Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[JadeComputerGal]

i cannot understand why the teacher is so adamant about chickens. ducks, chickens, whatever. you would still be able to show your skills with ducks. that is probably what the instructor has always used and cannot improvise.

No, that's really not it. She's a great lady. She said I can bring one of my ducks if I like, and that it would allow her to show how to do swabbing of a duck since it's a little different from a chicken. The reason you have to have chickens is that you have to demonstrate that you can draw blood, and you don't draw blood from ducks. I understand her reasoning. I'm just puzzled about what to do since I'm chickenless and will stay that way if my hubby has any say in it.

 

[Wanda]

you have to be careful with standard roosters and bantam hens, the weight of the rooster can injure the hens back. I have even heard of them breaking hen's backs.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Not sure yet. The vet said they typically don't give classes in the fourth quarter unless there's a lot of demand, and there are no classes scheduled yet. It could be near here, Harrisburg, or just about anywhere in the state, but there likely won't be any of them anywhere until early spring.

This has kind of thrown a wrench into things. When she said I'd need to bring my chickens, I told her, no, I have ducks, remember? She didn't seem to understand and said she knew I had ducks but you don't don't bring those to the class, you bring your chickens. Then I told her I have no chickens because my hubby is a chicken-hater and that all I have is ducks. She seemed baffled about that and said she'd never heard of anyone who had ducks and no chickens. That's when she said I'd have to find a way to rent or borrow some chickens.

LOL. I can honestly say I never dreamed I'd someday be in a situation where I'd need to rent chickens.

i cannot understand why the teacher is so adamant about chickens. ducks, chickens, whatever. you would still be able to show your skills with ducks. that is probably what the instructor has always used and cannot improvise.

I would guess because ducks do not usually have their blood drawn for testing associated with Exhibition. In PA ducks are not normally tested for Pullorum and are given a cloacal swab to test for Avian Influenza.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

They make good study partners...

. You have to demonstrate that you can draw blood to earn your certification.

@Jade, the closest one offered to us would be the one in Collegville or the one in Lancaster. Sometimes the class is offered with chickens there for you to torture....uh, I mean practice on.

@CC, I have goats. I'm not exactly close, but you can come visit us if you want.

Yes, Dr. Simeone mentioned that sometimes there's a person who carts in a bunch of chickens for people to use, just that there's no way to guarantee when that's going to happen, so I would need to not depend on that and find my own chickens. I'd just buy some anyway if my hubby weren't such a chicken-hater.

 

[tpolinsk]

No, that's really not it. She's a great lady. She said I can bring one of my ducks if I like, and that it would allow her to show how to do swabbing of a duck since it's a little different from a chicken. The reason you have to have chickens is that you have to demonstrate that you can draw blood, and you don't draw blood from ducks. I understand her reasoning. I'm just puzzled about what to do since I'm chickenless and will stay that way if my hubby has any say in it.

i understand. thanks to blarney also. i guess you are back to rentachicken. i am sure one of uscould accomodate wherever you have the class.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Ok, so I seem to be a little behind on the conversation... Lol

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Another option is to connect with someone who needs blood drawn for an upcoming show and offer to do the field portion of your certification there, this way their chickens get tested, your husband continues in his chicken less existence and YOU get your certification!

 

[JadeComputerGal]

you have to be careful with standard roosters and bantam hens, the weight of the rooster can injure the hens back. I have even heard of them breaking hen's backs.

Right, that's pretty much what she told me, better not to use roosters or young or small hens. She recommended adult hens, but not old ones.

 

[chiques chicks]

Blarney, what kind of goats do you have? Are you kidding in the spring?

I'm leaning toward Nigerian dwarf. Being single, I don't use that much milk.

 

[Katt66]

I can't even imagine how someone can hate chickens. Especially someone who's fine with ducks?

Poor chickens!