"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Cody A]

Ok. Thank you

That'd be great if some started laying soon.

I opened up the nest boxes. Some of the girls checked them out even a couple boys went in them to make sure they were ok for laying eggs in. It's funny to watch them do this. I've seen the cockerels exhibit this behavior in a couple places around my shop that might make good nesting places. I figured that's what they were doing.

To save me from searching for the answer. I guess I should go ahead and put out oyster shell/calcium supplement. Just got my order of Scratch-n-Peck Grower from Azure. So won't be able to get Layer feed for another month. Should I start the Layer on next order? I know you said before to watch for the combs to turn red.

 

[Ron Skekel]

 Ok. Thank you   That'd be great if some started laying soon.

I opened up the nest boxes. Some of the girls checked them out even a couple boys went in them to make sure they were ok for laying eggs in. It's funny to watch them do this. I've seen the cockerels exhibit this behavior in a couple places around my shop that might make good nesting places. I figured that's what they were doing.

To save me from searching for the answer. I guess I should go ahead and put out oyster shell/calcium supplement. Just got my order of Scratch-n-Peck Grower from Azure. So won't be able to get Layer feed for another month. Should I start the Layer on next order? I know you said before to watch for the combs to turn red.

Yes I wait till the combs turn red to start layer. Last month I ran out of layer and have everyone grower they still layed. I always leave oyster shell out. They know when they need calcium. I leave grit out for chicks too. They also know what they need some eat it some don't. I got a fart egg today from my Biefelders that are the same age as yours. If the combs aren't red before your next order I would buy at least one bag just in case. Pam

 

[Cody A]

Pam, did you ever find out what Biele import are the new chicks you have? I only have two cockerels of yours left. There were only three that hatched.

I lost a 2013 last week. Found him dead in the run. There were two puncture marks on his comb. It looked like another bird had bitten it. Maybe there was a scuffle. I don't know. He was the best looking of the three so I was bummed.

 

[LindaB220]

I've got everything setup to process in the morning. The CX won't fit in the cones I have so I'll have to hang them by their feet with the string beside the birdhouse. These birds are 12 weeks. There are a few whopper cockerels. The pullets ain't shabby either. This is the colonel. That's a 2x6 he's standing by. A couple pics of my tomato plants.

Cody, I'm just loving your set up. It seems that you have done everything right. Still working on getting my tomatoes in the ground. Slow going with the heat and rain.

 

[LindaB220]

Her update. 



Okay folks here is the skinny. The folks in Iowa who are responsible for all 4 of our quarantines in Louisiana, shipped eggs or live birds to 37 states in the last two weeks.

The state was somewhat unprepared for the complexity of the situation. All the orders came through the Rock River Poultry in Iowa, but not all the birds or eggs originated there: They were drop shipped from all over the place including New Mexico and Georgia. Right now the USDA is back tracing all those sources and testing them. Plus, they are trying to identify what went where from whom.

Dr. Stacy says that right now they are monitoring and will begin testing probably today. She isn't sure if the flocks will be destroyed or not at this point. However, if we get a single confirmed positive from any bird at any of the 4 quarantined premises, the state is closing the borders: nothing in....nothing out. She mentioned doing what Iowa did. Their is a big meeting next Thursday that most of the large commercial folks will be attending. I imagine if the other shoe is going to drop in the absence of a positive finding, it will happen soon after this.

They are also pretty upset that their enhanced entry requirements didn't reach everyone. I will paste them below for everyone to review.

Additionally, they have very recently found a confirmed case of H5 low path avian influenza in wild waterfowl. Although it isn't exactly the same virus, they and the Feds are very worried about its appearance here due to the feral hog population. Pigs/hogs are the viral link between avian species and humans. If the pigs catch it and it mutates, then we will have human Avian Influenza.

Lastly, they would like to stress to please, please call their office at 225-925-3980 to report any unusual deaths or large scale illness of poultry or fowl.

