Minnesota!

[ejb3810]

It is my understanding that having turkeys running with your chickens pretty much takes care of Mareks? Somehow turkeys are not susceptible to Mareks but pass on some element that causes the chickens to develop antibodies?
There are many examples of an effective weasel trap on you tube. I once had one with a hold on a bantam Hamburg roosters leg in broad daylight. The little sob did not want to let go even when I came over. He finally did release his grip and ran into a pipe and then into the open garage. By this time I had the 12 gauge, and was waiting for him. He would pop his head out from behind something, and I would be tempted to shoot. Not wanting to make repairs to the garage, I went out and waited for his attempt to escape. When he came out he met his waterloo and the only damage was to the concrete. Luckily my wife's car did not take a ricochet pellet, or I may have been in the same condition as the weasel !

 

[rainin22]

Hmm well if having turkey's with your chickens helps with mareks maybe that will convince the fiance that we also need to get some turkeys haha

 

[Minniechickmama]

Ed,
It is pretty common that people will keep their turkeys and chickens together just because they don't have separate space for them, but you are right. However, animal health officials will tell you you need to separate them because of blackhead. I have also been told that Mareks is rare and "you don't want to get that or it will destroy your whole flock", but it is everywhere, and the best way to deal with it is to cull when it shows up. You can have birds carrying it their whole lives and not show symptoms, and you can't just test for it, you only can confirm it through necropsy. I would prefer the natural innoculation for it myself if I kept turkeys, but I don't at this time. I may change my mind if I start seeing any more I suspect are succumbing to it.

I do need to make a couple of weasel boxes, and I have gone online before to find them.
Also, keeping grass cut around the chicken area allows owls to see them and they will avoid crossing clear, open areas for the most part. I need to clean up some lumber and use it for the projects it was intended so the rats don't have a place to move under when they show up too. I think our compost/manure pile attracts them to begin with, then they find that their is easy grain to feast on at the coops.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have not had (knocking hard on wood) problems with blackhead keeping my turkeys and chickens together. I always know it is a possibility and as with the young fellows fighting and bloodying each others head I jumped right to blackhead passing other causes of scabby heads.


I have just made a major management decision, at the urging of my wife, who said, " Ethel looks sad in that cage let her out". Taking that into consideration, I have decided I have enough eggs from Ethel for this year and I am going to let her have her own nest where ever she wants it. (My wife said I had nothing better to do than find her nest during the day, while she is at work).. I guess that means I have decided to spend countless hours walking every conceivable place within a 1/4 mile of the house looking for her nest for the next month.

I am keeping the slate blues in the pen, my wife does not seem to have as strong a feelings towards them. I am sure glad I made my mind up on what to do with JJ and Ethel.

 

[lightchick]

Wow!! A person misses a few days around here and it takes hours to read and catch up with all the goings on!!

x2!

 

[duluthralphie]

I have babies in my hatcher!!!

I am amazed I did not think they would hatch until Friday!

I have one that has capped the egg and is almost out he/she is resting now.

The other has pecked a path around the whole air sac...

I just moved them to the hatcher, taking them off the automatic turner this morning!

I am excited. It is so silly an old man like me gets so excited over a chick..

BTW they are both coming out of blue Easter eggs...



Edited for accuracy upon closer look one of them is coming from my porcelain eggs!

 

[duluthralphie]

And this is a picture taken through the "glass" on the incubator..

 

[Dandelioness]

EEEEK!!

That is so awesome!! I was just thinking you'd be posting hatching pictures soon! Congratulations! And your porcelain egg was one of the first to pip! So excited for you!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Egg citing! @duluthralphie

 

[duluthralphie]

I am thinking Ole must be the Daddy of the porcelain chick. I do not have any blonde hens and Ole is as close to blonde as my roosters get. UNLESS it is BERT!!!