her eyes get big and she gets this pained smile on her face. It is kinda funny. quote name="chickiefreak" url="/t/730582/indiana-bycers-here/39960#post_15140218"]Hey guys we got 4 EEs and 2 OEs from jchny2000 at least that's what we thought so we have 2 EEs and 4 OEs we found out today when my mom told me to get the 2 OEs so I got 2 OEs then she said to get to more chicks the EEs well they weren't EEs! They were OEs! So here's a pick of all of the OEs yes there is 4 in there.

[/quote]

 

[raisinemright]

Question for CornX raisers. If you want a bird dressed out at 6 pounds how much should the live bird weigh? At what weight should I process the bird to end up with 6 pounds? And just weighed four of my older birds and they are 3.08 pounds now at 5 weeks so how much longer??? I can't wait!!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I am also worried about the random drop in visitors. I had one just show up today trying to sell me roosters. I was out hosing off my driveway as soon as he left. I have no idea if the shoes he was wearing were clean. And I'm glad I was home and able to greet him before he could walk all round "looking" to see if I was home.
I need to invest in more fencing and locking gates but no money right now for that sort of thing.

Question for CornX raisers. If you want a bird dressed out at 6 pounds how much should the live bird weigh? At what weight should I process the bird to end up with 6 pounds? And just weighed four of my older birds and they are 3.08 pounds now at 5 weeks so how much longer??? I can't wait!!

I think it depends on how much you toss. But I'd say at least 15%-25% of our birds' weight were cat treats or feed for chickens. The head, the feet, the feathers, the organs, the nasty guts, and even the skin on few got tossed to the chickens or cats. And we did let the bird hang for a bit too so that was the start of the weight loss.

 

[birdman55]

dont forget to get tek trol...it kills many forms of ai....and many other diseases...spray on everything..hatchers, brooders, coops nest boxes...you name it...even eggs before you put them in the hatch...this is one way you can help prevent the spread of something like this...the question is how far are you willing to go for your birds...my answer is all the way...as you can tell

just saying all this talk about diseases....and how many people use disinfectants to sterilize their farm....just saying....some things can be avoided with proper human care...and alot of these larger facilities get inspected by the man...some feed places....like the one on the west side of michigan...cant remember the name of it...they inspected it and still sold infected feed to places...and a bunch i believe 50k of turkeys were put down....the man cares but the man only cares so much as when they depopulate it just drives the prices for that individual good higher at the time...