Maine

[buckabucka]

Thanks, yes, I just discovered those maps. All kinds of maps, -by date, type of bird, etc. it is interesting to see not only the clusters, but the lone, seemingly random outbreaks. Only one case in all of Indiana, and it was someone's backyard flock.

Despite all the outbreaks, the map makes me feel better, seeing all the areas that haven't been hit.

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, if the avian flu is going to hit, nothing we can do will stop it. However, it's interesting that most of the outbreaks have been in mega poultry farms, and it seems that those birds are not at all exposed to wild birds, much less to migratory water fowl. IMO, while it's a concern, there's a lot of fear mongering going on. But, one thing I have started doing, and will continue to do is this: Keep a supply of fresh eggs, unwashed on my kitchen counter. I will rotate those out, so there is always about a week's worth of fresh eggs handy, so if needed, I'd have the genetic material handy to rejuvenate my flock.

I came home this evening, and went out to check on the birds. Found Mama broody with some little fluffy butts under her. There's a little black girl, a yellow, and 1 or 2 chipmunky chicks. 2 eggs yet to hatch. Can't wait to get a closer look to see if my gender selection was successful again. Mama is doing a good job taking care of them.

 

[Feather duster]

I've been looking at the pros & cons of hanging a maggot bucket in the back corner of my chicken yard. I know rotting meat really stinks so I was wondering if something like cow manure would work. It seems like it wouldn't stink half as much, and less chance of botulism. I would like to hear what some of your thoughts are, and some ideas or alternatives to using decaying meat.

 

[lazy gardener]

I am completely thoughtless! Let me know how it works!!

 

[diana507]

Congrats on the wedding, and it sounds like you'll have a lovely time exploring the coast.

Fiddlehead Artisan Supply
159 High Street
Belfast, ME 04915
www.fiddleheadartisansupply.com

Hours
Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Open year-round

The free pattern row by row has fishes.

I got your pattern today for you from Belfast.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I got your pattern today for you from Belfast.

Thank you so much!!!

For those of you looking for the AI map tracker: http://www.wattagnet.com/Avian_influenza_outbreak_map.html

At the bottom of the map it says "species" - click on that and you can sort the data how you'd like. The "by operation" shows you that it's mostly commercial and wild infected.

 

[diana507]

...

Thank you so much!!!

For those of you looking for the AI map tracker: http://www.wattagnet.com/Avian_influenza_outbreak_map.html

At the bottom of the map it says "species" - click on that and you can sort the data how you'd like. The "by operation" shows you that it's

Thank you so much!!!

For those of you looking for the AI map tracker: http://www.wattagnet.com/Avian_influenza_outbreak_map.html

At the bottom of the map it says "species" - click on that and you can sort the data how you'd like. The "by operation" shows you that it's mostly commercial and wild infected.

If you can pm me I could mail it to you. I can't remember what town you said you lived in. Lol

 

[buckabucka]

I had a bad experience with maggots this summer, so it is hard to think about a maggot bucket. My old white leghorn died from fly strike. It was nothing I had heard of before, and she was active right up until the morning she died. It was only after I found her dead that I discovered why. It was nasty.

I had another strange bug experience today. I cleaned out the coop, which was a mess (cleaning is a once-a-year project). Under every brick, cinder block, or wood support, there were these larva that looked like segmented worms. Sometimes I found black beetles with them, sometimes just larva. After searching online, I think they were mealworms! I did not even entertain the idea of feeding them to the chickens at the time. I was just thinking how disgusting it was that I was growing bugs in the coop. Where did they come from? Eggs in the feed? I may have created and systematically destroyed my own mealworm farm.

 

[mlowen]

I've been looking at the pros & cons of hanging a maggot bucket in the back corner of my chicken yard. I know rotting meat really stinks so I was wondering if something like cow manure would work. It seems like it wouldn't stink half as much, and less chance of botulism. I would like to hear what some of your thoughts are, and some ideas or alternatives to using decaying meat. 

I think Harvey Ussery writes about trying that with road kill and his birds did get botulism and die. People south of us can raise soldier fly larvae. We could probably generate some by buying breeding adults each summer. They eat veggies and poop and the adults don't eat or bite. Lots of info on building crawl off contraptions and raising them here on BYC and you tube.

 

[lazy gardener]

I had a bad experience with maggots this summer, so it is hard to think about a maggot bucket. My old white leghorn died from fly strike. It was nothing I had heard of before, and she was active right up until the morning she died. It was only after I found her dead that I discovered why. It was nasty.

I had another strange bug experience today. I cleaned out the coop, which was a mess (cleaning is a once-a-year project). Under every brick, cinder block, or wood support, there were these larva that looked like segmented worms. Sometimes I found black beetles with them, sometimes just larva. After searching online, I think they were mealworms! I did not even entertain the idea of feeding them to the chickens at the time. I was just thinking how disgusting it was that I was growing bugs in the coop. Where did they come from? Eggs in the feed? I may have created and systematically destroyed my own mealworm farm.

Yep, probably had a thriving colony of meal worms going. I wonder if you brought some of the litter back in if you could re-generate them. I'm guessing that you have a fair amount of feed spilled in your coop to attract mealworms (I think the adult is a "darkling beetle")