**~~>>Second Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon<<~~**all poultry welcome!

[ronott1]

The thing I worry about is what if they say they have to cull all the birds? My birds are on my neighbor's property & there are many other people who keep birds there. There are over 1000 birds on the property. I cannot be responsible for that. Am I just over worried? Or is that a real possibility?

They only force you to do that if it is
Avian influenza (H5 or H7)
•

Exotic Newcastle disease
•

Turkey rhinotracheitis (Avian
metapneumovirus)

That is not likely at all. They make recommendations.

Only claim your flock though since there is a limit for back yard flocks.

 

[dsqard]

ThiDye one thing to keep in mind, they may recommend destroying your flock depending on what the disease is just to keep it from spreading. Depending on the disease, your birds may now be carriers of the disease for the rest of their lives even if they are not sick again (think of the birds you purchased, they are not sick now). I am not saying that you would have to cull them all in this instance, but some diseases are also passed from the hen to the egg, so even chicks hatched from the eggs can be carriers. Please keep this in mind if you ever want to sell birds or hatching eggs. I am not trying to lecture but to warn you just in case you did not know this. I would highly recommend getting a necropsy done if one passes away or gets really sick so that you know what you are dealing with.

 

[Arielle]

ThiDye, I had an interesting discussion with the head state animal inspector, who is a vet, about testing for MG. SHe said it was not necessary because most backyard flocks have it. She did not see it as a problem. Even with AI, they go thru a testing p rocess. She was careful to assure me when arranging a testing date that if a bird test pos not to panic, further testing was needed.

I don't allow anyone onto my propery now since I have started testing my birds. ANd I don't buy any birds at this point either.

 

[ChooksChick]

HEchicken...I know you didnt ask me, but ive been sewing for some 18 or so years now, so I thought i'd chime in. I highly recommend getting a good quality second hand machine...a good quality !achine that has been well maintained will just keep on trucking! You also want one that has metal gears...especially if you are going to sew heavier materil. I have a euro pro craft and sew, and i love it!!! Singers, and Kenmores that are a little older are usually good too. Make sure you get a real machine, and dont get duped into buying a little crafting one for a low price...you will get what you pay for. I think i paid $50 including shippinv for mine, and its been worth every penny!

Heather, I totally agree. My best machines came from garage sales. Found one just like I learned on for$20. You should totally hit estate sales.

 

[ChooksChick]

[COLOR=008000]Wait a darn minute! This hatch ain't over just yet! Four tutors hatched out overnight and the first of my BR turkeys is pipping![/COLOR]

I'm done hatching, but I think we've started another gab fest.

Wow, thanks all for the advice. I'm so glad I asked as I was picturing going down to Walmart and looking at the available offerings

. My last machine I bought at a yard sale for $25 and used it for years without any issues and made so many things with it. If only it didn't get damaged in a move (international move so it was in a shipping crate for weeks). I don't tend to stop at yard sales very often, especially when I'm not looking for anything in particular but maybe its time I stopped at a few and see what I find. Love the tip on metal gears - I never would have thought to look at that.

Kitchenaid mixers have plastic gears now too. Mine broke after 25 years so I bought a new one. It broke in 6 months so I sent it back and a new one was sent to me--one that had broken for someone else. The refurbished ones get metal gears. This one has been working fine for three years now.

Yep, finally got one of those, too...CL, used, old. Better that way!

I just have to post this picture of my granddaughter that my daughter sent me. She loves her Maymi's "caw-koos" and spends as much time as she can with them when she comes to visit. She has plastic, crocheted, stuffed and other chickens that she loves to play with......but I don't recall ever candling eggs with her. She's trying to candle a plastic egg that obviously doesn't have any development.........just like SCG..... ......do I need to start worrying? She is 2 and 1/2......

Oh, dear. Best to get her a DS when the time for restraint comes...folks just wouldn't understand the straitjacket on a kid. :>

The small, weakest poult died. It was not thriving at all, so I held it for a time, then tucked it under Punkin so it could pass all cozy and next to a heartbeat. So there's just the one poult now, with five tutor chicks. Doing very well, though.

I lost my last poult, too, and did the same with a broody Cochin. Poor baby. Knew it was going, so made it comfy.

 

[ThaiDye]

With so many people bringing birds in over there it's no wonder they are sick. People are bringing stuff in from everywhere & giving it to all of the birds. You can't get rid of it because only your birds are being treated & as soon as you stop treating yours they get it right back from the sick ones. Personally, I would get my birds out of there ASAP, cull any that need it & start fresh in a closed environment if necessary. The more people you have bringing in birds, especially from unknown sources, the more sick birds you will have.

Most people have their birds in the back. This property is 80 acres & the only person that comes near is the owner (who lets many of his birds free range). Maybe he tracks something on his shoes. DH and I already discussed moving the birds. The only problem is my backyard is all concrete (last owner was a contractor & major party person). I have a mountain behind my house and no neighbors back there. I think I can use that space but I don't own that land. Another neighbor has been here forever & he uses that space also so I want to run my idea past him b4 any building takes place.

I thought you couldn't use the citric acid on the birds, just the coops and pens. I may be wrong, but if it's lethal I'm pretty sure you don't. I do know that for misting that most did it at night while the roosted. I wish I could help, but I use it as a precautionary treatment on the pens. I hope someone that knows the measurements will see this and help you. Have you tried their site or...I know there's a website that explains it that someone has out there. Maybe I can find it. ummm Yeah, Revivial. LOL oops And yeah the birds could have been carriers.

