Newbie from South Africa.

[AnneDrum]

Welcome to BYC I'm from S.A. originally, been living in Ireland since 2015. Your thread title caught my eye, so I thought I'd pop in and say hi.

I had some Boschvelders too and a nearby farmer friend of mine had a huge flock of them. They come in all sorts of colour patterns and varieties and they are lovely birds. As for the whites ones… Well, there was that time I bought Rhode Island Reds from a "breeder" and got a 100 mutt chicks As long as they are healthy and lay alright…

What is this about the AI scare/outbreak? I remember the one in the Western Cape (where I lived). That was devastating!

Thanks for popping in! Ah Ireland is beautiful! I hope you are all safe and sound after hurricane Ophelia.

Ah sorry about the mutt chicks. I asked the breeder and he said they are Rhode Island White chickens - his employee must have given me the wrong chicks. Apparently they are great layers, so yes, healthy and they will lay just great.

Yes, quite a bad one. Huge culling in the Western Cape (farmers are devastated and a massive egg shortage has been predicted), and it has been reported in Mpumalanga and the border of Gauteng. When was the outbreak you're talking about?
I'm a bit worried since we have mysteriously lost 3 of our ducks over the last few weeks.

 

[RodNTN]

Hello there! And It is wonderful to have you here with us, best wishes!

 

[sumi]

Thanks for popping in! Ah Ireland is beautiful! I hope you are all safe and sound after hurricane Ophelia.

Ah sorry about the mutt chicks. I asked the breeder and he said they are Rhode Island White chickens - his employee must have given me the wrong chicks. Apparently they are great layers, so yes, healthy and they will lay just great.

Yes, quite a bad one. Huge culling in the Western Cape (farmers are devastated and a massive egg shortage has been predicted), and it has been reported in Mpumalanga and the border of Gauteng. When was the outbreak you're talking about?
I'm a bit worried since we have mysteriously lost 3 of our ducks over the last few weeks.

We got hit quite hard by the hurricane, but we're safe and sound over here. And have another storm coming this weekend

It's interesting, I could not find Rhode Island White (or for a long time Red) for any amount of love or money down there. Apparently they are great birds, I loved my Reds!

Oh my word… Western Cape again? We had that there outbreak about…. 5 years ago. Closest case was 35km from where I lived! (Near Oudtshoorn) I had the State vet and co breathing down my neck as I had a huge flock of chickens at the time and they were NOT happy about it.

Secure your poultry housing and keep an eye out for mongoose, if they are in your region. Those things are terrible once they found a flock of birds. They'll go for whatever is easy, chicks, hens, eggs.. A large rat foot trap (LandMark sells them) works a charm

 

[AnneDrum]

Hello there! And It is wonderful to have you here with us, best wishes!

Thanks so much! I appreciate it!

 

[AnneDrum]

We got hit quite hard by the hurricane, but we're safe and sound over here. And have another storm coming this weekend

It's interesting, I could not find Rhode Island White (or for a long time Red) for any amount of love or money down there. Apparently they are great birds, I loved my Reds!

Oh my word… Western Cape again? We had that there outbreak about…. 5 years ago. Closest case was 35km from where I lived! (Near Oudtshoorn) I had the State vet and co breathing down my neck as I had a huge flock of chickens at the time and they were NOT happy about it.

Secure your poultry housing and keep an eye out for mongoose, if they are in your region. Those things are terrible once they found a flock of birds. They'll go for whatever is easy, chicks, hens, eggs.. A large rat foot trap (LandMark sells them) works a charm

Shame, sorry about the storm. Glad you're safe at least.

Apparently the RIWhite is pretty rare. Breeder says they're his best layers.

I can imagine how scared you must have been. It's a pity there's no vaccine available in SA. How did you not lose your mind? Did any get sick?

Thanks for the tip with the mongoose! We see them in the area occasionally, so will keep an eye out. At least we have electric fencing around the "safe zone". Poor little mouse lost to the fence the other night, so I'm sure the mongoose will steer clear mostly.

