Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Angelicisi]

Wanna ask a question but feel odd asking
Getting pretty good at this processing thing but will always be asking & learning!

We had this one rooster with a teeny tiny body and a HUGE head...poor guy we thought but he was a bully, ate well and held his own just didn't grow like the hen we kept...then when we processed him we found he had the hugest testes! yes. Normally we see lima bean size bits...this guy had walnuts! He dressed out at only 3lbs and was a tiny bird...will having such big, uuummmm hormone producers effect meat flavor or texture? We sell our birds and I inspect everyone of them before a customer gets them...all have been awesome with rave reviews! I'd hate to give someone a tough or odd tasting bird...

His are the 2 on top right all the other normal size roos have the lil things in bottom left of pic.

 

[dutchbunny83]

The TSC manager doesn't have a clue about chickens. Chickens get coccidia while in a penned situation the same as free ranging, that has no bearing on it at all. I've been free ranging for almost 4 decades and this is the first time I've seen it in one of my flocks, whereas you can read on this forum over and over penned chicks and chickens having coccidiosis.

Nor does it happen from pooping in the water, though that's not a great thing. It happens if the bird has a weak immune system and is exposed to soils or environments that have coccidia present...which is anywhere folks have chickens or any other livestock. Some birds can be exposed to the very same things~as in the case of my birds~and never once get an overload of coccidia.

My first time dealing with it also and my best and quickest solution is cull. Right now you just have a bird problem. If you start getting more and more, then you have a flock problem and then treatment options may change for you.

I worded that wrong, I'm sorry, I didn't mean free ranging I meant being out in the yard with the ground at a week old versus still being contained completely in a brooder.
The one who was pooping straight blood has been culled, but there are 9 left I don't know which of them have it. All still acting healthy, so I'm really trying to watch them closely.
Corrid isn't an option right now, no one in driving distance has it, so looking online. I got some oxytetracycline (only thing at TSC), but the guy thought it would be a futile effort, I just felt like I should do something.

When you say flock problem, can this spread to my other birds and layers (right now these are my only chicks). The guy said that if these were the only ones with symptoms the older ones were immune and I shouldn't worry about it. Is it contagious? (I know it comes from the eggs already in the soil, but didn't know if birds could spread it between each other). I have the broilers in their own meat pen, but my chickens free range all day and will come up to the sides of it, my yard isn't separated. Do I need to cull all the broilers? Obviously the last thing I want is anything to effect my other birds. I'm crazy about biosecurity, but things like wild birds and soil there's only so much I can do about.

I also didn't get medicated feed (which I never have, first time with an issue), do you guys use that for your meat birds? I just worry there'd be residual amounts in the meat, not that it would hurt us, but I wanted them to be as natural as possible...

 

[Bethel3330]

We process on saturday and they rest until Tuesday usually then I label and freeze.

Thanks for the info! I hope to do some this fall.

 

[Crickett]

I processed 6 rabbits yesterday. It went a lot smoother than I thought. Put one in the crockpot with about three Tbsp butter (more or less) . It was delish! The rest are in the freezer. Good to know I can provide meat for my family, regardless of what the economy does!

 

[dutchbunny83]

I processed 6 rabbits yesterday. It went a lot smoother than I thought. Put one in the crockpot with about three Tbsp butter (more or less) . It was delish! The rest are in the freezer. Good to know I can provide meat for my family, regardless of what the economy does!

I've been putting off the rabbits...


Quick Corid question-- all I can find is 9.6% solution, not the powder. Not a very big bottle either. $30 to get it delivered tomorrow night. Will this help??? Should I order??? What would the dosage be with the liquid. NO ONE has anything locally to treat it, and the powder would be next week before it got here.

 

[ronott1]

I've been putting off the rabbits...


Quick Corid question-- all I can find is 9.6% solution, not the powder. Not a very big bottle either. $30 to get it delivered tomorrow night. Will this help??? Should I order??? What would the dosage be with the liquid. NO ONE has anything locally to treat it, and the powder would be next week before it got here.

I posted the liquid dosage. Go up to my post to find it.

You can give the liquid straight suing a dropper to very sick ones.

I will post the whole corid note this time. I hope it helps!

Quote:

 

[Arielle]

As Ron said, treat the sickest ones orally-- as in give each bird a dose. SIck birds do not go to the waterer for a drink so don't get the correct dosing, and may not get any of the meds at all. Ask me how I know this one?? I lost about 20 chicks the hard way. Grrrr. LIve and learn.

GOod luck

 

[dutchbunny83]

I posted the liquid dosage. Go up to my post to find it.

You can give the liquid straight suing a dropper to very sick ones.

I will post the whole corid note this time. I hope it helps!

Okay, thanks so much!!!
I'm sorry I missed the liquid dosage the first time I looked at it.
This said calf liquid so I wasn't sure if it was different.
I appreciate all the help, you guys are the best!
Liquid should be here around 8 tomorrow night.

Now the other chicks I have on the other side of the yard without symptoms (separate from the meat), do I treat them as a preventative measure or leave them? Should I switch to medicated feed?

Thank you!!!

 

[ronott1]

Okay, thanks so much!!!
I'm sorry I missed the liquid dosage the first time I looked at it.
This said calf liquid so I wasn't sure if it was different.
I appreciate all the help, you guys are the best!
Liquid should be here around 8 tomorrow night.

Now the other chicks I have on the other side of the yard without symptoms (separate from the meat), do I treat them as a preventative measure or leave them? Should I switch to medicated feed?

Thank you!!!

Your Welcome!

It is hard to find it in all the information in the notes. At this point, treat all of them. Follow the treatment and then the resistance course.

1. 5 to 7 days at treatment level.
2. follow up with 5 to 7 days at half dose, to build resistance.
2. Give them the resistance dose for 2 or 3 days every month until they are 20 weeks old. You will be eating the meat birds long before then.

Give them vitamins after the resistance course. Do not give them vitamins during the treatment or resistance course.


Corid is amazing for treating cocci.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I have a question this group will probably be able to answer. I have a hen that I have been treating for bumble foot. The vet, a chicken expert, gave me an ointment to apply. It has been made up by--I can't think of the right word at the moment--maybe a compounding pharmacy? It contains all kinds of things, antibiotics, maybe a steroid.

Can I eat the eggs? Do I likely need a withdrawal period for a topically applied antibiotic? I will ask him, but wanted an opinion from a meat-producing group as well. Thanks.