Show Off Your Games!

[sdm111]

True, depends for me I'm not gonna cull a brood cock or hen cause it sneezed. Luckily I haven't had problems with sickness but I still quarantine all incoming birds although now I have enough coming up that I shouldn't need to introduce any new unless something catastrophic happens.

 

[saladin]

That's right. A person needs to learn the difference between a cold (sneeze) and sickness. (I know, I know the experts continue to write that chickens don't get colds. Well, maybe they don't, but they do sneeze. And if they do it often enough; I call it a cold. My vet brother just laughs at me. Of course, I am the doctor he calls when some person brings a chicken into his office. lol.)

 

[sdm111]

Yeah after a while u can tell daily minute issues v/s a real problem. A few days ago one of my stags wasn't his peppy self a lil puffed and still had feed in his bowl so he had to go. Before a bigger problem may have happened. Pen got a good dose of virkon-s. Luckily that's the only that had to go in a while other than poor response to conditioning.

 

[saladin]

I believe very strongly in preventive means and medications to avoid any sickness I can. When it comes (and it will/has) then the best thing to do is kill, kill, kill.

I use:
1. Bleach in the drinking water. (Best preventive medicine for chickens on the face of the planet).
2. Worm the chickens twice yearly.
3. Dust/spray for mites/lice every 3 weeks.
4. Treat all chickens for cocci at least twice yearly.
5. Feed Aureomycin as preventive to chicks and give it to adult birds once yearly.
6. Use LS-50 in the drinking water of every chick hatched.

 

[centrarchid]

Why not prevent exchange of concentrated disease organisms between confined birds by limiting vectors such as juveniles and waterfowl that otherwise get water as they desire from multiple water containers.

 

[saladin]

I agree with that centra. But I'm actually talking about same age birds here and all being chickens.

My many waterfowl only wander the cock yard. They have no access to hens or juveniles (excepting the free rangers).

 

[centrarchid]

I agree with that centra. But I'm actually talking about same age birds here and all being chickens.

My many waterfowl only wander the cock yard. They have no access to hens or juveniles (excepting the free rangers).

That is exactly the population I am concerned about. Penned adults of the cockyard that require a great deal of effort to be maintained in top form. Much is invested in keeping them in quality feed and clean water. Having other birds (free-ranging juveniles and waterfowl) in area where they can cross contaminate the water and feeding areas in a pen may make for more frequent disease issues even when it involves single birds being infected. Additionally, not only do the free-range birds make so penned birds are more connected to each other, they also make so penned birds are more connected to other environments that initially would not appear to be impacting your pens. Free-ranging birds messing around in pathogen/parasite infested locations can track the undesirables to locations you work hard to keep clean.

Seldom does a bird exhibit clinical signs immediately after infection yet frequently, even before you detect health issue warranting culling, that infected yet asymptomatic bird can be a source of infection for others. What makes things real fun is some individuals never come down with obvious health issues yet shed disease organisms into the environment to be picked up by more vulnerable individuals.


This is part of the biosecurity issue that can always be considered even in your own yard to prevent disease transmission.


The other problem is with some of the "cold-like" conditions that are vectored by mosquitos that fly from pen to pen at night. To get a feel for that, look at your birds next summer about midnight with a flashlight while wearing glasses. You will want to limit habitat for mosquitos after such an observation.

 

[jmandawn]

Oooh... you mean I can post these lovelies?

Golden Duckwing Cubalaya pair

What gorgeous birds!

 

[saladin]

That is exactly the population I am concerned about. Penned adults of the cockyard that require a great deal of effort to be maintained in top form. Much is invested in keeping them in quality feed and clean water. Having other birds (free-ranging juveniles and waterfowl) in area where they can cross contaminate the water and feeding areas in a pen may make for more frequent disease issues even when it involves single birds being infected. Additionally, not only do the free-range birds make so penned birds are more connected to each other, they also make so penned birds are more connected to other environments that initially would not appear to be impacting your pens. Free-ranging birds messing around in pathogen/parasite infested locations can track the undesirables to locations you work hard to keep clean.

Seldom does a bird exhibit clinical signs immediately after infection yet frequently, even before you detect health issue warranting culling, that infected yet asymptomatic bird can be a source of infection for others. What makes things real fun is some individuals never come down with obvious health issues yet shed disease organisms into the environment to be picked up by more vulnerable individuals.


This is part of the biosecurity issue that can always be considered even in your own yard to prevent disease transmission.


The other problem is with some of the "cold-like" conditions that are vectored by mosquitos that fly from pen to pen at night. To get a feel for that, look at your birds next summer about midnight with a flashlight while wearing glasses. You will want to limit habitat for mosquitos after such an observation.

Got cha:

Honestly, my cocks are never sick. They only get the bleach in the water, worming and dusting. All the rest is saved for hens and chicks (which some will become cocks of course).

I'd have to de-populate the waterfowl to accomplish this and as long as my cock feeder is the owner of the waterfowl it ain't happening. LOL.
But I readily admit you are right on the money.

 

[chickletteSarge]

how long should I wait to dub? I have a april hatch stag that is in need of a cut! lol I cant stand the way he looks with a comb... he is also on the fat side... I think DW started him on broiler feed... my other stag is so much smaller and lighter than he is... but he needs a cut too... any pointers from the wise ones?
still learnin here...