 

[sumi]

Shame, sorry about the storm. Glad you're safe at least.

Apparently the RIWhite is pretty rare. Breeder says they're his best layers.

I can imagine how scared you must have been. It's a pity there's no vaccine available in SA. How did you not lose your mind? Did any get sick?

Thanks for the tip with the mongoose! We see them in the area occasionally, so will keep an eye out. At least we have electric fencing around the "safe zone". Poor little mouse lost to the fence the other night, so I'm sure the mongoose will steer clear mostly.

RIW are very rare, which is why I'm surprised you got some down there! If they are the real deal, you are lucky and have some really good birds there

I've been told that there could have been a vaccine available, but the powers-in-charge didn't want it made available. Let's leave it there shall we? You know how things work down there. None of my birds got sick, but I had to let them test the flock, etc. They still made noises about them being there and so close to the precious ostriches and I pushed back and said if they want to kill my birds, they can start with me, because I will be standing between them. They backed off after that! LOL But it was crazy stressful days… So, so, so many ostriches killed, it was awful.

If there are mongoose around and they can find the smallest gap to get to your birds… If you have a dog that you can trust around your flock, they are good deterrents as well, but do watch out. I've lost many birds to mongoose. Once they know where they can find food easily, they keep coming back.

 

[rjohns39]

Shame, sorry about the storm. Glad you're safe at least.

Apparently the RIWhite is pretty rare. Breeder says they're his best layers.

I can imagine how scared you must have been. It's a pity there's no vaccine available in SA. How did you not lose your mind? Did any get sick?

Thanks for the tip with the mongoose! We see them in the area occasionally, so will keep an eye out. At least we have electric fencing around the "safe zone". Poor little mouse lost to the fence the other night, so I'm sure the mongoose will steer clear mostly.

Here's a write-up on the Rhode Island White. They are currently threatened. I currently have 30 or so and will try to expand the flock next year. I'll also be buying eggs from the only other farm in my region that sells them. Luckily two farms AND two different blood lines.

 

[AnneDrum]

RIW are very rare, which is why I'm surprised you got some down there! If they are the real deal, you are lucky and have some really good birds there

I've been told that there could have been a vaccine available, but the powers-in-charge didn't want it made available. Let's leave it there shall we? You know how things work down there. None of my birds got sick, but I had to let them test the flock, etc. They still made noises about them being there and so close to the precious ostriches and I pushed back and said if they want to kill my birds, they can start with me, because I will be standing between them. They backed off after that! LOL But it was crazy stressful days… So, so, so many ostriches killed, it was awful.

If there are mongoose around and they can find the smallest gap to get to your birds… If you have a dog that you can trust around your flock, they are good deterrents as well, but do watch out. I've lost many birds to mongoose. Once they know where they can find food easily, they keep coming back.

Yes I do believe they are the real deal... Time will tell for sure.

Facepalm... yes, I've also read the same about the vaccine - if only food security was a priority for the powers at be. But alas.

You are lucky your birds didn't get sick, although I do suspect that free ranging chickens (and the tougher breeds) tend to have a good immune system compared to the high-intensity, enclosed broiler types. I wonder if they would survive better and gain immunity to bird flu?

 

[AnneDrum]

Here's a write-up on the Rhode Island White. They are currently threatened. I currently have 30 or so and will try to expand the flock next year. I'll also be buying eggs from the only other farm in my region that sells them. Luckily two farms AND two different blood lines.

You are very lucky indeed. To find two RIW bloodlines within reach too. Are you paying a premium for them?

Thanks for the interesting information. I'm really excited to see how they lay!

 

[rjohns39]

You are very lucky indeed. To find two RIW bloodlines within reach too. Are you paying a premium for them?

Thanks for the interesting information. I'm really excited to see how they lay!

Yes, their hatching eggs are expensive.