Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[JackieandChicks]

I had not heard that AI was back in the news! That stinks! I was seriously considering trying to find a splash rooster and hatching out blue sex-links....but if AI is going around again that is a big fat NOPE. 8 eggs yesterday, so I guess my ladies are just delicate little flowers that need it to be in the 50s to lay eggs.

As far as birds with dislocated hips....I've had that happen here 2x. Both times I ended up culling about a week later because there was 0 improvement, and having a big-bodied bird that can't get around is just asking for a predator issue, or extreme bullying.



"Cutting back" on birds is seriously the most ridiculous notion for me. THREE DAYS after I drove almost an hour ho each way for chicks, someone on CL lists wheaton ameraucanas (15min away). Then yesterday someone lists Marans (10min away). We are heading to GR for the weekend and I maWnd be completely covered up in chick

I had not heard that AI was back in the news! That stinks! I was seriously considering trying to find a splash rooster and hatching out blue sex-links....but if AI is going around again that is a big fat NOPE. 8 eggs yesterday, so I guess my ladies are just delicate little flowers that need it to be in the 50s to lay eggs.

As far as birds with dislocated hips....I've had that happen here 2x. Both times I ended up culling about a week later because there was 0 improvement, and having a big-bodied bird that can't get around is just asking for a predator issue, or extreme bullying.



"Cutting back" on birds is seriously the most ridiculous notion for me. THREE DAYS after I drove almost an hour each way for chicks, someone on CL lists wheaton ameraucanas (15min away). Then yesterday someone lists Marans (10min away). We are heading to GR for the weekend and I may or may not have checked CL and found lavender orpingtons, marans, lavender ameraucanas, and BBS ameraucanas down there also. And I really want to hoard eggs from my little splash EE hen and I REALLY want to put my BLR(splash) hen in my mini coop with my wyandotte/mix rooster and hatch out all of THOSE egss. Pretty much hatch out all the eggs and be completely covered up in chickens.

****...I was just thinking of closing my flock as I never find anything this way (GR)...now have to eyeball CL...

 

[taprock]

I hasn't been found in Michigan yet only a handful of southern states. However we still have a month + of migration time ahead. Our county 4-h leaders are already thinking it won't take much for Michigan to close poultry events again.

 

[meltel]

http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Avian_Flu_Restrictions.html
Hope this helps everyone! Scary as I show my birds and some are very expensive. Good biosecurity is all you can really do.

 

[gladahmae]

Well if anyone in the GR area has a splash rooster they're looking to get rid of, let me know asap so I can sweet-talk dh into picking it up tomorrow. Hahahahahahaha!!!

 

[chickflick]

Aw what happened to them?

One EE went almost completely blind. She can see a little, enough to get around. She gets her treats in her own bowl. Another EE went lame. Noticed her limping a bit a few years ago. Then one day, she couldn't walk very well. Her feet have curled up. She can get around. Keep her in a brooder in my basement, and she has a sand box with a child's tent over it, to take dust baths. In her dust bath tub, you would never know there is anything wrong with her. When the weather is nice, she goes outside in a fenced area to enjoy the grass and sunshine. The tent over the dust bath helps keep the dust from going everywhere! Never thought she'd live this long, though. She's a sweetie. When she's outside, she lets me know when she wants to go in to lay her egg. Yes, she's still laying! They're my pets.

 

[RaZ]

AI hasn't been found in Michigan yet only a handful of southern states. However we still have a month + of migration time ahead. Our county 4-h leaders are already thinking it won't take much for Michigan to close poultry events again.

Three states (TN, GA, SC) have found AI in commercial poultry operations. The strains of AI have varied and not all testing has been completed. I have some reports and will try to get more information and post it.

Keep in mind that all cases have been CAFO poultry. The first case was a Tyson contractor and Tyson does not share their bio-security details with the public. But they quickly pointed the finger at migrating wild fowl. I have to wonder how a migrating bird can get in a secured warehouse. Like the 2014 scare, a vector was not identified. Also consider that if a single bird gets sick, a CAFO will cull the entire flock. This is good bio-security at a scale much larger than most of us can imagine. The bonus to the CAFO is that they can collect an insurance claim. That payment can be higher than the market value of their flocks.

For information purpose, Wendy and I attended the Ag Commissioner meeting on Wednesday. Herbruck eggs gave a presentation and were asked about AI. They house over 8 millions hens and check regularly for disease. They stated that they have had no indication of the disease in their Michigan operations. They have a very good bio-security system in place which far exceeds what we would have in our backyards. The state vet, Dr. Averill, also presented and made no mention of AI but was presenting on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The state suspected one farm had CWD so the state began culling the deer on that farm. They reduced the head count by 2/3 and found no cases of CWD. The state wants to totally eliminate the rest of the herd but the farmer filed suit to prevent any more culling since no disease had been found. So this issue becomes political rather than fact-based good science. Kind of like the ban on shows and swap meets of 2014.

Don't let the propaganda overwhelm your plans for your personal flocks. Do continue to practice bio-security with your birds. Healthy stress-free birds are better able to resist illness.

Stay calm and keep raising chickens.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

One EE went almost completely blind.  She can see a little, enough to get around.  She gets her treats in her own bowl.  Another EE went lame.  Noticed her limping a bit a few years ago.  Then one day, she couldn't walk very well.  Her feet have curled up.  She can get around.  Keep her in a brooder in my basement, and she has a sand box with a child's tent over it, to take dust baths.  In her dust bath tub, you would never know there is anything wrong with her.  When the weather is nice, she goes outside in a fenced area to enjoy the grass and sunshine.  The tent over the dust bath helps keep the dust from going everywhere!  Never thought she'd live this long, though.  She's a sweetie.  When she's outside, she lets me know when she wants to go in to lay her egg.  Yes, she's still laying!  They're my pets.  

that's so sweet! I'm glad they're doing good.

 

[mrcush]

Two new members. Blue laced red wyandotte.

 

[1muttsfan]

Does anyone have Bielefelders?

 

[trailrider330]

Does anyone have Bielefelders?

Perhaps you could try the Bielefelder thread too, if you haven't done so already.