Louisiana's emergency order from March-

All poultry entering Louisiana from a state affected with AI must meet the following entry requirements:

No live poultry or poultry products may enter Louisiana from an area designated as a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) infected zone until the official quarantine has been released.

Poultry includes chickens, turkeys, quail, pheasants, peafowl, guineas, chukars and other partridge, grouse, ratites and domestic ducks.

Poultry products include hatching eggs, chicks, poults, table eggs, litter, and offal, but do not include processed poultry meat for human consumption.
All poultry entering Louisiana must originate from a National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) AI clean flock or must be tested negative for AI within 7 days of entry (by antibody or antigen capture methodologies recognized by NPIP).
All poultry shipments into Louisiana must be accompanied by an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) and proof of NPIP certification for Salmonella Pullorum/Typhoid (P/T) clean status with NPIP Form 9-2 or NPIP negative testing within 30 days of entry

ICVI must state origin of shipment

_________________________________________________________
The first people that were quarantined were notified that they will be destroying their entire flock.  Ugh! The state vet said that they would be bringing a mobile incinerator so as to make quick work of the disposal. 

This is only about an hour or so from us. 

This is wretched. But we knew that it was only a matter of time

 

[Cody A]

Hey Sweetie. Glad to see you posting. Been wondering where you were

Wish we lived closer together.

Thank you for the compliment. It's the first time in years that I've been able to grow something and I'm really enjoying watching the plants grow.

I tried to do the coop setup right. I can see in the future I will probably build another coop but not as large. I have a plan in my head to have a main breed to work with and maybe do a couple cycles of meat birds a year. Now that my birds are older and I'm kind of getting past the basics I can learn other aspects of raising and breeding chooks. I've dabbled a bit reading on genetics but the subject really makes my head hurt. Pretty much over my head.

How have you been and how's everything going in your neck of the woods?

 

[LindaB220]

Hey buddy. Thanks. I've been playing with the new pressure canner I bought. I wanted to have my handyman build me raised beds but I think I'll have to improvise with grow bags this year. Whatever it takes to get me a boat load of 'maters and peppers. LoL

 

[Cody A]

Oh. You've been canning veggies. Sounds good. How you doing since the surgery? Are you back to normal, somewhat.

 

[LemonMeringue]

I thought I would share pictures of our first crossed chicks for meat. Malay x Marans or EE hens. The chicks are fast growers with the males having a nice amount of leg thigh meat. The breast is just OK. We are going to work on that later. Here are some pictures of males, which is mostly what we have had.

This guy is going to freezer camp tonight or in the am.

I'm only going to keep hens from these breedings. The boys above are EE x Malay and the pullet is Marans x Malay. I have 8 more chicks that I think we have about 3 or 4 pullets in. They are really little still. The funny thing is. The cock bird is SUCH A TURD. I mean really!!! He charges the fence and bites me anytime my hands is close to the wire. He seriously is a beast. But every single one of these chicks have been serious snuggle bugs. They bond to us and love hugs. It must be a game bird thing. We have never experienced this before. When we put a group of juvies into the greenhouse they would guys and guys when they saw us. Then we would go see them and squat down. They jumped on your lap and snuggle their face up in your neck and hair and then just sir there. We were dumfounded the first time. After a good snuggle then they were off to play. That lasted a few days until they gained confidence. Then we got hugs only when WE picked them up. So funny.

 

[Ron Skekel]

Pam, did you ever find out what Biele import are the new chicks you have? I only have two cockerels of yours left. There were only three that hatched. 

I lost a 2013 last week. Found him dead in the run. There were two puncture marks on his comb. It looked like another bird had bitten it. Maybe there was a scuffle. I don't know. He was the best looking of the three so I was bummed.

It's always the best looking or the one you like best. Bummer. The ones I got direct from greenfire are the 2013 import. Only 3 eggs hatched or only three cockerels? Also was told the few orders I have that had extra packing peanuts that turned out to be Biefelders are also 2013. I have three month old pair that were peanuts. They said when they import they bring in at least two different lines for diversity. She did tell be sometimes when the breed is ultra rare they can only get one line. Pam