North Carolina

[Hollowoakfarm]

Good Morning, Happy Chicken People!

I'm listening to young roosters practicing. There's one that really needs to get it together, or find somewhere else to live! I'm also listening to the very interesting calls of the button quail in the next room. There's a mockingbird in the tree outside my window, warning off other mockingbirds beautifully. And my neighbor's donkeys are talking to my calves and being answered.

Sounds like morning.

 

[Moores6]

I am still sad that Alford the hen passed. But no signs of illness in the rest of my flock. Added apple cider vinegar to their water. Will just keep and eye on them. My broody is still sitting.

Funny scene, my roosters were dust bathing together under the edge of the coop. I walk out there and they dont notice me. They were cooing to each other. LOL Makes me wonder about those two. But they are getting along and I will give thanks to that.

Sharon

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Good Morning Everyone!!
Beautiful weather in store for us again today, I do hope some of you will be able to get out and enjoy it!! I am SUPER excited about my garden this year!! I am a complete newbie when it comes to gardening (never planting anything but flowers for my mother who then tended to them/weeded them and let them die...LOL) but I am seeing some "good" (potentially) results out there. My corn, beans, sunflowers are all doing well. I have some HUGE pumpkin vines growing (I really hope to get pumpkin before the ants to!!) and my watermelon is really starting to pick up. I was told if the watermelon actually fruits, we're going to have watermelon coming out of our ears...COOL!! My tomatoes died on me, but I am in the process of ordering some slips as well as keeping my fingers crossed that the ones I purchased from the greenhouse make it!! All I want to do is be able to make some Pasta Sauce, Salsa, and have a few BLT's before the summer is out with nice thick slices of Roma tomatoes...mmmm

The 10 fruit trees we planted last year...they died. NO clue why/how. They flowered, were growing beautifully and then <splat> they were all broken on the ground despite being supported and what not.

We'll try again next year with the trees...just maybe not so many at once this time...I don't know.
Chickens are doing well, same with the ducks! I'm resisting the urge to start looking for more Muscovies, because I absolutely LOVE them!! I think the next stop for us will be some turkeys and meat birds...once DH builds an addition onto the current coop - and that has to come AFTER he builds the girls their playground for birthday/christmas present. Any suggestions on keeping the chickens/ducks off the playground?? LOL, I can just see DD1 freaking out because she slid down the slide and somewhere along the way "ran over" some poop!! LOL
I'm off for a day of shopping with some friends!

Wish my feet luck...these days the heat/humidity is killer on the pregnancy feet...but...only 5 more weeks to go (unless baby decides to come early...PLEASE

OH PLEASE). Have a wonderful day everyone!!

 

[dutchbunny83]

If this is Corzya....it is FOREVER ! You should not be adding birds to your flock or removing any from your property. It is highly contagious. Your options are a closed flock...none in..none out ! OR Cull.....wait and start over.

I know neither of these are good options....but they are the truth.

Oh.... someone told me on here a few days ago I could always add I just couldn't give any away

 

[2Sesslers]

What a beautiful morning!

Our A/C is still in the process of being fixed (hopefully today) - we need a new thermostat, so we have been sleeping with a window unit in our bedroom. Dang that room gets cold in the middle of the night! It was SO NICE to get outside this morning, and feel the nice morning air.

In other news - we have a stray dog in our neighborhood. I hate when that happens, for two three four reasons. I hate it for the poor dog - she is cute, a puppy and I hate that she doesn't have a home. I hate it for my dogs, because they are "guard dogs" and they just get all hopped up trying to "protect" us. And three -- MY CHICKENS! I am hoping and praying that she doesn't get hungry or curious today and try to rip through the chicken run; it is secure, but where there is a will, there is a way. Lord oh Lord PLEASE NO! And on a fourth note, I can't let my little SLW girls free range if there is a possibility of a dog coming in our yard - can't wait to get that fenced in this summer!

Really - I'm sane.

We only have 5.5 more school days over here in Wayne County, and I am ready to enjoy our summer off! Happy Thursday!

 

[dutchbunny83]

What's the most humane/fastest way to cull?
I heard it was severing the artery in their neck with a sharp knife, but the last one I did like that took like 6 or 7 minutes to die and was conscious until the end, it was painful to watch.
It's only me so I don't have a second pair of hands nor do I have good aim with an ax....
Is there a way you can euthanize them without having to take them all to a vet? I wouldn't want their last memory to be in a vet's office.
I know when we had our dog put down when I was in high school there was a vet that came to our house to do it so she died at home, but it was crazy expensive....

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

If this is Corzya....it is FOREVER ! You should not be adding birds to your flock or removing any from your property. It is highly contagious. Your options are a closed flock...none in..none out ! OR Cull.....wait and start over. I know neither of these are good options....but they are the truth.

Oh.... someone told me on here a few days ago I could always add I just couldn't give any away

Both are right. It depends on your goal. If you are only concerned about protecting others, then nothing out but some in works. If you are concerned about incoming birds dying, then totally closed is the way to go. With something you can't disinfect away, I'd go totally closed. Watching birds die once is enough for me.

 

[BHep]

Both are right. It depends on your goal. If you are only concerned about protecting others, then nothing out but some in works. If you are concerned about incoming birds dying, then totally closed is the way to go. With something you can't disinfect away, I'd go totally closed. Watching birds die once is enough for me.

and keep in mind...every bird you bring it WILL be infected. So you need to decide if you really want to do this.

 

[atmaclean]

Quote:
I just wanted to tell you how terribly sorry I am for what you are having to go through. I just cried when I read your post this morning. I am very behind on reading posts but wanted to take a minute to send you a note. You sound a lot like me in that your chickens are your pets and it just tears your heart out to lose one much less having to cull them yourself. And the fact that your husband is gone makes it all the worse. Just remember that you did your best for them while they were with you. Believe me, I can sympathize with you. If you ever need to chat, please message me Angela

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Oh.... someone told me on here a few days ago I could always add I just couldn't give any away

Yes I said you can add to the flock.....it's not advisable but you can add.
By adding birds you continue the carrier/illness status of your flock. The
best route is to cull all birds to include chicks, completely disinfect EVERYTHING]
and wait several months, then start again using good bio-security measures.
It's up to you how you proceed. If you keep ANY of the birds you could be dealing
with them for 8-14 years and they could relapse at any time and for no apparent
reason. Some diseases you can do nothing to cure or build an immune flock....
others you can......what your birds have can not be cured and you run the risk
of infecting birds anywhere you go as you too could carry the disease on your
clothing, shoes, body, and objects like car tires etc. That is one reason everyone
is encouraging culling your flock. As for culling.....I prefer chopping heads off completely
since that causes immediate death and is considered painless. Slitting a throat is not
painless or immediate death as you learned. Get someone to come help you or
try slipping the bird into a nylon to help pin the wings, stretch the neck and chop.
We have a board with two nails placed so that the neck fits in but the head will
not pull through......it works well. Good luck