Maine

[hoppy]

most of the fairs do offer bird for sale. Fryburg fair, isn't that in Oct??

Does anyone have suggestions where I might get pullets locally during the summer? I missed PFU's ordering and I am to nervous to order straight runs anyways due to our zoning. I'm looking for bantums in the fryeburg area. Also, can you purchase birds at the fryeburg fair?

 

[MEMama3]

Yes. A little late in the year. Do you think too late to get some chicks?

 

[hoppy]

not at all. I'm getting turkeys soon. (anyone want to share an order of broad breasted white turkeys?)

Yes. A little late in the year. Do you think too late to get some chicks?

 

[ducklucky]

Still have my buff ducklings for sale, they are feathering out nicely and we will be putting them outside in a pen when this weather clears. We are in Monroe by the way. They are all NPIP certified. Would like to see them go in at least pairs if not more.

A garden chart is a great idea. Our neighbor does it religiously, it's always hard to remember when you planted this or that or when the last frost occurred. We depend on his chart for our own garden and follow his lead. After our false spring, people got over zealous until they looked at their chart and wisely put things off.

We'll be moving our barn up front so it is accessible in winter. We're at the age where it's kinda scary in winter, it gets very icy back there with all the trees. Melts and freezes over and over, you could skate back there. If one of us was to fall, it would be some time before rescue. Our friend works with the wife of the guy who fell off his roof a couple years ago and ended up head first in a snow drift. Thank goodness she was home at the time, he would have suffocated very quickly. It's also predator zone, abuts the woods, and everything you can think of lives back there. The guys who will move it built it from the ground up, so they know what they are doing. Will be very exciting to have everyone under one roof! Can then have the little coop for broodies and babies only.

Come on sunshine, don't want those seeds to rot in the ground like they did a few years ago! Have a great time at your shows everyone, wish we could be there but hub's health prevents us from doing these things.

 

[ashandvine]

My avatar is not a duck. It is a Saddleback Pomeranian Goose

 

[pellepeterson]

Hey gang, been a few days of very busy EMS type stuff, it is EMS Week after all and I want to thank any of my fellow providers! Hug an EMT or Advanced EMT or Paramedic this week if you know any!

Now onto the troops! No eggs yet, I think I am getting greedy...they do seem to enjoy their little home, and yard and I have not had any predator problems at all, I thank Thor, our Pit Bull he is an awesome CGD! Meat bird tractor project is on hold, we are suffering a bit in the wallet department...I will get them before it is too late in the fall to process them.

The garden is going well, transplanted the corn almost two weeks ago, and it is growing fast, moved the peas and transplanted the peppers...things are looking up! We just need some sun in Maine!!!

 

[Dita Von Cluck]

Yeah, this weather is the pits!!

 

[CoopChick719]

My avatar is not a duck. It is a Saddleback Pomeranian Goose

I'm sorry Ash! See I don't even know my ducks from my geese!

Regardless, he's a cute little bugger!

 

[ashandvine]

No worries. I wasn't offended. They are a critically endangered breed so you won't see them much less their babies much anyway.

I have a tough question to ask. I have been thinking a lot about the drama in NH and feel like it really is in our back yard. Wild birds can and do carry MG. There's folks trading and swapping and it would be foolish of us to think that there wasn't disease here. I think that I would like to learn from NH and maybe be proactive about supporting each other as we go through testing steps and educating ourselves so that we are all safer-- birds too. SOMEONE is going to find out they have sick birds. They shouldn't be branded with a big red C (for cull) but supported. No one wants to go through this. I have been privy to some of the personal stories and while those people who sell while knowing their birds might be ill is wrong those who just don't know can't be blamed. I would rather build a community of people through BYC that supported each other through the whole process of test, cull if you have to, and rebuild if we can. So here is the question: Would anyone else be proactive about testing their birds for MG and Coryza? Do you think 'you' the Maine BYC folks could be compassionate to anyone who does and finds out the work ahead of them starts with killing all their favorite birds? I got thinking about this and realized I am a bit more attached to a few of my birds than others. The idea of culling them is tragic to me. But it would be the right thing to do if I found out they were carriers of something as serious as these diseases. I think we all want poultry keeping to be as simple as feed, water, scrape, collect but... it isn't. Even your closed flock, NPIP or not, could have these germs. The point that it could happen to any of us has really hung heavy with me since a friend of mine in NH who is educated and careful found out she has to cull some of her birds. Not all thankfully for her but some. Its more than an expense of money but of trust and work and time and love sometimes. I have found BYC to be really helpful and supportive as a resource. I would hope that in a time when there is a lot of death and struggle we could be the same. Just food for thought. I think I am going to have my birds tested. I also think I am going to start immunizing my birds against certain things starting now as chicks, this year. Thoughts?

 

[Paulajon]

My paint silkies ,just wanted to share