North Carolina

[rainbowchick]

Also, based on basic economic principles, it seems like with their popularity that in just a few years, the market will be saturated and prices will drop, right? Guess you better get yours and get your money out of them before the bubble bursts.

 

[scottcaddy]

Quote: I have helped clean, cook, and eat a few Silkies, black, white, and, paint/splash. They are all black inside, they do have red blood, real good eating in my opinion.

Scott

 

[ramirezframing]

As Scottcaddy said, silkies have black skin, meat, organs, and bones. Even silkie crosses can have this or be spotted all the way through. And I don't taste a difference between a home grown silkie vs any other home grown chicken.

 

[FVRM]

Also, based on basic economic principles, it seems like with their popularity that in just a few years, the market will be saturated and prices will drop, right? Guess you better get yours and get your money out of them before the bubble bursts.

This is exactly like the tulip mania basically. I've also seen Isabel cuckoo orpingtons go for extreme prices. Those are really nice birds though.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

It's going to be a long story so just skip past if you want

Let me tell you about the apples in our orchard......they don't fall far from the trees.

Back when DD#2 and DD#3 were in middle school they got along well with just the usual sibling things. They were big for their age,but that's not unusual for the family, strong and smart......quite the handful basically. One day DD#2 and DD#3 were horsing around with an empty grain can, we use galvanized metal ones with a bungee cord across the lid to hold it down and keep critters out. They had laid this can down on it's side and DD#2 convinces DD#3 to get inside the can and she will roll her along like a carnival ride. So DD#3 gets in, the lid gets put on so she doesn't fall out and DD#2 rolls it along the path between horse pens. Good so far until she looses control of the can and it rolls into the bottom wire of the hot fence.
All I can say is it was very hard to hold a straight face while listening to the two girls tell their side of the tale that day. Their Dad could come up with some odd ideas.....must be where they got this idea.....hahahaha. Those girls made raising kids an interesting life.

So we fast forward to earlier this week. DD#2 and her brood of three are here nearly every day and we are blessed to have and enjoy them but as with all kids they can be trying at times. Her #2 is the only grandson and is a typical boy. He and his Grandpa had been butting heads lately over the grandson, an 8 year old, and his attitude with his younger sister, a 5 year old.

While they here helping with some chores and playing like most kids, the grandson found one of the electric fence testers that grandpa keeps in various spots about the place. He asked his grandpa what was it and Grandpa tests him it's a fence testers. So the grandson asks "How does it work?" and grandpa tells him you touch it to the fence and if it lights up it means the fence is working. The grandson holds up the grounding probe end and asking "What do you do with this?" and grandpa, who is getting a bit irritated with him says "You put it on your ***." Now grandpas mistake was he didn't have this boy put that fence tester back where it belongs but maybe grandpa was thinking the boy would try it out on himself and learn a lesson.

It was long before Grandpa hears quite a commotion going on and it is the youngest, the 5 year old. She is in tears and all grandpa can do to understand what she is saying between sobs. Apparently the grandson convinced her to let him try out the fence tester on her, not himself........and the fence is truly working......quite well. She tells Grandpa the her brother had touched her finger with the tester and it hurt her. Grandpa asks the boy why did you do that and his answer was "Because when I touched her *** it didn't work."

Grandpa had a real hard time holding a straight face on that........and apple didn't fall far from the tree.

 

[moss farm]

CSB that's a funny story. So I'm going to go with just the brahma breed. I have a cream legbar hen & roo I need to get rid of If anyone is interested in them. They are two pretty chickens an I think they will make good chicks. My wife is in love with the brahmas.

 

[moss farm]

Got the roof on and the door hung today.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

sharing to keep us all informed. No need to panic. Informed is the best way to protect the flock.



On Friday, January 23, 2015 5:29 PM, "American Racing Pigeon Union, Inc." <[email protected]> wrote:

e-Alert​

Avian Influenza Update

Washington
The AU has been in contact with officials within the Washington Department of Agriculture Avian Health Program to discuss the recent testing. They advise the virus continues to evolve and they are cautious of all avian species.

At this time, they advise there is only one county under quarantine. Further, they say they are already lifting the quarantine in Benton and will keep premises under surveillance, not quarantine.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has discretion to quarantine or lift quarantine as they deem appropriate. They also estimate the one county under quarantine should only be restricted for two months. Of course, they can't predict with 100% certainty but that is the estimate at this point. This is all subject to change based on their efforts in the near future.

They have found H5N8, HPN2 AND HPN1 in waterfowl and domestic poultry in three areas.

State officials indicate there is to be no movement within the area, nor will they allow birds to be shipped out of the quarantine areas. If birds are shipped into the area, they will immediately go into quarantine.

Idaho
The AU office also spoke with the Avian Specialist for Idaho Department of Agriculture. They have detected H5N2 at two locations. One is that of a falconer. The second was in a backyard poultry flock.

They implemented the control zone to mitigate the spread of the virus. Idaho has a very large poultry industry so they follow International trade agreements. Trade agreements mandate a 10 kilometer zone around an affected facility. They are currently requesting voluntary testing of seemingly healthy birds and require testing of sick birds.

While they agree pigeons are not necessarily susceptible, they are also being cautious as strains can mutate. In order to remain in compliance with their own quarantine guidelines, they will not allow movement of pigeons at this time either. No shipping in or out of the quarantine zone is allowed. The zone encompasses Parma, ID. They are not able to advise of duration of the quarantine at this time.

We will provide updates as received.

Washington State Department of Agriculture
http://agr.wa.gov/ ;

Idaho State Department of Agriculture
http://www.agri.idaho.gov/

Information for back yard biosecurity http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov/

Karen Clifton
American Racing Pigeon Union, Inc.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Yeah, I just had my AI testing done and am perfectly clean. Since my flocks seem to get everything else under the sun, rest assured if there was AI in the area, I would be the first to get it!

 

[moss farm]

Those standard L-brackets will work fine if they are heavy enough. If you are interested, I have a few old standard house windows out in an old building. You know the kind that have 6 panes, and you have to caulk. They would need a coat of paint and some caulking, but are sound as far as I know. Just attach with a couple of hinges and Hardware cloth under and you are all set. Let me know if you would be interested. The price would be as cheap as you would ever find. Just let me know and we will work out pick-up and or delivery if it would help out.

Thanks for the offer. I really appreciate it. My wife found us some the other day on cl. I'm going to install them today as soon as the frost melts. Thanks again
Alan