Michigan

[sarah92480]

Hey Olive, you said your young chickens are outside right? I just wondered if there is any problem with transitioning them from indoors to outdoors in just one day like I'm planning to do today. Will it be too much of a shock to go from spending the nights in my house to sleeping in the coop where it's like 25 degrees colder outside? I just wondered if there's anything different I should do. I'm terrified I'll wake up and my chickens will be frozen nuggets in the morning!

 

[Farmerboy16]

Good morning everyone!

I drove to Middleville yesterday to look at the Angus/Guernsey heifer that I had found on craigslist. Its the one that I posted here a few weeks back.

She let me scratch her back, and she ate grass from my hand. She looks very pregnant, and she is due between April and May.





AND we are getting her on Monday or Tuesday!!! She will be delivered to our place as we do not have a trailer, and my dad does not have the time to drive a hour there and a hour back.

Woot!! Finally getting a heifer!

 

[sarah92480]

Hi Sarah,
Do you know what temperature your coop is at night? Is there a way to add any supplemental heat to make the temperature change less drastic for them - to make the temperature change more gradual for the next week? Birds and reptiles need more time to adjust to temperature change and after all the work and expense you have put in to you chicks it would be good to protect your investment. How about an extention cord to the coop with a red heat lamp from the feed store? Just to bridge the jump from the 60 degrees in your house to the 30 degrees in the coop. Drop it by 5 degrees per day and you can ensure your chicks health.

Apparently we were typing at the same time haha! Thanks, that's what I was worried about but I dont know. I am not sure if I can run a cord long enough out there. I went from 90 degrees to 60 in one night and they did ok so I wasnt sure. (I just stopped having the light on them when they were 2 weeks old) Guess I'll have to see what I can figure out. Anyone else's opinions on this will also be appreciated, I love hearing what all you guys think!

 

[Olive Hill]

Hey Olive, you said your young chickens are outside right? I just wondered if there is any problem with transitioning them from indoors to outdoors in just one day like I'm planning to do today. Will it be too much of a shock to go from spending the nights in my house to sleeping in the coop where it's like 25 degrees colder outside? I just wondered if there's anything different I should do. I'm terrified I'll wake up and my chickens will be frozen nuggets in the morning!

They're in your house with no supplemental heat right now? They should be fine. I'd put them out during the day today and leave them out. It's not going to drop 30 degrees in five minutes. They temp will slowly drop in the coop over night and then rise again tomorrow. I would just check on them a few times. Once shortly after dark, again just before you go to bed. They'll tell you if they're having issues.

 

[Bianca67]

Congrats Farmerboy!!!!!!

Sarah, my chicks will be moved to the coop (yeah! DH is putting finishing touches on as I type). I plan on running an extension cord for a lamp until the night temps rise to the 50's at least. I will miss their cheeping sounds throughout the day I think.

 

[Olive Hill]

We've got ear opening and more fur. Can't believe this thing is still alive...

ETA: Question for the rabbit experts -- Jen? M2? -- Every time I feed him I find a little wad of fur in his mouth. When I destroyed the nest I grabbed a fistful of his mama's fur for his little bucket he's living in. He's got that an a cotton wash cloth to snuggle into. Is chewing on that fur normal?

 

[sarah92480]

They're in your house with no supplemental heat right now? They should be fine. I'd put them out during the day today and leave them out. It's not going to drop 30 degrees in five minutes. They temp will slowly drop in the coop over night and then rise again tomorrow. I would just check on them a few times. Once shortly after dark, again just before you go to bed. They'll tell you if they're having issues.

Yes, I turned the lamp off on them at 2 weeks. Maybe wasn't what you're "supposed" to do but they have been fine thus far. I take them out for a couple hours a day (only because that's all the time I've had lately, otherwise it would have been longer). I planned on having them out pretty much all day today too so they could acclimate some. The coop is not in the sun so it wont absorb sunlight today but I figured w/straw and each other they'd be able to stay insulated and warm enough. I hope. I will be checking on them a lot. If they do indicate they need some more heat I will try to figure out how I can do that w/o electricity...

We've got ear opening and more fur. Can't believe this thing is still alive...

