Minnesota!

[lalaland]

yeah, it is hard to test, etc. I was just curious - glad to hear everyone is recovering! All those respiratory things sound alike and I couldn't figure out how to differentiate. I too have heard that once there is a "cold" it is one of the illnesses that the flock will be carriers for.

I dusted everyone tonight for the second treatment for mites - I would rather eat dirt than do that again. Yucky work, it gets in your mouth and you have to remember not to lick your lips or swallow, for that matter. No sign of mites on anyone, so good.

And the BO that was all puffed out decided she wanted to roost with everyone else - she was pacing in front of the cage door and raking the bars with her beak (ya think they watch jail break out movies to get that technique?) so I let her out. She flew up to the roost, so we will see how she does.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I can't say exactly what they have since I didn't have any testing done by my vet. I did call just to see if someone would see my hen and they said they don't have anyone who specializes in poultry. However, they could test poop, swabs, and/or do a necropsy if I was willing to sacrifice a bird. Go figure. They must just send those out. Anyways, results would take about 4-6 weeks. By then, my flock would probably be gone because the idea is to wait for results before treating. They remain carriers of the respiratory virus no matter what it is (Bronchitis, Coryza, etc), which is why a lot of folks cull their flocks and start over when something like this pops up. Having a closed flock isn't an issue for me. Keepers who swap birds, sell hatching eggs, and chicks would have to approach it much differently. I treated by reading a ton of information and asking chicken guru's like Minnie. You just cross your fingers and hope whatever you do works. My husband think I'm nuts, but he's also the first one out in the coop cooing, holding, and talking to the birds after they get their antibiotic injections and VetRx

I always cringe just a little when people give me the label 'guru' or 'expert' of anything, because I am learning more all the time and there are plenty of people who know much more than I do. However, when it comes to this respiratory crud/crap, I had my butt kicked good the year it hit me hard. That was the biggest, best lesson I have ever got with these birds. 1. you don't want to just wait and see if they get better, treat them and don't pussyfoot around about it, 2. watch the weather, damp and chilly but not really cold is a breeding ground for respiratory crud, regardless of what strain it is, 3. get rid of birds who are slow responders to treatment, especially if you plan to breed. 4. know your flock, handle them and observe their behavior daily, know what each bird's normal behavior is. 5. if you have a couple who are sick and it seems to be spreading, treat everyone. This last part goes against what I would do for humans, but if you have something like a respiratory illness spreading in your flock, it won't take long for all of them to come down with it, be proactive and reactive. 6. and I can't stress this one enough, if you have a bird who gets sick repeatedly (for me, that is more than once) cull it, they aren't worth keeping to attract bad things to your whole flock.
I may have said this before, but you can tell sometimes a bird that has something wrong with it because you will find a load of lice or mites on them, parasites go in for the easy host. If you find a bird with a load of something crawling on it, start checking for other signs of illness or injury.

Here is the rule I go by in reading info on the web about poultry, or anything for that matter, if you start reading conflicting advice, do more research with places like universities that research what you want to find out more about. Use common sense, if something sounds too silly to be true, it probably is. There are lots of books (those rectangular things with paper pages we rarely use any more ) that were written by old timers who were happy to share their knowledge with others, and their approach is many times the best and easiest solution to a problem. I am not an old timer

regardless of what my children might say about me.

 

[FoxyChicken]

IT HAPPENED!! IT FINALLY HAPPENED!! One of the chicks my broody hatched last spring finally laid an egg!! They'll be 35 weeks tomorrow. Unfortunately it was frozen and cracked, but it's an egg!

I present to you, a BUCKEYE EGG!! @Minniechickmama

 

[Cluckies]

IT HAPPENED!! IT FINALLY HAPPENED!! One of the chicks my broody hatched last spring finally laid an egg!! They'll be 35 weeks tomorrow. Unfortunately it was frozen and cracked, but it's an egg!

I present to you, a BUCKEYE EGG!! @Minniechickmama

Woot Woot! congrats!

 

[holm25]

Congrats!!

 

[The BlanchRanch]

IT HAPPENED!! IT FINALLY HAPPENED!! One of the chicks my broody hatched last spring finally laid an egg!! They'll be 35 weeks tomorrow. Unfortunately it was frozen and cracked, but it's an egg!

I present to you, a BUCKEYE EGG!! @Minniechickmama

Great news Foxy Chicken!!!! I really like your scale.

 

[Minniechickmama]

IT HAPPENED!! IT FINALLY HAPPENED!! One of the chicks my broody hatched last spring finally laid an egg!! They'll be 35 weeks tomorrow. Unfortunately it was frozen and cracked, but it's an egg!

I present to you, a BUCKEYE EGG!! @Minniechickmama

She took a while, but that isn't too bad of a size for a pullet's first egg! Watch for doubles, as I often see a couple from them when they first get going.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Looks like I'm adopting Cyrus's chickens.

*big grin*

Did Cyrus quit chickens? I hope everything is ok!!

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Y'all are letting me down with no posts to read over coffee!


However, I did pick up a bag of spinach at aldi's for the flock. And today it will be warmer, and I will be feeding back some of those busted frozen eggs.

Coffee, how are the moving plans coming?
Blanchranch, what are you up to? any big feasts you are cooking?

Hooray for the warmer temps today and tomorrow! (I'm covering my eyes and not looking at the weekend temps)

Have a great day, everyone!

Not much more then working. This new job is a lot of work.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

DS got his license yesterday FINALLY! Then this morning, we were letting him drive to school and he got to close to the side of the driveway that drops off a little and he got stuck. Well, at least the sun is shining now and it won't feel as bad pulling it out, but still not something I wanted to be doing today. Still not over this cold stuff, but it isn't killing me yet. I am getting tired of it, that is certain.
I am looking forward to the next couple of days and it getting warmer. My birds surely are too. Poor things! At least the wind isn't howling on top of it being so stinking cold.

Oh man. Well you have to learn.