The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[speckledhen]

Had to put this in quotes because the first words are off the left side for some reason, weird!
Quote:

 

[Wyatt0224]

Wow what a luck girl Neela is that you saw everything happen. Why would Rowena continue attacking her though?

 

[Pyxis]

Jeez, it's always something! I hope she recovers well.

 

[speckledhen]

Wow what a luck girl Neela is that you saw everything happen. Why would Rowena continue attacking her though?

I'm not sure what caused her to do something that got the spur stuck in the first place, so maybe Ro was already hassling her and when Neela's legs got tangled up, possibly trying to get away from Ro, Ro just took advantage of the situation. Maybe she thought Neela was fighting with her, who knows? But, if I had not been in the barn, Neela would be dead, I'm sure of it.

Jeez, it's always something! I hope she recovers well.

I know. And I just saw that a SECOND Brahma pullet is broody, Brandy. What the heck is going on right now? I'm ready for some good old boredom! I need to get back to my quilt!


ETA: Ok, I couldn't take the drama anymore. I put Zara back with Apollo. I did leave Rowena in with Hector, Thea and Jill because of what she is like around the older hens, mean old witch. What a day! I feel like I've been run over by a Mac truck.

Oh, Poultry World magazine had this article that seemed interesting, thought you might want to read it (paging @seminolewind )

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous/?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

This part was particularly interesting:

Quote:

 

[seminolewind]

Thanks, Speckledhen. I'll have to read it although in 7 years, there's been no rhyme or reason to who gets Marek's and who doesn't. I can say all exposed unvaccinated chicks have gotten it. Vaccinated have not. My last batch is 10 silkies are 2 years old and still 10 silkies that I vaccinated.
Out of 7 chicks from 4 years ago from a hatchery, I have 4 left. They were supposedly vaccinated. One died at a year old. Lab verified Marek's. Then another at 1.5 year old. 6 months ago another developed paralysis that went from 1 leg to 2 legs to the wings. She was 4 years old!!! I have one hen who got paralysis at 8 weeks old. She was so cute I kept her in my bedroom as long as she kept her weight. After 6 weeks, she started to walk again and now she's 6 years old!

Problem is, for 80 -90 years, all research was done on birds that only lived a few years anyway (eaten). There were no long term effects because there was no long term. Now we have chickens that can live 5-10 years old, and most literature is kind of stale.

I have chickens up to 9.5 years old. All exposed or vaccinated. No age limit, and no reason that some get it and some don't. But chicks will get symptoms and die. Vaccinated is 90% or better resistant. Adults can die from it. Not to mention the lower resistance to common bugs like cocci, e. coli, staph, clostridia that exposure leaves them with.

I have a 4 year old rooster that I hatched, did not vaccinate, and he went to live with some horses until he was 4-5 months old. At 4 years he started limping yesterday. Now he's completely off the leg. I'm waiting to see if it gets worse or not. : (

Hot strains? From vaccinated chickens? I used to hear the opposite. There are stronger and weaker virus, but I don't put much faith in anything I read anymore.

 

[seminolewind]

You must have your hands full with your bunch! I have a Polish hen who occasionally is found hanging by a foot in the fence upside down, LOL.

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks, Speckledhen. I'll have to read it although in 7 years, there's been no rhyme or reason to who gets Marek's and who doesn't. I can say all exposed unvaccinated chicks have gotten it. Vaccinated have not. My last batch is 10 silkies are 2 years old and still 10 silkies that I vaccinated.
Out of 7 chicks from 4 years ago from a hatchery, I have 4 left. They were supposedly vaccinated. One died at a year old. Lab verified Marek's. Then another at 1.5 year old. 6 months ago another developed paralysis that went from 1 leg to 2 legs to the wings. She was 4 years old!!! I have one hen who got paralysis at 8 weeks old. She was so cute I kept her in my bedroom as long as she kept her weight. After 6 weeks, she started to walk again and now she's 6 years old!

Problem is, for 80 -90 years, all research was done on birds that only lived a few years anyway (eaten). There were no long term effects because there was no long term. Now we have chickens that can live 5-10 years old, and most literature is kind of stale.

I have chickens up to 9.5 years old. All exposed or vaccinated. No age limit, and no reason that some get it and some don't. But chicks will get symptoms and die. Vaccinated is 90% or better resistant. Adults can die from it. Not to mention the lower resistance to common bugs like cocci, e. coli, staph, clostridia that exposure leaves them with.

I have a 4 year old rooster that I hatched, did not vaccinate, and he went to live with some horses until he was 4-5 months old. At 4 years he started limping yesterday. Now he's completely off the leg. I'm waiting to see if it gets worse or not. : (

Hot strains? From vaccinated chickens? I used to hear the opposite. There are stronger and weaker virus, but I don't put much faith in anything I read anymore.

That article was from 2015. I'd never heard of "hot" strains. But it was an interesting read. I do not vaccinate and honestly, I never will. But, thought you might find their conclusions of some interest anyway.

You must have your hands full with your bunch! I have a Polish hen who occasionally is found hanging by a foot in the fence upside down, LOL.

Yeah, they've kept me on my toes for all of January and now, February is starting to show the same weirdness, ack!

 

[getaclue]

Tomorrow Dh, and I will be going to get the hardware for my coop doors, the pvc, the spigots, shut off valves, electrical wiring, breaker boxes, and outlets. While there is still a good bit of work to be done to finish it all up, it won't be too much longer, and I can bring my flock home.

Went to the oncologist. The news is not good, but could be worse. I will probably be starting chemo in about 3 weeks.

 

[speckledhen]

Tomorrow Dh, and I will be going to get the hardware for my coop doors, the pvc, the spigots, shut off valves, electrical wiring, breaker boxes, and outlets. While there is still a good bit of work to be done to finish it all up, it won't be too much longer, and I can bring my flock home.

Went to the oncologist. The news is not good, but could be worse. I will probably be starting chemo in about 3 weeks.

Exciting to get the coop finished up! About the other, all I can say is

 

[1muttsfan]

Sorry to hear that, and hope the treatment will vanquish the demon again.

As far as vaccination, one friend of mine lost almost every young bird she had 2 years in a row before she started vaccinating. In an ideal world, where you have an unlimited amount of space to raise many birds, not vaccinating birds may eventually lead to resistance. In her case, she would never be able to keep a laying flock again if she does not vaccinate. Since all birds stay at her place until they pass on I do not think vaccinating them is affecting the virus in any significant way. It is very hard to see each of your hatchlings die just as they approach laying age and you have become attached to them.

I also think it unlikely that vaccinations alone make the virus stronger. It a virus that readily mutates on its own without the help of vaccination, and would, like the Flu virus, be constantly challenging resistance. Chickens are just unfortunately more susceptible than many other birds species.