"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[AprilsFrizzles]

For anyone who currently purchases hay or has purchased hay in the past for their livestock, have you ever heard or seen anything like this......
I found a person in my area that had an ad that was selling bales of hay for $4.50, so I contacted this person. I try to support local people as often as I can instead of going to the big name places and making them rich. I say why not support local. Well, I don't think I will be supporting this local person EVER again. As I talked to this person over the phone, this person bragged about how good their hay looked and how great it was and this and that and this and that. Really, it was overkill but I shrugged it off. I went to this person's house and bought 4 bales of hay. Anyway, we made it to their place and when I saw the hay, I was NOT impressed. Although it was in a covered barn (which doesn't mean anything to me because it could have been sitting out in the elements for days and weeks before bringing it in) it looked dull with no life. It just didn't impress me. So, we purchased 4 bales being as though we drove a few miles to get there and I didn't want to hurt this person's feeling by telling them I didn't want the hay. Well, we got home and we unloaded the hay. I placed a bale in the sheep pen and goat pen. My sheep know their hay and if they don't like the hay, they will NOT eat it. They can tell good and the bad and the ugly hay. It's not as if they have to eat it because there is nothing else like I see as I drive around in the country. If they don't like it, the hay will stay there until it turns to dirt. Anyway, this weekend when I cleaned the nesting boxes, I used some of this new hay to replace the old hay. Well, as soon as I broke it open I noticed a stick in the hay. But I didn't think anything about it, so I continue to pull the hay apart. As I continued, I saw more and more twigs, sticks, tree bark, etc. I was speechless to see the condition of this hay. I have been buying hay for A LONG TIME and I have NEVER saw anything like this. And I mean NEVER. So, at the end of cleaning the nesting boxes, I decided to take a pic of all of the crap that I found in the hay. Take a look at this. Well, I know I won't be buying hay from this person again. They have lost my business!!!! By the way, my sheep didn't touch the hay and the goat kicked the hay around in his house and is now using it as bedding to sleep on.

I guess the only good thing is that I was able to use the hay for my nesting boxes.

Geez now wonder it was so cheap. They must have ran over some trees while baling the hay

You can always use the sticks for a fire LOL This person should not be selling hay!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

For anyone who currently purchases hay or has purchased hay in the past for their livestock, have you ever heard or seen anything like this...... I found a person in my area that had an ad that was selling bales of hay for $4.50, so I contacted this person. I try to support local people as often as I can instead of going to the big name places and making them rich. I say why not support local. Well, I don't think I will be supporting this local person EVER again. As I talked to this person over the phone, this person bragged about how good their hay looked and how great it was and this and that and this and that. Really, it was overkill but I shrugged it off. I went to this person's house and bought 4 bales of hay. Anyway, we made it to their place and when I saw the hay, I was NOT impressed. Although it was in a covered barn (which doesn't mean anything to me because it could have been sitting out in the elements for days and weeks before bringing it in) it looked dull with no life. It just didn't impress me. So, we purchased 4 bales being as though we drove a few miles to get there and I didn't want to hurt this person's feeling by telling them I didn't want the hay. Well, we got home and we unloaded the hay. I placed a bale in the sheep pen and goat pen. My sheep know their hay and if they don't like the hay, they will NOT eat it. They can tell good and the bad and the ugly hay. It's not as if they have to eat it because there is nothing else like I see as I drive around in the country. If they don't like it, the hay will stay there until it turns to dirt. Anyway, this weekend when I cleaned the nesting boxes, I used some of this new hay to replace the old hay. Well, as soon as I broke it open I noticed a stick in the hay. But I didn't think anything about it, so I continue to pull the hay apart. As I continued, I saw more and more twigs, sticks, tree bark, etc. I was speechless to see the condition of this hay. I have been buying hay for A LONG TIME and I have NEVER saw anything like this. And I mean NEVER. So, at the end of cleaning the nesting boxes, I decided to take a pic of all of the crap that I found in the hay. Take a look at this. Well, I know I won't be buying hay from this person again. They have lost my business!!!! By the way, my sheep didn't touch the hay and the goat kicked the hay around in his house and is now using it as bedding to sleep on. I guess the only good thing is that I was able to use the hay for my nesting boxes. :/

Geez now wonder it was so cheap. They must have ran over some trees while baling the hay You can always use the sticks for a fire LOL This person should not be selling hay!!

LOL @ I can always use the sticks for fire. THAT IS FUNNY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to call her and tell her in a very nice way the condition of her hay but someone told me not to do it and just let it go and not to buy anymore. I know I won't buy any more hay from her but I wanted to make her aware of the product that she is selling. She may not know. The person that is doing it for her may be doing something she knows nothing about. But I have been told not to call her. :/ If it were me and I was selling an product, I would want my customers to tell me if I sold them something that was not up to par. It's called customer/buyer feedback. At least give the buyer the chance to make it right or correct the problem so it doesn't happen again in the future. But that's just me. I know we can't please everyone but I think as a seller, she should be made aware. People tell me I'm too "vocal" and somethings need to be left alone. :/

 

[chickenbelle]

Sandy, I really can't tell you either as you stated you find more than one possible answer when you ask and as I had told primrosemom earlier chicken stuffs are hard to diagnose over the web. Had a cousin go by Red and White (feedstore) today and ask for Sulmet, they were sold out as it is every year this time, lots of diseases floating around. I have 4 of her banties here in isolation/hospital treating them for a respiratory illness, looks to be(smells) like Coryza if so they will always be carriers I have explained this to them too. If you are not getting results you may want to switch to a different antibiotic (terramayacin,agri-myacin) they have this at Red and White or Hernandez.

