MJ's little flock

[Shadrach]

A friend of mine in the UK has recently bought a breeding pair of Barnvelders from a German breeder. He says he has spent around 900 Euros in finding the birds he wants, vet bills and transport. This includes three trips to Germany.
So there is another aspect. While people can pick up a chick from a bin in a farm store for a couple of dollars in the USA it seems an impossible task to persuade anyone that that sort of investment is worthwhile.
The Marans that got brought here from France cost around 40 Euros per bird, plus the cost of a trip to France to examine and collect. They came with a vet clean health certificate.

 

[MaryJanet]

This shows how much easier it is to move birds throughout Europe.
There is always the problem of diseased birds. But, if you are an enthusiast and I'll assume a responsible one you'll get the birds tested by a vet before purchase. That seems to be the way it's done.
http://www.britishbirdcouncil.com/importing-birds-advice

I looked up our govt's rules for importing fertile eggs of fancy chicken breeds and took screen captures.

So. Much. More. Costly than between EU countries.

But biosecurity really matters and most of understand.

 

[Noellereagan]

Someone sent me this. Funny but it is true.
View attachment 2043459

Someone sent me that too last week with a different photo.

 

[Shadrach]

I looked up our govt's rules for importing fertile eggs of fancy chicken breeds and took screen captures.

So. Much. More. Costly than between EU countries.

But biosecurity really matters and most of understand.

View attachment 2044578

View attachment 2044579

I believe importing birds to the USA is similar. The thing is, in the long run, given the difficulty and the expense, it's easy to understand why much of the hatchery stock is sub standard. The cost of maintaining good genetics by sourcing healthy birds with verifiable genetic strength is enormous.

 

[MaryJanet]

Still, breeders can select for robustness and longevity.

I bet they don't though. Robustness and longevity aren't eye-catching.

Next time I bring pullets home, I'll ask about these things. The more buyers ask, the more likely these things will be selected for.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[BY Bob]

The vet told me something today, which I'd always had a sense of but never fully understood.

Chickens with Sandy's genes are elderly at the age of 3. He estimates her age at 3.5.

Shad talks about them dying too soon, but I didn't feel alert to the "early" geriatric part of it.

So it doesn't matter how careful and cautious my husbandry is, she's in her twilight.

If she makes it to 5, she'll be an outlier.

Anyway, today she got a jab of something to rejuvenate her joints (it stimulates stem cell growth) and she'll have another next week, and the whole bunch are on lincospectin for a few days because Janet's been sneezing n wheezing lately.

It's a tough realization. She is so lucky to have found you. Did you take her by the ocean again?

I'd like to get Lilly some of that joint stuff. You can tell her hips aren't what they once were. I'm really glad I lowered the main roost now.

 

[BY Bob]

Now I realise she's old, when I think about her happiness and youngster-shepherding, I realise she's doing quite well.

She is doing amazing. With all that she has been through look at what a great chicken life you and her have made together.

 

[BY Bob]

Reading posts like this, and there are many of them on these forums makes me sad and angry.
How is it possible for chickens that should live to ten and twelve years old as a natural lifespan be dying at three and four.
This is a topic we often discuss at the chicken club and a topic I and a few others write to each other about.
The backyard chicken keeping movement is often unwittingly supporting the shortening of the chickens lifespan. Those who make money from the craze don't care.
I've been asked by some chicken keepers I know why I joined BYC; they would like to see the site closed down.
Getting chickens with good genetics in Australia and the USA is a major problem, particularly for heritage breeds. The cost and complications involved in importing a sufficient number of these breeds to enhance their genes is truly staggering so very few get imported and these are bred and bred to provide the thousands of heritage breeds wanted.
I can in theory travel to say Italy and go and inspect a flock of proper Leghorns; speak to the breeder, pick a breeding pair and return home with the minimum of paperwork and for not a huge amount of money. Many European enthusiasts do exactly this. If for example I wanted to keep Campines as Ribh does I could travel to Belgium and pick a pair or buy eggs and never go anywhere near a hatchery.
What I find even more angry making is on this and other forums, one gets told that hatchery stock are fine and you can buy with confidence. It's a lie. Anyone who knows anything about how the breeders and hatcheries operate must know that the chickens they stock are in general going to be genetically sub standard.
There are few areas where disinformation is perpetrated by the industry, the above is just one.

It's hard to argue against this. It is what I have had personal experience with. I'm sure there is no real solution other than finding a breeder that does bring in sick. I wonder how one could even verify that.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm not having a dig at anyone here. I understand the problems. Everyone on these threads seems to me to be wonderful chickens keepers which is part of what makes me so angry.
Many are just going to get heartbroken because despite all their care and love their lovely chicken weren't even in with a shout.
When Fat Bird dies I shall be terribly sad, but at ten years old or more I can look back and think she lived a full life. It was the same with Blue Spot. While she died from the same complaints that many will, at eleven years old or more, it's bearable. At three or four years old it's a tragedy.

I feel it every day when I see a picture of any of my leghorns and especially my dear Daisy, the greatest hen ever. That's why I have tried to get to other breeds as much as I can despite my love of the leghorn. Maybe I should bring a breeding pair home when I go to Italy for the wedding next year?