Silkie thread!

[spatulagirl]

Welcome, spatulagirl! It is horrible that people can be so ignorant about their dogs, I am sorry you went thru that.
Yes, it is difficult waiting for those eggs to hatch, but so worth it!
You should be very pleased with CJ's eggs, hers are very pretty.
Good luck with them!
Roberta

Thank you! What actually happened was someone cut into the chicken coop, let their dogs in there to slaughter the crew, then opened the door to let the dogs out and the birds who could still move tried to run. The dog(s) finished off the rest and three made it safely into the woods. All three were attacked but they survived. They did not leave their roost for two months, except to eat and drink.

 

[peepblessed]

Thank you! What actually happened was someone cut into the chicken coop, let their dogs in there to slaughter the crew, then opened the door to let the dogs out and the birds who could still move tried to run. The dog(s) finished off the rest and three made it safely into the woods. All three were attacked but they survived. They did not leave their roost for two months, except to eat and drink.

Unbelievably horrible!!

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

I'm so sorry that happened.

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

How difficult is it to breed out bad feet (forked 5th toe, webbed, etc.)? Obviously it's best to start with good stock to begin with, but should I just cull the ones with bad feet and keep the good ones only?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

How difficult is it to breed out bad feet (forked 5th toe, webbed, etc.)? Obviously it's best to start with good stock to begin with, but should I just cull the ones with bad feet and keep the good ones only?

Toe issues can be genetic or incubator caused. Its hard to know...If you have enough to pick and choose from a hatch/batch I definitely recommend selling or giving away the ones with bad toes and keeping only the ones with 5 toes. If the toes are webbed, thats not too big a deal, but 4/6 toes I cull. toe nubs (extra little toe tips on the 5th toe usually) I sell them

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thank you! What actually happened was someone cut into the chicken coop, let their dogs in there to slaughter the crew, then opened the door to let the dogs out and the birds who could still move tried to run. The dog(s) finished off the rest and three made it safely into the woods. All three were attacked but they survived. They did not leave their roost for two months, except to eat and drink.

oh yes, I remember you posting about that on the board a while back! Okay, so I remember you! That is just cruel and evil for someone to do that. I'm very sorry. I hope you have good luck with your hatch!

 

[Hawkeye95]

NPIP testing is not universally required. SOME states require it, but by no means all. Most eastern states do, and most western states do not. 4H begins at 9 here, and that 9 must be by the first of the year. You have to be signed up by December of the previous year. Very little poultry 4H in my county, but a lot more than there was just a few years ago. On the other hand, two adjacent/nearby counties have a TON of poultry 4H groups--it really depends on where you are located. Different parts of the country tend to have shows at different times of the year.

Very interesting! I've figured out our state is very strict about these things. None of our birds can be shipped or shown without proof of NPIP. I assumed most or all states were the same. Our 4-H starts at 7years of age. I'm glad we don't have to wait until the kids are 9! But we are in a very agriculture based community-- FFA and 4-H is a big deal around here.

 

[peepblessed]

Very interesting! I've figured out our state is very strict about these things. None of our birds can be shipped or shown without proof of NPIP. I assumed most or all states were the same. Our 4-H starts at 7years of age. I'm glad we don't have to wait until the kids are 9! But we are in a very agriculture based community-- FFA and 4-H is a big deal around here.

I wonder if you can receive eggs and birds that aren't NPIP?

 

[Hawkeye95]

I wonder if you can receive eggs and birds that aren't NPIP?

I dont know for sure.. legally. I'm pretty sure the 3 silkies I had shipped to me a while back were not individually NPIP tested . If they were, I didn't get documents with the birds to say they were. The breeder just told me that her flock was NPIP and had her number posted. But nothing on the individual birds I had shipped to me. Good question!! I will definitely be ordering eggs at some point-- but most likely from breeders that already have an NPIP flock. I know our state requires documents on the birds I ship on the the boxes-- but whether the PO knows that or knows to check for it...

I doubt the PO checked anything on my boxes when my birds were shipped to ME other than the address...

I'm guessing a lot can get by without anyone being the wiser, in all honesty.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I dont know for sure.. legally. I'm pretty sure the 3 silkies I had shipped to me a while back were not individually NPIP tested . If they were, I didn't get documents with the birds to say they were. The breeder just told me that her flock was NPIP and had her number posted. But nothing on the individual birds I had shipped to me. Good question!! I will definitely be ordering eggs at some point-- but most likely from breeders that already have an NPIP flock. I know our state requires documents on the birds I ship on the the boxes-- but whether the PO knows that or knows to check for it...

I doubt the PO checked anything on my boxes when my birds were shipped to ME other than the address...

I'm guessing a lot can get by without anyone being the wiser, in all honesty.

People send eggs ALL the time with no testing. I know quite a few people who send birds that aren't from NPIP flocks. The PO doesn't keep up with that, most PO workers don't know the rules/laws and even if they do don't care to look or check. I have never heard of anyone who has gotten their birds or eggs held because they didn't have documents or NPIP# on the box. Remember not all states even require or even have an NPIP program anyway.