I hope you get it figured out and too on the adding vitamin water along with some things as Sulmet (for sure) and Corrid(maybe too), is they are vitamin B blockers(niacin, I believe it is, its not fresh in my memory right now) but anyway you fight a double step when using both so while treating them drop putting the vitamins in the water and resume them after the treatments are complete (hopefully), you can add a little Karo or sugar for some extra energy tho.

'bout all I got for now I hate having to deal with an unhealthy flock issues but it happens to all ever so often, its in the air, soil and wild critters too.

Jeff

Jeff,

I bought Safeguard wormer this time and I got the Teramycin. I will try anything, as I'm unsure what I'm really battling. I'm afraid to overload them, so I'm doing the vitamin water now and will wait a week before trying the Teramycin. When I run the symptoms through a checklist, it leans towards Mareck's after I found another ill bird today--she's sitting on her rump instead of her feet. She eats and drinks, but won't move around from that spot. I think for now I'm just going to keep all of the chickens that aren't in this flock at least 50 or so yards away. We have the acreage, so I can separate them well enough. If it is Mareck's, I guess these guys who survive will just remain there without mingling with any others.

If I read correctly, and it turns out to be Mareck's, the eggs are still okay and it won't be passed to the chicks as long as the chicks aren't hatched by their mother. I'd have to incubate them. I'd be afraid to put them under another broody. Who knows...so many illnesses...same symptoms. I am terribly frustrated.

I'm sure that coryza battle over there isn't easy, either. Is it better to just cull them if they are carriers?

Sandy

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Raining here too. But is at work. Came home for lunch. The girl are wet. Just couldn't stay out of the rain. But the hen house is dry if they want to go in

Same thing here. The coop is dry and under a canopy covered in tarp. I got home from the movies and the girls were SOAKED! I wish I had been home to see what they were doing..."singing in the rain?" LOL

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Same thing here. The coop is dry and under a canopy covered in tarp. I got home from the movies and the girls were SOAKED! I wish I had been home to see what they were doing..."singing in the rain?" LOL

PS I went to see Les Miserables. Those poor girls looked like extras from the movie! LOL I just don't understand why they would stand in the rain when they have a clean, dry coop with food and water in it.

 

[chickenbelle]

Mine do the same thing! They look all stringy and naked, but happy as can be. I could almost understand a nice spring or summer rain dance, but this mess is COLD!

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Mine do the same thing! They look all stringy and naked, but happy as can be. I could almost understand a nice spring or summer rain dance, but this mess is COLD!

Mine sure don't! -- they have been holed up in their coop all day long today -- I even pitched some leftover pasta out in the run to entice them out, but NOOOO!!!! -- all I got were some dirty looks!

I keep trying to tell them, Sugar don't melt -- it just lumps!! but they just won't listen to Mama!

Chickenbelle - you for sure have my sympathy--- is there an avian vet anywhere near you that you can get to do a culture or something? (yeah, I know, given your area, like me, probably not - but I had to ask) I'd do the same as you are doing, keep them separate & try not to overload their systems....

 

[catdaddyfro]

Jeff,

I bought Safeguard wormer this time and I got the Teramycin. I will try anything, as I'm unsure what I'm really battling. I'm afraid to overload them, so I'm doing the vitamin water now and will wait a week before trying the Teramycin. When I run the symptoms through a checklist, it leans towards Mareck's after I found another ill bird today--she's sitting on her rump instead of her feet. She eats and drinks, but won't move around from that spot. I think for now I'm just going to keep all of the chickens that aren't in this flock at least 50 or so yards away. We have the acreage, so I can separate them well enough. If it is Mareck's, I guess these guys who survive will just remain there without mingling with any others.

If I read correctly, and it turns out to be Mareck's, the eggs are still okay and it won't be passed to the chicks as long as the chicks aren't hatched by their mother. I'd have to incubate them. I'd be afraid to put them under another broody. Who knows...so many illnesses...same symptoms. I am terribly frustrated.

I'm sure that coryza battle over there isn't easy, either. Is it better to just cull them if they are carriers?

Sandy

If it is Mareks and by the way you described the one on her haunches which sounds like typical mareks symtoms I wouldn't waste any meds on them mareks is viral so not affected by antibiotics they either don't get it and live or get it and die very few ever survive a bout with it but if they do they will be carriers for life, and yes too if the respiratory illness is coryza they should be culled too as they will also be carriers too, too many out there to be infected by keeping them around. all the good stock will have enough chances in life to contract the crap without extra incentive, I will tell my cousin this then its up to her to decide, I have these banties away from any of mine and the isolation box they are in now will be thoroughly scrubbed and sterilized before I use it for anything else.

Sorry, and I feel for you, it is bad to deal with such, I know it from experience.

Jeff

 

[James Marie]

This is the best site I've ever found to help people with avian disease problems...hope it helps...

http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/lists/disease

 

[James Marie]

Sorry...
I'm a friend of kuntrygirl...
I'm the quail man as most call me around here....St. Landry Parish..LA
the site from Cornell U has most major diseases and multiple pics of each infection...
Every time somebody ask me about a possible problem I always refer them there first as a starting point....
We do have a couple great Avian Vets in South LA also for those with advanced problems....
But as catdaddyfro posted most times culling is the best route...
Again..Sorry for just jumping in....unannounced...
Best of Luck!!!