Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[GardeningWithMyChickens]

May I ask what spray you use? We have a spot up north on Beaver Island and at times the mosquitos make it unusable.

Attaching image of they homemade spray we've been using for a few years now. Good luck, it works great for us

 

[HausOfEggwards]

Habitat for Humanity is a great idea TY!! Please tell me that chicken stock is like woodstock for chicken lovers

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome to the Lansing area!
There's a good Habitat Restore just west of Williamston, usually more good stuff than the Lansing store. And many antique stores in Williamston too, if that's your thing.
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

Mary-- SO glad everything went well for your hubs! You get some rest, though, and take care of you!

Good for you. I love it when people use materials on hand or what they can scrounge.

Me too. I look at stuff and think, "hmmm... what can I do with/build out of that?" Plus, the price of everything these days; buying new materials is for only when we have to.

@HausOfEggwards, welcome! I love your name.

 

[chickflick]

 

[CedarLane]

I asked about this in the Meat Bird section and got two replies. I was wondering what people in Michigan thought...

I have a question about avian influenza. How would / could that affect broilers raised in moveable pens (usually moved daily)? Last year we raised broilers for someone and were planning to do it again this year. It's making me a little nervous. Our layers are completely closed in so I'm not too worried about them. I think the broilers do so much better outside in moveable pens than they do in an enclosed chicken house. Their legs seem stronger.

 

[Sally PB]

@CedarLane, what did they say on the other thread?

Does the tractor have a solid top, or a tarp? That would help. But moving it around on *possibly* contaminated ground could negate any safety measure. How many birds are you planning to raise?

 

[saysfaa]

I asked about this in the Meat Bird section and got two replies. I was wondering what people in Michigan thought...

I have a question about avian influenza. How would / could that affect broilers raised in moveable pens (usually moved daily)? Last year we raised broilers for someone and were planning to do it again this year. It's making me a little nervous. Our layers are completely closed in so I'm not too worried about them. I think the broilers do so much better outside in moveable pens than they do in an enclosed chicken house. Their legs seem stronger.

Well, frankly, they would be at risk. That doesn't necessarily mean the risk isn't worth taking.

The hard part is not really knowing how much of a risk it is.

If I were deciding what to do, I would factor in how diligent I could and realistically would be in keeping really good biosecurity from the meaties to anywhere else. I would be much more willing to risk a pen of meaties than to risk spreading it to my laying flock or to my neighbors through the feed store or anywhere else.

 

[1muttsfan]

If you have birds in a pen that are moved to an area contaminated with AI, then not only are those birds at risk but so is every other bird on your property, as it would be very unlikely you would be able to prevent carrying it around on your shoes, equipment and clothing.
Keep in mind that one of the flocks that was first determined to have AI was a private flock, not a commercial producer.

 

[CedarLane]

@CedarLane, what did they say on the other thread?

Does the tractor have a solid top, or a tarp? That would help. But moving it around on *possibly* contaminated ground could negate any safety measure. How many birds are you planning to raise?

Last year we raised 50. This year we were hoping to have at least one more pen. It would probably be between 75 and 100.

Here are the two replies from the Meat Bird thread:

The bulk of HPAI infections come from migratory birds. That could be from their droppings as they fly over or roost. Then from there, the virus can be tracked into even closed building by workers.
So, I would say any of your birds could potentially become infected.
Are you located in any of the major flyways?

*could* happen, but the evidence would seem to indicate that it is still manageable and one is still able to mitigate risk of infection. The fact that the broilers water and feed are not (or should not be) accessible by wild birds is a big help. Risk of infection decreases very quickly once fecal matter touches soil unless the migratory birds have bedded down in big numbers leaving a soild layer of poop - it could be a risk to move the pasture pens over that layer of poop, but that would be the case even if you weren't looking at hpia as a factor.