Maine

[buckabucka]

Cucumber beetles are the out-of-control bug around here!

Get a cucumber beetle trap... sticky yellow.

Oh, thanks! I've never tried those. Did you get both the sticky tape and the lure, or is the lure not really necessary? (I'd hate to attract more than I already have!)
Right now, I am spraying with Surround (poor, pathetic-looking, clay encrusted plants!) and hand-picking twice a day, but it seems like this will get beyond me when the plants get bigger.

The squash/corn/melon hoop house is looking rather set back at the moment, but we have visible peppers in the other one!

 

[MaineGigi]

Julie- thanks for the info. I called RTEnterprises and they are holding 6 barred rocks for me. I'm heading to Winthrop to pick them up tomorrow. I had never heard of them but am glad I have another place to check out! Thanks again.
~Cathy aka Gigi

 

[TayFray!]

I went to the augusta swap yesterday, blah... Buying season is coming to a close and things are slow. But still managed to sell a bunny and a cage, and trade a bunny for 2 hens! Happy about it! I got some young black breasted red old english bantams, a partridge wyandotte bantam hen, and a partridge cochin bantam rooster! anyone want some fancy chickens let me know, I have some for sale!

 

[MustardTiger]

Hi again,
Ugh I am beginning to suspect my chicken has Mareks which really makes me upset since it lives in the soil and will now be part of my land for years... Any of you who got your chickens from Empire Acres...have you run into this? It is just in one chicken so far and I hope to goodness the other ones are immune, so far none of them are showing any signs what so ever and are totally happy and healthy. All of these girls are about 10 weeks old.

Here is a video of the poor thing:

She is eating and drinking normally, talking and her eyes look fine to me:



and here is a pic of her poop:


I want to be pretty sure this is Mareks before I decide what to do. I am left with a crappy decision...will I try and treat her with herbs or, should I put her out of her misery. These girls were going to be our egg producers and are not necessarily pets so, if it has to be done, we will do it...Very sad since this is our first ever small flock Looks like next year I will be getting chicks that are vaccinated.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Oh, thanks! I've never tried those. Did you get both the sticky tape and the lure, or is the lure not really necessary? (I'd hate to attract more than I already have!)
Right now, I am spraying with Surround (poor, pathetic-looking, clay encrusted plants!) and hand-picking twice a day, but it seems like this will get beyond me when the plants get bigger.
The squash/corn/melon hoop house is looking rather set back at the moment, but we have visible peppers in the other one!

That picture was just of the sticky trap catchings, I had bought the lure but forgot about it so didn't put it up until a few minutes before I took the picture. Seems to work the same as with the lure, at least for me. I went and ordered a few more because they're starting in the front yard now. They're getting under my cloches, too, the jerks.

I got wicked sunburnt at the swap yesterday, and I was only there 3 hours (and the only birds I sold were in the first 10 minutes of me being there, uggh). I'll have to wait until sundown to go out and squish the bugs in the front yard. Hopefully my traps come soon.

 

[Mainechick168]

Hi again,
Ugh I am beginning to suspect my chicken has Mareks which really makes me upset since it lives in the soil and will now be part of my land for years... Any of you who got your chickens from Empire Acres...have you run into this? It is just in one chicken so far and I hope to goodness the other ones are immune, so far none of them are showing any signs what so ever and are totally happy and healthy. All of these girls are about 10 weeks old.

Here is a video of the poor thing:

She is eating and drinking normally, talking and her eyes look fine to me:



and here is a pic of her poop:


I want to be pretty sure this is Mareks before I decide what to do. I am left with a crappy decision...will I try and treat her with herbs or, should I put her out of her misery. These girls were going to be our egg producers and are not necessarily pets so, if it has to be done, we will do it...Very sad since this is our first ever small flock Looks like next year I will be getting chicks that are vaccinated.

I don't know anything about Mareks, but I'm sorry to hear your girl is not doing well! All of my birds from empire acres seem to be doing fine.

 

[hoppy]

I had my best day ever selling yesterday yet!!! i emptied out 4 carriers of birds. I know most everyone (if not everyone) there sold at least something, that;s saying something for sure!!!

I went to the augusta swap yesterday, blah... Buying season is coming to a close and things are slow. But still managed to sell a bunny and a cage, and trade a bunny for 2 hens! Happy about it! I got some young black breasted red old english bantams, a partridge wyandotte bantam hen, and a partridge cochin bantam rooster! anyone want some fancy chickens let me know, I have some for sale!

