Minnesota!

[holm25]

I just saw an ad on Craigslist for a trio of silkies and the said they will not meet on farm only in town because everyone has to start practicing bio security...

 

[nordicacres]

I doubt they would drown. I have found with Bert, when we soak his foot as long as we keep the other foot dry he is ok with it. When we put both feet in the water at the same time he goes ape poop...

Well, good to know. TY. One end is going to be a bog-like shallow area and the other will be seven feet deep. The man is crazy for Koi.

 

[holm25]

What is he going to do with the koi in the winter??

 

[Bogtown Chick]

To me an unlearned person, the waterfowl theory does not pass muster.  These "bio=security"  areas  are close to impenetrable.  How did the duck or goose get inside the barn?

And I have said it before, BUT I do not trust government, they will lie to us to keep the blame from falling on their big business cronies.

They will control the message to get us to do what they want us to do. You can bet their will be no total dollar loss of very little when this is over,  The price of turkeys will go up by whatever the loss of turkeys is...Then next year or the year after when the threat is over the price per pound will drop again, but it will never be as low as it now.   ( I know I am a paranoid,,,,BUT I come by it honestly)

I'm with you on this one Ralphie. While wild waterfowl have access to more areas --are they not finding dead wild birds with AI? Do the wild already have immunity and are carriers only? And HOW is it that with bio security that these flocks are getting it? I think that Pipestone County is the heart of turkey farms ( trivia: started by Eric Olson, a young Swedish dairy manager, from Worthington along with refrigerated trucking and sold out to a Mr. Swanson) I'm frankly not surprised that a backyard flock in that part of the state is affected. I'm also wondering how those 150 birds are housed in that backyard. And I'm just a bit suspicious that it was the Turkey Farms' germs getting to this backyard flock somehow and not from a "Wild Bird." It's about concentrating birds, care, immunity. And it's all about money with these corporations with powerful govt lobbyists. God forbid if their way of doing things is going to be questioned when it's blowing up in their faces. Because that's money. *** She steps of the soap box.

I'm with you Ralphie.

edited for horrible iphone grammaticals

 

[FoxyChicken]

Just got my eggs delivered from Minnie! This is my first time hatching.
Here's Meredith right after I gave them to her, she was so cute the way she tucked them underneath herself

She looks pretty determined...



@Minniechickmama the eggs arrived in perfect condition. Nice packing job! I was surprised at the color variation in the EE's. They're all beautiful though! Love those Wellie eggs!

 

[Dandelioness]

I'm with you guys on the AI thing. Something to watch for, but a flock of 150 can be crowded - heck I've seen flocks of 12 that have almost no space to run around. I do have close to this number for short periods when raising the meatballs and the new layers, but they are not housed together they are spread out on the property just to keep them from denuding the pasture.

Holm, I think it's wise that the silkie people are offering to meet you off-farm maybe even a positive selling point if they are being careful about protecting their stock, and Ralphie's idea about egg customers is a good one, too. I bring my selling eggs with me to church, so I don't have buyers coming here often. I do have people coming to pick up a plucker that we rent out... I'll have to consider how I want to handle that one. There is an outbuilding toward the front of our property, away from the flocks, that I could store it in and people wouldn't have to come to the house & back pastures.

I think any and all day-old chicks that come here this year (not hatched from my flock) will be quarantined more so than in previous years. Lala - thank you for posting that u of m extension paper - I will take a closer look at it in a little while. The immune-boosting tips are helpful as well.

Stay positive, peeps!! I find it unlikely it's spreading via wild waterfowl, but until they discover and share how it is actually being transmitted, vigilance and thoughtfulness are key.

 

[nordicacres]

What is he going to do with the koi in the winter??

Well, they are currently in our unfinished basement in a giant swimming pool. Not ideal. Before we moved he had a smaller pond. He overwintered them in the pond. He built a removable greenhouse over the pond so that the water wouldn't freeze in the winter. He will probably do the same thing with this new gigantic pond. Honestly, I'm not too sure. My eyes glaze over when he starts talking about fish. The same thing happens to him when I start talking about chickens

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Foxy. I love Black Australorps. I don't know Meredith...but I already love her. Look at that cute face of determination. I got the full visual of her neatly tucking each egg under herself! OMG....

 

[Drea07]

To me an unlearned person, the waterfowl theory does not pass muster. These "bio=security" areas are close to impenetrable. How did the duck or goose get inside the barn?

And I have said it before, BUT I do not trust government, they will lie to us to keep the blame from falling on their big business cronies.

They will control the message to get us to do what they want us to do. You can bet their will be no total dollar loss of very little when this is over, The price of turkeys will go up by whatever the loss of turkeys is...Then next year or the year after when the threat is over the price per pound will drop again, but it will never be as low as it now. ( I know I am a paranoid,,,,BUT I come by it honestly)

I agree with what your saying Ralphie.

Wouldn't a wild duck or goose avoid a barn filled with turkey's?? If I'm not mistaken, the birds held on those commercial farms are not allowed outside the buildings, so it's not from mixing up with wild birds outside either. I could be wrong on many points, but I still agree the theory does not pass.

 

[duluthralphie]

Dear Abby:

I am truly blessed today, I assume it is because I live an honest forthright lifestyle. Which leads me to my problem. I actually have few questions for you.


Today I gathered eggs, I have 3 turkey hens and I got 3 turkey eggs, I have never eaten a turkey egg as I consider them a blessing. I got a double jumbo turkey egg today, I assume it is a double yolk, I think it would be wrong to try and hatch it.

I have 2 Cream legbar hens that lay diamond encrusted eggs worth around $1500 a piece, truly a miracle, I m blessed.

Even more blessed is my beloved Guinea Hens. They have "dug" a nest in the sand and wood chips under the nest box, I got 5 guinea hen eggs out of it today, I have always prayed to know if I have 4 or 5 guinea hens out of my 9. Now I know. Surely this shows how blessed I am.

This afternoon miraculously while my DW was at work a new incubator showed up in our dining room. It looks just like my old one that has disappeared somehow, except this one has a fan and egg turner in it. When I first saw it there I put 2 thermometer in it to see if it works, and behold it works! and holds the temperature very tight between 99.7 and 99. on each end of the incubator.

And if this is not enough, It appears it is time to take Berts dressing off his foot as he is trying to walk and the dressing is hindering him, I may even move him outside tomorrow...

Now I find all these things to be signs of my good and humble lifestyle. The problem is my wife. She does not believe in miracles as much as I do....

So here are my questions:

Should I tell her about the new incubator that just showed up, chances are she will not notice it at least for a few days, at which time I can say, it has always been here?

If you think I should tell her, is it better to wait until Monday so I might have a more blessed weekend?

Should I offer her the double yolk turkey egg and tell her how much we would enjoy it if she made me an omelet out of it?


Thanks you:
signed

Vice President of Chickens Anonymous Central Minnesota chapter.