***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[cathiesue]

So this is kinda nuts. Mom live in midtown tulsa. She had her second hawk attack today! She was able to scare it away but not before 4 of her 5 birds scattered! She located them finally by just walking aroung her yard very quietly. One was clucking softly and gave away the hiding place.

I live out in the middle of nowhere. My biggest worry are the rats. Weird. Her neighbor told her that he knows there is an owl nesting in one of the big trees in his backyard.

 

[artsyrobin]

well, he has been crowing off and on, i think hearing boaz, in the other room encourages him, and he is settling in, playing with the clip on the door

 

[hotcurltr]

I finally called the poultry division at the ag dept in okc. I got to talk to Dr. Herrin . What a nice and pleasant man. I've talked to him before and he is always so helpful. He takes time to answer your questions and seems genuinely concerned for your feeling on our poultry.

He said the samples have come back and the one that had the necropsy died of a pasteurellosis infection. I thought they would have shown symptoms, but maybe I missed them. I did look up several sites, trying to find out more about it, and one site said sometimes it does't show any symptoms.

The vet said, botulism still couldn't be ruled out as a secondary. Anyway I am so paranoid and worry so much about my animals(kids, grandkids, husband, etc,) Just a worry wort.

Dr. Herrin said it is safe to butcher and sell them. Just look for signs of illness. I check everything and count heads. Now, I get them up to see how they are walking and try to pay particular attention to make sure they all have an appetite.
He e-mailed the lab report so I thought I'd post it, but it is 4 pages.

Lonnyandrinda------Yes, the eggs are fertile. Hubby used to raise chickens years ago and showed me how to tell.Thank you for the info. I do want to see what I get, but if they don't hatch I won't go bonkers. I've had really good luck on my broodies hatching eggs. Except for one hen, long story/ Poor thing she finally hatched two and after I let them out of the broodhouse at 8 weeks, she disappeared. The kids are doing great though.

Kassaundra----------They have been laying for over a month. I really can't remember when they started, but it's been awhile.

After seeing all the pictures of everyone's gorgeous birds, I got all excited last night and got the fever again, so I started looking up different breeds. The biggest reason, I usually get them from hatcheries is because I know they are healthy and don't come with any disease. I know they cull any sick bird to make sure they never have any carriers. Auctions, scare me. I've only been to one, but there were some sick looking birds. And one guy bought most of them and then stuffed them in several cages, with the roosters fighting and drawing blood. It made me sick to my stomach. So, I've never been to another one. There were some beautiful birds, but not knowing the background makes me nervous, even after quarantining them, you still don't know if they are carriers of one of the two respiratory diseases that they can carry. Am I too crazy. I don't mean to be. I don't sell any of my chickens, only eggs, but I'd hate to think a wild bird caught, something from one of my birds and then carried it to someone elses flock. That's why I'm so upset about the ducks. I have no idea where they caught this , if letting someone come in my yard and buying ducks, carrying it. I'm going to have to do something different when selling the ducks. I know people like to pick out their own, so I'll figure something out. Dr. Herrin assured me that it's ok to butcher and sell what I have, that it's like strep, they won't be carriers. Anyway, I'm praying and hope I get an answer about selling anymore. I'm such a wimp I can't kill my own. I do pluck and dress them out though. Sorry I've been so windy. Just needed to talk. Sometimes I get pretty lonely.

Will post the lab report a little later.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Thank you Robin for giving him a good home and thank you Rinda for helping with that. I don't think I ever heard him crow! Another, older roo was top roo in his pen so he and his brother were quiet. He does look very happy already.

You are very welcome! I didn't hear him crow until he had been here 3 or 4 days, then he crowed his head off every morning! It was great to listen to, he is so quiet I could only hear him when I was in the kitchen or laundry room.

well, he has been crowing off and on, i think hearing boaz, in the other room encourages him, and he is settling in, playing with the clip on the door

Great to hear! It was nice to meet you too! Sorry I was in the middle of chicken chores or I would have chatted longer. And you may have had an extra passenger (black dog, Izzy) if you'd stayed any longer!

On the Corid- are you using liquid or powder? 2 tsp/gal of the liquid and 1/2 tsp/gal of the powder. I would not keep chicks on a regular dose of Corid even if you aren't using medicated feed. It robs their bodies of a B vitamin... B1 I think. Anytime I do an extended treatment of Corid I follow with a week of vitamins in the water since you can't add anything to the Corid water. As long as the waterer is scrubbed daily and bedding/brooder is kept relatively clean you shouldn't have trouble with Cocci. I like to keep a little dispenser of apple cider vinegar (Braggs brand) next to the laundry sink to add a squirt to each jar as I rinse and refill them, it kills bacteria and keeps the jars from forming "slime" on the inside.

This is the kind of bottle I store the ACV in. The one we have is from years ago when my husband and I ran a window washing business. We used it to meter the amount of soap to add to the water. It makes it really easy to just get a little bit, I just have to make sure I shake it up good before I squeeze the ACV into the measured side.
http://www.window-cleaning-supply.com/bottle-measuring-8-ounce-double-neck-each/

 

[greenbeetle]

WOW, you have some beautiful birds. I cannot wait to get started this spring with my own birds. I have looked in the hatchery catalog a billion times trying to decide what chickens/chicks to buy to start out with. I seem to want them all....lol

 

[Kassaundra]

@hotcurltr I would think you could have reasonably good success w/ one month into laying eggs, they should be big enough by that time.

As far as killing your own birds I find it easier w/ a pellet gun. I still wouldn't be able to use a knife or hatchet to kill and cringe at the thought of the broomstick or club. But the gun makes it doable for me

 

[greenbeetle]

artsyrobin

Do you sale silkie chicks or hatching eggs? I think they are beautiful birds.

 

[shelbydog]

Geez, I think I need a couple MJ's Cochins too. So pretty!

 

[bardies]

here are my two pretty girls i got from MJ

Beautiful - and so round....they remind me of the yeast rolls from Golden Corral!

 

[shelbydog]

I lost this beautiful girl early this morning. I don't know what brought her down.