 

[hoppy]

my friend that is not on BYC has the following birds/ items for sale.(I am trying to get her on here) for more info on any of these things call Fran 426-8six92
if anyone is interested, call her today and she might be willing to hold or bring to the augusta swap if presold.

We have Muscovy Ducklings a day old to 3 days old $5.00 each the colors
are blk/wh and choc/wh.
Have two older ducklings $10.00 each they are choc/wh and blk/wh.


Two Rolls of Game Bird Netting 12.5' x 150' NEW $200.00 each.
This netting sells for over $300.00 a roll. Good to use on chickens
and Peafowl pens.

Partridge Wyandott Bantams they are out of very good stock.
These chickens would be good for showing or just to have around for
eggs and chasing after bugs. $10.00 each

White Face Black Spanish bantams that are ready to go. These are nice chickens they do best free ranging will go back to chicken house at night. They lay a white egg when they
get old enough. $20.00 a pair.

Have 3 New nest boxes for hens to lay their eggs in.
Each box has 4 holes. $50.00 each.

 

[buckabucka]

Oh, thanks! I've never tried those. Did you get both the sticky tape and the lure, or is the lure not really necessary? (I'd hate to attract more than I already have!)

Right now, I am spraying with Surround (poor, pathetic-looking, clay encrusted plants!) and hand-picking twice a day, but it seems like this will get beyond me when the plants get bigger.

The squash/corn/melon hoop house is looking rather set back at the moment, but we have visible peppers in the other one!

That picture was just of the sticky trap catchings, I had  bought the lure but forgot about it so didn't put it up until a few minutes before I took the picture. Seems to work the same as with the lure, at least for me. I went and ordered a few more because they're starting in the front yard now. They're getting under my cloches, too, the jerks.

I got wicked sunburnt at the swap yesterday, and I was only there 3 hours (and the only birds I sold were in the first 10 minutes of me being there, uggh). I'll have to wait until sundown to go out and squish the bugs in the front yard. Hopefully my traps come soon.

Bummer. I hate sunburn.

I may try those traps when my plants get bigger. Right now, I seem to be winning, but the poor plants are caked in clay. The plants don't seem to mind, but it looks bad.

Okay, I have more bug questions. My chickens have lice, and I've been just trying DE so far, but my question is really about me. I carried around a hen today, waiting for DH to help me put on her new saddle. Then I put her in my lap while the saddle was strapped on, and flipped her over to check for mites and lice. She definitely still has lice, we saw them.

Then I worked in the garden for an hour. Soon after, I felt like black flies were crawling all through my hair. It was lice! DH crushed about 20 of them. I immediately blamed it on working with school children, rushed to the drug store, and treated my head.

But then going through my hair with a nit comb, we did not find even one. Do you think that chicken lice crawl onto people, even though I know they can't live there? If so, why did they gravitate toward my scalp, and as many as 20? And if this was human lice, how come I never had any crawly sensation before? I know I'll probably never know. I'm washing sheets and stuff, but I don't know how carried away I need to get. I'm hoping someone tells me that chicken lice sometimes crawl on people, so I can relax!

And Mustard Tiger, - very sorry about your hen! The video is sad. I have no experience with Marek's.

 

[klf73]

Hi again,
Ugh I am beginning to suspect my chicken has Mareks which really makes me upset since it lives in the soil and will now be part of my land for years... Any of you who got your chickens from Empire Acres...have you run into this? It is just in one chicken so far and I hope to goodness the other ones are immune, so far none of them are showing any signs what so ever and are totally happy and healthy. All of these girls are about 10 weeks old.

Here is a video of the poor thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDQBOZTyi5g&feature=youtu.be    

She is eating and drinking normally, talking and her eyes look fine to me:



and here is a pic of her poop:


I want to be pretty sure this is Mareks before I decide what to do. I am left with a crappy decision...will I try and treat her with herbs or, should I put her out of her misery. These girls were going to be our egg producers and are not necessarily pets so, if it has to be done, we will do it...Very sad since this is our first ever small flock Looks like next year I will be getting chicks that are vaccinated.

 

Looks like it could be mareks to me....my initial birds looked just like that and ate like pigs, feel her body...if she is skinny despite all the eating it is likely. If she is hefty then I would look for another solution....mareks victims starve despite eating...

I personally would separate it from the flock while diagnosing...