The Front Porch Swing

[Hollowoakfarm]

pysanki-- sorry about your goat, but that's awesome that you have a new baby around, baby goats are SOO cute!! I would love to have one behind my house.. there are some railroad tracks behind our lot, they used infrequently, and the weeds really grow out there.. of course the railroad doesn't really maintain the part closer to my house, so last year we burnt them, a goat would be much more efficient...

[SIZE=8.5pt][COLOR=333333]I think that there must be different varieties of MG because Hollowoak actually had birds DYING from it and mine is so mild that they don’t even have any symptoms.  And the only two that I had that did have symptoms, they were fairly minor (a bit of a rattle in their breathing and some sneezing) and by the time I thought to myself:  “hey, they are only cockerels anyway, why not send them with my mom to drop off in Harrisonburg on her way home and find out what this is, because the testing is free”, They had already gotten over it almost and I was worried the Harrisonburg people would think that I was an over reactive new-mom type. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=8.5pt][COLOR=333333]So I really think that some of the strains of it must me much more intense than the strain me might have.  Either that or it really WAS just the birds that I brought in in my quarantine pen and my real flock isn’t infected.  I wish I could get someone out here to draw blood.  I may have to learn how to draw blood myself.[/COLOR][/SIZE]


[SIZE=8.5pt][COLOR=333333]Thanks about the goat.  I just wish the new goat was not so tiny…he can get through any hole big enough for a chicken!!!  Makes things difficult!  If you do get a goat…and they are great by the way!!!...get one that is big enough that you can keep him out of the chicken house.  This one is way too small!!!! [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=8.5pt][COLOR=333333]Goats are great at clearing and I sometimes take them out to places we don’t have fenced and sit with a book to read while they chow down.  I love watching them eat.  They bite stuff off at the base of the sprig and then munch it in like spaghetti…too funny![/COLOR][/SIZE]

Interestingly enough, with my MG, it was one particular breed that got it so bad they were dying. Only the BCMs, regardless of source. The other breeds were mild or asymptomatic. I would agree that breeding for resistance is the key. Same thing for Mareks and probably other diseases. I know that's what I'll be doing from now on. Sick birds get destroyed now. Period. No more coddling, nursing, or otherwise. I'm drawing a hard line and allowing no pets.

Sigh.

 

[NotAFarm]

Good Morning! I hope everyone made it through the storms safely and those in the path will be safe.
We were under a tornado warning and severe thunderstorms warnings until 1::00 a.m. The thunder got very loud and was constant for awhile, but everything, other than some leaves, seems to be intact. We are grateful.

Go Blackhawks!

 

[cluckitall]

Heya Not! I'm glad you were safe over there Things got a little wild and wooly here in Ohio for a bit, but no major damage in this area and I had tucked the most vulnerable chickies into the barn for the night.

I hope everyone is safe and dry!

 

[drumstick diva]

Other Mary, even tho I hid in the basement closet, with a bat.op. weather radio and a flashlight - we had just a plain, old, garden variety thunderstorm, no high winds, no hail, no drenching downpour. I'm not disappointed. I'm thankful. . But I sure was starving in the closet with no refrigerator.

My brother lives in Downers Grove and he said they had a lot of lightning and heavier rain.

 

[NotAFarm]

Diva, Maybe you should get one of those mini-fridges for next time. You could stock it will all the essentials....like water and chocolate.

 

[drumstick diva]

I thought of that but no electrical outlet handy. Water?? What's that? Oh the stuff that is inside Caffeine free diet pepsi & mixed with brown coloring. You are being kind, do you think I would really let goodies live in the mini fridge - while awaiting another storm??? Food addictions and lack of portion control are the bane of my existence.

 

[NotAFarm]

Yeah, I'm not so good with "storing" essential items either.....somehow they get eaten within a day or two an hour or so after purchase...

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Ok we have to decide what breeds stay and which ones go. The problem is I think I love them all, we would get rid of barred rocks but they sell so good. We have about 24 different breeds or colors, several are GFF also. Just not sure where to start. Well maybe how to start but then what.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Ok we have to decide what breeds stay and which ones go. The problem is I think I love them all, we would get rid of barred rocks but they sell so good. We have about 24 different breeds or colors, several are GFF also. Just not sure where to start. Well maybe how to start but then what.

Been doing the same thing, and I don't have near the breeds you do. We've narrowed it down to assorted colors of Orps, BBS Ameraucanas, Rose comb Brown Leghorns, Welsummers, Cuckoo Marans, plus EE and OE. Probably would have retained the lovely Barnevelders if most of them weren't roos. just didn't get enough hens to continue with them. We had to look at what our market is, and use that as the sole criteria. Eating eggs first, and the color variety is important, so a brown egg layer, white egg layer, dark speckled, dark, blue and variety of greens. I actually have customers who insist that each color tastes different. Really. Who am I to argue!

We also had to consider other markets, but those are building while we can sell every eating egg we produce. But we're getting it sorted out. Slowly.

 

[NotAFarm]

TN, I think you first have to decide what your purpose of having chickens is.
When I got my first chickens (4 EE pullets through our feed/seed elevator from Mt. Healthy Hatchery that was a combined order with other people who only wanted a few pullets each), I was "replacing" my horse hobby for a chicken hobby. I wanted a few eggs and something to get me outside for some "chore time". That is still the main reason I have them. Each time I get eggs shipped in and hatch some different breeds, I need to decide what to do with them. I am not (and will not be) set-up for any large scale operation. Each year I have to decide what I will keep. For me, my Icelandics are my passion. They remain what I base all my other decisions around. Any pullets that I hatch out of shipped/purchased eggs, do not stay if they lay a white/tinted egg. I will not risk hatching an egg that may be a cross. I do not incubate any eggs that come from my other hens (Wellie, SLW, BRxAm from BHep).. I got German New Hampshires from kathyinmo last spring and kept a pen of them (5 hens and 1 rooster). They stayed with the main flock until February when I put them in a breeding pen (5x6 coop and 8x8.5 secure run). They only get free range time after the main flock goes to roost, and I hate that. I know many people never free range their flocks but for me, I like to see them out enjoying "being a chicken" and not cooped-up. I now need to decide if I want to continue keeping them....and I already know that I will not be hatching a bunch of different breeds from now on.
I said all that to say...

• If you are keeping them "as a business investment", your decision will be based on what the market demands. The fads of today will be gone tomorrow so you will have to make your best educated guess on what people will be wanting next year. Staying "ahead of the curve" is difficult. People will always want good egg layers or to purchase eggs so breeds that you can rely on for good egg production are always a safe way to go.
• If you want to show your stock, your decision would be based on totally different criteria...are you trying to help get a variety/breed recognized by the APA...that requires breeders that had that breed for 5 years or more....do you want to show bantams because of their smaller size and ease of handling and feed efficiency.....and so on.
• If they are for your own enjoyment and use....keep what you like, what makes you happy and fits you.........eggs, meat, both, eye candy, preservation.

Good Luck!!