I do not have the citric acid.I found a measurement for using in my cool mist humidifier. Thanks

ThiDye one thing to keep in mind, they may recommend destroying your flock depending on what the disease is just to keep it from spreading. Depending on the disease, your birds may now be carriers of the disease for the rest of their lives even if they are not sick again (think of the birds you purchased, they are not sick now). I am not saying that you would have to cull them all in this instance, but some diseases are also passed from the hen to the egg, so even chicks hatched from the eggs can be carriers. Please keep this in mind if you ever want to sell birds or hatching eggs. I am not trying to lecture but to warn you just in case you did not know this. I would highly recommend getting a necropsy done if one passes away or gets really sick so that you know what you are dealing with.

I'm not selling any birds or hatching eggs. I'm waiting on a work comp check & after bills are paid, depending on what's left, I want to take one to the vet. I moved out the symptomatic birds and gave them Tylan & will mist them with oxine today. The rest of the flock is getting meds in the water again.

ThiDye, I had an interesting discussion with the head state animal inspector, who is a vet, about testing for MG. SHe said it was not necessary because most backyard flocks have it. She did not see it as a problem. Even with AI, they go thru a testing p rocess. She was careful to assure me when arranging a testing date that if a bird test pos not to panic, further testing was needed. I don't allow anyone onto my propery now since I have started testing my birds. ANd I don't buy any birds at this point either.

My friend called them & he told her that AI & END were the only reasons culling was mandatory but also said there hadn't been an outbreak in the US in like 50 yrs (she might have confused the info in relating it back to me). I remember about 15 yrs ago reading horror stories about an END outbreak where they were destroying peoples' pet parrots also. I did not have chooks at the time, but did have parrots & I was putting out trays of biocide foot baths at my doorways & making people step in or remove their shoes b4 entering. Even then, they couldn't come in my bird room. My bio security was so vigilant back then! I can't believe how lax it was earlier this year (insert emoticon for beating myself on my head here).

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Most strains of AI are not a problem. Only a few are a serious issue.

I wonder if you can cover over some of the concrete with soil or gravel and give the chooks a place to live that is clean. I would seriously consider culling the original birds if possible; depends on their value to you. Can they be replaced by clean birds?? I'm sure you will figure out what you need to do.

Most vets don't know much about birds-- so none of mine will go to a vet. THe old time breeders cull sick birds = OVerall the reaulting flock is healthier that way. This method has taken a while for me to accept, and now I do cull. ANd use far less antibiotics than I used to.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arielle

ThiDye, I had an interesting discussion with the head state animal inspector, who is a vet, about testing for MG. SHe said it was not necessary because most backyard flocks have it. She did not see it as a problem. Even with AI, they go thru a testing p rocess. She was careful to assure me when arranging a testing date that if a bird test pos not to panic, further testing was needed.


I don't allow anyone onto my propery now since I have started testing my birds. ANd I don't buy any birds at this point either.

My friend called them & he told her that AI & END were the only reasons culling was mandatory but also said there hadn't been an outbreak in the US in like 50 yrs (she might have confused the info in relating it back to me). I remember about 15 yrs ago reading horror stories about an END outbreak where they were destroying peoples' pet parrots also. I did not have chooks at the time, but did have parrots & I was putting out trays of biocide foot baths at my doorways & making people step in or remove their shoes b4 entering. Even then, they couldn't come in my bird room. My bio security was so vigilant back then! I can't believe how lax it was earlier this year (insert emoticon for beating myself on my head here).

Most strains of AI are not a problem. Only a few are a serious issue.

I wonder if you can cover over some of the concrete with soil or gravel and give the chooks a place to live that is clean. I would seriously consider culling the original birds if possible; depends on their value to you. Can they be replaced by clean birds?? I'm sure you will figure out what you need to do.

Most vets don't know much about birds-- so none of mine will go to a vet. THe old time breeders cull sick birds = OVerall the reaulting flock is healthier that way. This method has taken a while for me to accept, and now I do cull. ANd use far less antibiotics than I used to.
I use antibiotics only for injuries to prevent infection. Any other bird that actually comes down sick gets culled. I got a couple roos from someone over the winter that ended up being sick. They never came in direct contact with any of my other birds because they never made it out of iso. They did end up riding in my car with a few other birds (in separate cages) during my move before I knew they were sick, and I culled every bird they had been anywhere near (they all showed symptoms within 48 hours of exposure to those birds). I'm very careful with my birds. I would much rather have to cull a couple of birds than let something spread to my entire flock.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

My last hatch in that incubator this time around started last night. So far I have 4 chicks and 2 more pips out of 12 shipped eggs. Not too shabby so far considering I never candled these eggs, forgot how long they were in the incubator (I found they were hatching when I went to add water last night) and they are filthy from multiple hatches and chicks/poults lounging on them after hatching.


They are my first cornish (not cross) and I've got a couple of lofty ideas about combining them with the jersey giant roo I have or the delaware cross meat birds I hatched out with the turkeys.


They will be a tad different from the banty crosses BF disemboweled last year.

 

[chickenpooplady]

The hatching eggs from Wisher1000 came this morning! She even sent me extras!
Out of 16 eggs, 2 were broken, 2 have detached air cells, 2 have weird air cells that are in the right place, and 10 have good looking air cells in the right place! Thank you Wisher! I am looking forward to this hatch!