Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[bigmrg74]

the cockerel.

He's still looking for a new home.

 

[karimw]

I haven't heard anything about bans yet, but I get the regular updates from NPIP. I agree with Curt on the threat level. There doesn't seem to be a huge impact on the wild birds. The fact there ARE carriers indicates a substantial level of resistance. Those that are going to have a problem with this have many birds in close confinement with compromised immune systems. The impact is economical, not ecological. Hold on to your layers and raise turkeys, folks! They are going to be valuable this year

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

"The fact there ARE carriers indicates a substantial level of resistance. Those that are going to have a problem with this have many birds in close confinement with compromised immune systems. The impact is economical, not ecological."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

I haven't heard anything about bans yet, but I get the regular updates from NPIP. I agree with Curt on the threat level. There doesn't seem to be a huge impact on the wild birds. The fact there ARE carriers indicates a substantial level of resistance. Those that are going to have a problem with this have many birds in close confinement with compromised immune systems. The impact is economical, not ecological. Hold on to your layers and raise turkeys, folks! They are going to be valuable this year

I just read a 2010 NIH abstract that says wild birds exposed to LPAI were shown to have partial immunity to HPAI:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21146544 , and this article that proposes that LPAI transmission would decrease HPAI prevalence (from 2012) http://people.clas.ufl.edu/maia/files/LPAI-HPAI_Model2.pdf. They predicted that wild birds which have higher rates of LPAI transmission would be less affected by HPAI than domestic birds. I don't have any scientific conclusions but interesting in light of the current conversation.

Here's an article questioning the whole role of wild birds. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2015/03/role-wild-birds-us-h5n2-outbreaks-questioned

With regard to economics, I don't know if this is still true, but in the past a farmer with dead birds from disease was just out of business. But, a farmer whose flock was destroyed for public health received compensation. The smart farmer would call the feds at the first sign of HPAI. I wonder how many of the millions of birds culled were sick? Probably a moot point, given the situation I don't think there is a better option.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

I just realized I didn't put the link to the second article reference above. Its added now.

 

[bigmrg74]

the cockerel.

And Poop!! That cockerel I'm trying to get rid off, managed to somehow chip his beak. No idea how he did it.





Looks like he got just the tip of it. so much for him being a show quality bird now.

 

[Dirt Farmer]

He didn't seem to lose much of it. I've trimmed that much off a feather picker in the past, and it grew back, a couple times.

 

[karimw]

And Poop!! That cockerel I'm trying to get rid off, managed to somehow chip his beak. No idea how he did it.





Looks like he got just the tip of it. so much for him being a show quality bird now.

That will grow right back

 

[Dirt Farmer]

It's been 7 months since I became an accidental IB owner. I'm starting to evaluate all my chicken breeds and set up breeding pens. I have no illusions that the one cockerel and one pullet I received as packing peanuts from Sand Hill each grew up to be breeder quality. I know that they are not silvers. They are small (cockerel 4.75 lbs and pullet 3.25 lbs.), the pullet laid early but after two months of laying, lays a 1 3/8 oz egg. The cockerel has a short back. Their overwhelming selling point to me is that they have personality, more than the rest of my chickens combined. And, I think the cockerel is beautiful. I will likely breed these at least one season for my own enjoyment. I figure as long as they don't leave my property I won't be producing so-so birds and doing damage to the efforts of others who are serious about the breed and its improvement. I snapped a few pictures of them today. The pullets fluff is wet because I gave it a shower from the hose nozzle. Her wing normally folds nicely but I think it was disturbed from the weigh-in tussle. Comments are welcomed, good or bad. I have little invested with regard to both money and experience, so its just about learning more for me. Click to enlarge.

 

[bigmrg74]

He didn't seem to lose much of it. I've trimmed that much off a feather picker in the past, and it grew back, a couple times.

That will grow right back

Good to know that. Still kinda new to the whole chicken thing yet.

Got brave tonight and put my 10 week old Iowa's out with the rest of my flock tonight. Loaded up the coop with plenty of treats and stuff for everybody to have in the morning.