ETA: Question for the rabbit experts -- Jen? M2? -- Every time I feed him I find a little wad of fur in his mouth. When I destroyed the nest I grabbed a fistful of his mama's fur for his little bucket he's living in. He's got that an a cotton wash cloth to snuggle into. Is chewing on that fur normal?

That is the cutest little bunny I think I've ever seen. I went to a farm last night to get my straw and the owner gave me a "tour" of all his livestock (since I told him I LOVED his set up and farm animals, lol) and he's got a bunny operation going...he had some babies and he let me hold one and I wanted to stick it in my pocket and take it home. They are so soft and cute. I am allergic though and I couldnt breathe standing in that barn. It sucks because I love them, but oh well! I'm glad your orphan is still going, I hope he/she makes it.

 

[chicken grandma]

DEAR BACKYARD CHICKEN FRIENDS - I AM GOING TO HONESTLY REPLY TO JUISE'S POST. I AM NOT MEANING TO INSULT HER PERSONALY OR INSULT ANY OF YOU. JUISE JUST WROTE A REALLY GOOD POST FROM ONE POINT OF VIEW THAT BRINGS UP MANY GOOD POINTS AND ALLOWS ME TO SHARE THE OTHER SIDE ALSO.
THERE ARE TWO TRAINS OF THOUGHTS GOING ON. ONE IS THAT YOU LOVE YOUR CHICKENS AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT. THE OTHER IS THAT WE ARE A STATE WHO COULD WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE OUR LOSSES FROM DISEASE. In red, I have played devil's advocate and offered you another point of view. Sincerely, Nancy

Quote:

Well, I still haven't managed to find any swab kits, I have looked at sooo many places. Anyone who has gotten them have any advice for me? I wanted to be able to send it out on Monday, but that depends on whether or not I find anything tomorrow. Pharmacies have failed me, so I have 2 medical supply shops to check tomorrow, and then I am not sure what to do without going online, which will take more time than I would like.
Juise, you could ask at Dr. Bader's office, they certainly have them.

It is heartbreaking to hear the stories of the people who have lost their flocks to disease, I think it is much easier to be indifferent eventually what goes around comes around and we are all affected
about it when it isn't something that has wiped out your flock. yet

That said, my chickens are worth more to me than the $3 I paid for them as chicks, and I will not be culling the lot of them if we do have something. And this is why the big chicken farms around Michigan keep their chickens indoors. That is why even though we practice biosecurity, we still lose our flocks. As long as some backyard farmers keep chickens who are carriers of disease we will not be able to control the disease.
I will also not be showing / selling anything except possibly a few extra eggs for eating, and I will not be the person who knows they have illness in their flock and walks into the feedstore in the same shoes / clothes they wore while taking care of their ill birds. This virus stays in the hair for two days. So unless you all showered and washed your hair today, you took it to the feed store today.

We do not have any farms anywhere near us, either. Townline? Nova and her neighbors chickens?
I will take every precaution feasible to prevent spreading of disease, but I am not going to kill a creature who has a full and healthy life ahead of them And this is where we disagree. Because I did not put my chicken's life ahead of the community. You, Nova, Sj3364, Hillbilly Hen, Farmerboy, Olive, Teeville are all near me. When my chickens got sick, I paid for the swab test and when it showed communicable disease, I had them humanely euthanized and incinerated. I did not put my chickens ahead of the people or the community.

Went to TSC today
This seems to be a tender subject for everyone, and everyone has their own views, but it also sounds like everyone cares and does their best in the way they see fit. The folks on here who have lost their flocks are asking those of you who have sick birds to act responsibly. It is o.k. for everyone to do what they want on their own property but we are talking about something here that will leave your property despite your best efforts. And again, Juise, I do not mean you personally. It would be great if eveyone who had a group of sick chickens would work with M.S.U. and find out what they had going on and then take the recommendations of the veterinarians to protect the poultry community in the state of Michigan. It would be great if those of you selling chickens and eggs knew the status of your flocks and then sold only healthy chickens to other backyard farmers. Respectfully suggested, Nancy

HERE IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE M.S.U. VET IN CHARGE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE Dr. Mick Fulton 517-353-3701 [email protected]

 

[sarah92480]

