Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

I agree good thing an adoption is pending. I too would have adopted him in a heartbeat. Even though I already have 3 dog kids.:) I'm such a softy!
 
I have such an odd situation happening. I could really use some advice. Yesterday I sold a pair of Easter Eggers to a man who saw my ad on Craigslist. They were in perfect health and had no problems whatsoever. I'm sure of it because I check all of my chickens every day and also keep an eye on their droppings. I just got an email from the guy saying that the chickens I sold him are sick. They are pooping blood and he doesn't know what to do. I don't know what to make of this. I can't believe they would go from being perfectly healthy at my house one day and pooping blood at his house the next. Could this be a reaction to stress? Could they have been mishandled? Any ideas? What would you do in this situation? THANKS!
Coccidia can be present in birds that do not show any clinical signs of disease - this is called a subclinical infection. Under the influence of stress (other illness, injury, relocation to a new home) birds can become sick from the parasites they already carry. This is more likely to happen with young birds, as their immune systems do not control the parasite as efficiently as in older birds. It is far to short a time for them to have picked up coccidia (or any other parasites) at their new home.

It is a sign that you likely have coccidia present in your flock. That is probably true for all of us, as coccidia are readily spread by wild birds and very few of us have biosecure enclosures for our birds. Your youngest birds should always be on a medicated feed to 6-8 weeks, then gradually weaned to a non-medicated one to allow their immune systems to develop as they come off the medicated feed. You will not be able to eliminate coccidia from your premises, so there is no point in treating your adult birds, although it may benefit hens raising chicks to be on medicated feed, as it will decrease the chick's exposure to the parasites through the hen's stool. Also, the longer you keep birds in the same area, the more parasites build up in the soil. Rotating pens and leaving one empty for a few months also helps decrease parasites.

Medicated feed does NOT contain antibiotics, instead it has a niacin inhibitor as niacin is necessary for the parasite to reproduce. The niacin restriction does not affect the birds, and while it does not kill the parasites it decreased the number of them substantially, therefore decreasing clinical signs and actual disease.

X2 on the isolation of new birds.
 
Yesterday the chickens were in the smoker shortly after 8am and for some reason the apple wood chips weren't smoking properly. I finally determined that the hot plate in the smoke chamber was working intermittently. I replaced it but as a result of the problem I had to slow the cooking down to allow the prerequisite number of pans of wood chips to be consumed. As the chips smoked I closely monitored the internal temperature of the chickens to insure they reached 165 degrees at the same time the final pan of chips was exhausted. It was 3am before my goal was reached.

This morning Hope and I boned out the birds, packaged them for tomorrow, and got the carcasses and assorted mess cleaned up before the garbage man came. With the coming heat I'm sure it would have been a sticking mess by next Friday.

The final part for installing the new impeller in the jet pump arrived yesterday, so Hope, Granny, and I are waiting for the storm to blow over so we can head to the lake.

Hope just reminded methat there are only four outlets at the pavillion; so anyone needing power should bring an extension cord and maybe a power strip.
 
Yesterday the chickens were in the smoker shortly after 8am and for some reason the apple wood chips weren't smoking properly. I finally determined that the hot plate in the smoke chamber was working intermittently. I replaced it but as a result of the problem I had to slow the cooking down to allow the prerequisite number of pans of wood chips to be consumed. As the chips smoked I closely monitored the internal temperature of the chickens to insure they reached 165 degrees at the same time the final pan of chips was exhausted. It was 3am before my goal was reached.

This morning Hope and I boned out the birds, packaged them for tomorrow, and got the carcasses and assorted mess cleaned up before the garbage man came. With the coming heat I'm sure it would have been a sticking mess by next Friday.

The final part for installing the new impeller in the jet pump arrived yesterday, so Hope, Granny, and I are waiting for the storm to blow over so we can head to the lake.

Hope just reminded me that there are only four outlets at the pavilion; so anyone needing power should bring an extension cord and maybe a power strip.
 
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Silly, I saw that one too. I am eyeing one so that I can add some guinea fowl to the mix. I am leaning towards getting them in late summer. That way I can raise the chicks in the coop and not in my house, then just keep them in the coop as it gets cooler to coop train them. Darn things take so long to home train! I won't be able to let them out until Christmas!
 
Who has Guinea Fowl eggs? I am getting some at chicken stock but I don't know how many she will be bringing. I want 28.

Kimmie
My friend that i got hatching eggs from lives in Mikado..

should have atleast 6 guineas to have a happy flock.. we are having a blast playing and socializing with these little keets.
but soon they will be gone.. going to their new homes.. today is original hatching day. and did candle last night and 3 were no good.. infertile etc..
there is only 2 that i confirm movement and a few others not sure so left them, i have a feeling that the rest are not going to make it.. just have that feeling.. but leaving them alone and hopeing for the best

Wish i lived closer to lansing.. would of loved to stop by and see everyone at chickenstock.. Its my dh birthday weekend, we are spending it boating and fishing. if it wasnt his bd.. I would of tried to make it. everyone have a great weekend, drive safe, have fun and stay hydrated.. will definately be thinking of all of you.

my friend had a male and female runner ducks, they are about 1 yr old. the male went missing the other day. and the female is lost without the male. how should he handle the situation, if he got another male would the female accept it and be content again. or his neighbor has ducks and he was going to see if they would take her in so she isnt so lonely.. what is the best way for him to handle it.
 
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Here's my pallet planter! I should have given it another week before standing it up I think, but its not leaking too much dirt and I don't have to water it as often as I thought so far. I'm quite happy with it! That darn lobelia just can't die on me! I already had to move some alyssum and add begonias to the bottom because 2 of the alyssum decided randomly to just croak on me!
 
Chickenstock is a day away! Can't wait to see all of you! I will be bringing my fancy camera and taking some pictures. I will be bringing BUNDLES of muscovy ducklings (probably 15 of them; about a week old), a few call ducklings, variety of seramas, a few lay flock chicks, a modern game hen, a bantam polish rooster, and a few sebastopol goslings.
 


Here's my pallet planter! I should have given it another week before standing it up I think, but its not leaking too much dirt and I don't have to water it as often as I thought so far. I'm quite happy with it! That darn lobelia just can't die on me! I already had to move some alyssum and add begonias to the bottom because 2 of the alyssum decided randomly to just croak on me!
This is beautiful!!
 

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