Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[NovaAman]

The birds are too old to vaccinate fuzzy. So far, it is still just the two sisters...

 

[Lisa and girls]

No opa,  you are not boring.

are you putting the tylan in the water for everyone? That is the best med for the bubbly eye. Nothing "kills" it but of the choices this one comes the closest and helps the quickest.  Someone mentioned before cutting a pant leg and slipping the bird in it to restrain???

Never thought of that. It's a good idea. She did do better yesterday. I hate the idea of treating my entire flock, but should I? I've just been keeping an eye out for symptoms.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I also saw a pic of a duck inside of cut nylon pantyhose, that person was using the pantyhose as wing immobilizer. Might work for you as well.

 

[uchytil]

Hi BYC group! I'm looking for as much help/advice as possible. We purchased 59acres of land (and home) up in Baldwin, MI back in May. We knew it was against local ordinance to own farm animals, but were told that ordinances were only enforced if there was a complaint, and no one would likely complain. Unfortunately we live next door to a twp board member who invited himself over and saw our chickens. We received notice today we are in violation of ordinance.
PLEASE any advice is much appreciated! We are famiar with RTFA but don't know where to start getting the ball rolling. We know we have the right to farm, and we are not backing down. We WILL make a case of this if need be. Hopefully we will pave the way for others here too.

Are you kidding? Baldwin is in the boondocks. I go thru there when I head north for flyfishing quite often. Never would have thought it would be zoned that way. Unless you live downtown I would try to get re-zoned. 59 acres is alot. You need to go the the town hall and start the ball rolling. Find out if anyone elase around you is zoned ag, or res/ag. Crazy. P.S. I see you were in Allendale, that place used to be all farms and now it's becoming housing developments more and more. My sons went to GVSU and their apts were in the middle of cornfields. Diehards holding onto farmland.

 

[RTFchickens]

We still primarily live in Allendale on 1/4 of an acre in a subdivision where it is legal, and not in violation of ordinance to own chickens on 1/4 acre. We purchased our home in Baldwin in May, and moved our chickens there as soon as the coup was built. We are not in the city of Baldwin, we are out in the middle of nowhere near the PM river. We purchased this property to get back to nature: hunt, fish, raise chickens, garden, and spend family time by the fire.
I work in GR so we can't sell our home in Allendale. Our 59 acres has 2 houses on it. My husband's best friend is living in 2nd house and cares for chickens while we are down in Allendale. He lives there full time.
We will be doing a record search to see about prior zoning on this property. Right now its zoned res but we want agricultural. I think that's what got this mess started. Asked twp if we could change zoning... Then got a visit from a neighbor who complained (neighbor also is commissioner) so since the can of worms has been opened, we are preparing for a long fight in court...

 

[nluoma]

our handsome 2-tone EE roo did his first crowing today - guess its about time, since hes about 18 week old

How early do roos crow? I got some adorable flluffballs at chickenfest and one is making this horrendous screechy thing every morning. It looks like three of the four fluffballs are roos, so is it possible he's trying to crow? Trying to count back to chickenfest...figure he must only be about 6 to 8 weeks old. It's pretty entertaining, actually.

 

[iamfivewire]

seem that ours started a few weeks later than what most do, I guess

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Both of my rooster strayed crowing between 10 and 14 weeks. They are both Rhode Island Reds.

 

[NovaAman]

The only way to do the tylan in the water and treat the whole flock is with tylan powder. Not the liquid. I don't treat the whole flock. Why build a resistance to antibiotics? I have left birds with bubbly eyes for a day or so, WATCHING carefully to see if it gets to clearing itself, or worsens. When sneezing gets involved, or it sounds like its travelling through the bird (pull it off the roost and listen) then I definitely treat. More often than not the eyes clear up. But you have to pay attention. Its when you don't pay attention, to breathing, smell, is it crusting... I hope I am making sense.

Keep ACV in the water. All year. Check for worm issues twice a year, more often when weather has been just crap. Keeping the immune system healthy to begin with will help the birds fight it natural. THAT SAID, keep tylan 50, tylan powder, LS 50 powder... Something like that on hand inthe event you have to treat individually, or the whole clock. Aureomycin crumbles that you add to the feed is also an option.

 

[Lisa and girls]

The only way to do the tylan in the water and treat the whole flock is with tylan powder. Not the liquid. I don't treat the whole flock. Why build a resistance to antibiotics? I have left birds with bubbly eyes for a day or so, WATCHING carefully to see if it gets to clearing itself, or worsens. When sneezing gets involved, or it sounds like its travelling through the bird (pull it off the roost and listen) then I definitely treat. More often than not the eyes clear up. But you have to pay attention. Its when you don't pay attention, to breathing, smell, is it crusting... I hope I am making sense.

Keep ACV in the water. All year. Check for worm issues twice a year, more often when weather has been just crap. Keeping the immune system healthy to begin with will help the birds fight it natural. THAT SAID, keep tylan 50, tylan powder, LS 50 powder... Something like that on hand inthe event you have to treat individually, or the whole clock. Aureomycin crumbles that you add to the feed is also an option.

Makes sense to me. I try not to take antibiotics personally as they just trash your system. Don't want to put my birds thru that either. Everyone else seems to be doing well. Eating, drinking, poop all looks normal. And the one I'm treating seems to be doing well too. I waited too long last year and lost my favorite girl. So it's a fine line for me. Don't want to be antibiotic happy, but I do keep a close eye on them. I want them to be as healthy as possible.