DEAR BACKYARD CHICKEN FRIENDS - I AM GOING TO HONESTLY REPLY TO JUICE'S POST. I AM NOT MEANING TO INSULT HER PERSONALY OR INSULT ANY OF YOU.
THERE ARE TWO TRAINS OF THOUGHTS GOING ON. ONE IS THAT YOU LOVE YOUR CHICKENS AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT. THE OTHER IS THAT WE ARE A STATE WHO COULD WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE OUR LOSSES FROM DISEASE. In red, I have played devil's advocate and offered you another point of view. Sincerely, Nancy

I am new to the chicken thing so I dont know a lot about these diseases, but I have been in vet tech school for a few years now so I kind of get it, and I can definitely see all sides of this argument. I just think that was very well stated, chicken grandma.

 

[Mom 2em All]

I have not chimed in on this chicken discussion. I have many types of pets, and I work in an emergency animal hospital. Clothes are changed before I interact with my own animals- however the possiblity of me bringing something to my own is very high. SO, I provide optimum care to my own, and vaccinate, and hope for the best.

There is no vaccine for FIP that actually works, its a kitten killer- and it can wipe out entire shelters, farms, families very fast when it hits. I lost a kitten to it. Sad stuff. Big fear, best I can do is try to keep the contaminates at work, practice bio-security to the best of MY ability. And dont handle sick kittens and then healthy pets. If I have kittens at home, I dont bring home kittens.

Parvo is a puppy killer. It can live in the soil for two years. I brought home a foster puppy that was parvo positive. Could no longer foster puppies. I see people all the time come in with their new purchased or adopted puppy that comes down with parvo. That already had parvo when they got it, but was still in the incubation period. Makes it past the 'five day guarantee' then gets sick five days later. I cant stress vaccinating new puppies enough, and making sure your pets at home are vaccinated before bringing home the new puppy. Moved into your house less than two years? Make sure your puppy is vaccinated twice before bringing it home....unless you have a thousand dollars for hospitalization and proper treatment saved up- and even then its not a guarantee they will live.

Canine influenza can live on a bag of dog food for two weeks. So, if you purchase your dog food at Pets Mart or anywhere that Pets can go- without proof of health or vaccination, and you bring home that bag of food...you put your own animals at risk every day- unless of course, your dog is vaccinated against K9 Flu. If you went out of state and visited friends or family that had a dog that may or may not be carrying k9 flu, and brought your suitcase and clothes home and unpacked...you could be giving your dog K9 flu.

Its a risk that many many many people take.

I like going to Chickenstock. I love getting new chickens from Chickenstock. I have taken chickens to Chickenstock. Nobody has to take anything from me, or anyone. Four H fairgrounds, animal swaps, etc. Its a risk. Some can take it, some cant. Some choose to, some don't. We do not live in a bubble. Whether I bring home birds or not- wild ducks come in my yard, along with every other kind of bird around here. I will not enclose my birds into plastic bio-bubbles to live. I still believe the production farms that keep hundreds of birds in cramped indoor worlds have sicker animals, more disease and more losses than the average backyard farm. They counter what they can by pumping them full of antibiotics, etc. Their losses are not felt like ours. They lose a hundred- its not really a big deal, is it? Not when they have a thousand.

Raccoon roundworm is something to consider. If you garden, walk barefoot, handle soil. Raccoon roundworm infects humans eyes. Can make you go blind. If you handle dead raccoons, or have raccoons on your property, you are at risk.

Nothing like sitting in a doctors office with your kid who is there for a healthy check-up and the kids in there are hacking and coughing and touching and sliming everything. Your kid comes down sick three weeks later.

The talks of what is the right way what is the wrong way is something that nobody is going to agree on. Its like politics and religion. There are many many ways to be right, to be wrong.
My grandparents, great grandparents, and parents had chickens their whole lives. Nobody did any testing. Their chickens didnt live in a bubble, and they were not pumped full of drugs. Was it right? Maybe not, but it is what worked for them. Thankfully medicine has advanced so much that we know things now that wasnt known then. It gives us a choice of how to raise our own.

Best part of all- we all have a choice to make with everything we do in every area of our lives. And we can all still be friends.