Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

The link I gave takes you to the most complete Mareks thread, including symptoms and vaccination information. For protection, chicks must be vaccinated at 1 day of age. Later vaccination will not prevent disease in birds already exposed.

I hope it is not Mareks, but it would be wise to consider the consequences if it is.

 

[Steve P]

Where did the Aruacana come from? Cute chicks!

That's ok we only got them for the colored eggs for the grand kids

Okay...just so you know, those are Easter Eggers.  Hatcheries do not sell purebred Araucanas or Amerucanas - yes, it's deceitful.  There is someone on CL right now in the Battlecreek area selling EEs as  Amerucanas - they copied what was posted from the hatchery and either have no idea or don't care.

But, good news is they will lay lots of pretty eggs, unlike the purebreds that are bred for body type.

Enjoy them!

 

[taprock]

Does anyone have Guinea Keets (or, as a less preferable option...hatching eggs?) I' really like a half dozen or so guineas.

I will have eggs if it ever warms up! There are flakes in the sky again today. I was just thinking the guineas were getting ready to lay. There has been lots of chasing and courtship going on. I wouldn't have any solid colors except buff. I have Pearl. Violet and buff girls and a white, unnamed color with no spots and buff boys.

 

[JackieandChicks]

Townline does...

 

[mrshaggie810]

Townline does...

I meant that was going to the swap. Lol. I hadn't even checked hatcheries yet.

I will have eggs if it ever warms up! There are flakes in the sky again today. I was just thinking the guineas were getting ready to lay. There has been lots of chasing and courtship going on. I wouldn't have any solid colors except buff. I have Pearl. Violet and buff girls and a white, unnamed color with no spots and buff boys.

I don't care much about colors...we just want them for the big eating power. I'll keep you in mind...I'm still checking around locally.

My ducks aren't laying yet...I have no idea how old they are, but I think pretty young because they are much larger now then when I got them...and they were molting when I got them. I hope they start laying soon.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Ducks usually do the first molt starting abt 3wks; that's when they lose the baby fluff and start growing real feathers. Then they will change out feathers around 18-22 wks, and very typically after a brood. They won't start laying til 16wks at the earliest.

Annnddd my reason for popping in. I'm sorry to go here. But I do not like what I've read today. So I guess I wanted to ask you all if you are now doing anything extra or new in terms of your own Biosecurity plans. I'm concerned to read this today:
“Anybody that has a poultry operation — whether large or small, whether you've got hundreds of birds or one bird — this should be a wake-up call.”
Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Poultry Association
... But exactly what kind of wake-up call? I abhor those generalized statements like that, it offers no real guidance. And on the bright side, for me at least, looks like only chickens and turkeys. Here is the article in case yas have not seen it. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/21/iowa-bird-flu-outbreak/26113911/

 

[Folly's place]

x2 what 1muttsfan said about Marek's disease. Chicks from TSC aren't vaccinated. Chicks must be vaccinated as day-olds, and then ISOLATED from sources of infection for three weeks to develop immunity before exposure. Mary

 

[snowflake]

Ducks usually do the first molt starting abt 3wks; that's when they lose the baby fluff and start growing real feathers. Then they will change out feathers around 18-22 wks, and very typically after a brood. They won't start laying til 16wks at the earliest.

Annnddd my reason for popping in. I'm sorry to go here. But I do not like what I've read today. So I guess I wanted to ask you all if you are now doing anything extra or new in terms of your own Biosecurity plans. I'm concerned to read this today:
“Anybody that has a poultry operation — whether large or small, whether you've got hundreds of birds or one bird — this should be a wake-up call.”
Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Poultry Association
... But exactly what kind of wake-up call? I abhor those generalized statements like that, it offers no real guidance. And on the bright side, for me at least, looks like only chickens and turkeys. Here is the article in case yas have not seen it. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/21/iowa-bird-flu-outbreak/26113911/

I plan to keep a closed flock and hope wild birds don't bring it in

She's just over 7 weeks old right now.

well, I would have called them first. now not so much.

Nope, I don't believe she's ever been vaccinated against that. Neither have her flock mates either. I bought them off of another poster here. My older girls I got from TSC. If I go out and get some mareks vaccinations tomorrow, will it be enough to protect those chickens?? And if those TSC chickens already got their vaccinations, its not going to hurt them any to get another dose?

Guess I'm taking care of a chicken tomorrow.

no it does not hurt to revaccinate , it may or may not help. After we had Mareks on our property I went crazy I went crazy and vaccinated all the birds, even overdosed some. but non of the chicks that went to my daughters a few weeks later got sick.

The link I gave takes you to the most complete Mareks thread, including symptoms and vaccination information. For protection, chicks must be vaccinated at 1 day of age. Later vaccination will not prevent disease in birds already exposed.

I hope it is not Mareks, but it would be wise to consider the consequences if it is.

it might be worth the try to vacc. chicks that have not been exposed to other birds I did that once and none of them got sick. I may have been lucky, but still would do it ....can't hurt.

You'll be easy to see! People have no humor, I think it would be great to leash your bird!
I got cancer then gained weight so my "My Pet Makes Me Breakfast" shirt is too small.

Maybe I could hurry up making some feather ear rings, my birds are shedding as it gets warmer.

Oh, maybe I can find one of my bat shirts, one of those might still fit...

sorry to hear about the cancer, hope it is completely gone

Anyone have an opinion on if I need to add the heat lamp back, or just let em go?

I would set lamp just to be safe. why take a chance when you don't have to.

I am just stopping in to say hi.

This is our first spring in 3 years with no chicks in the basement. Our flock of 5 is doing well. I don't have much to say.

Hi, Amy, we missed you

 

[bigmrg74]

The chick has been culled. dug a hole out in the field for it and used the moment to bury a big rock that looks like its been hit by the plows a few times.

Think I will go to TSC later today to get the vaccines for the other chickens. can't hurt to give it too them.

 

[mrshaggie810]

Ducks usually do the first molt starting abt 3wks; that's when they lose the baby fluff and start growing real feathers. Then they will change out feathers around 18-22 wks, and very typically after a brood. They won't start laying til 16wks at the earliest.

Annnddd my reason for popping in. I'm sorry to go here. But I do not like what I've read today. So I guess I wanted to ask you all if you are now doing anything extra or new in terms of your own Biosecurity plans. I'm concerned to read this today:
“Anybody that has a poultry operation — whether large or small, whether you've got hundreds of birds or one bird — this should be a wake-up call.”
Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Poultry Association
... But exactly what kind of wake-up call? I abhor those generalized statements like that, it offers no real guidance. And on the bright side, for me at least, looks like only chickens and turkeys. Here is the article in case yas have not seen it. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/21/iowa-bird-flu-outbreak/26113911/

They are definitely much bigger than 3 week olds, but I could see them maybe being about 20 weeks when I got them...it would be odd though because that would mean she got them in the fall...at any rate...I just hope they start laying soon. Lol

I'll read that article when I'm done with school with the kids...does not sound good though.