The Front Porch Swing

[TNBEARCHICK]

Flocks in your case that was so awful nothing you did and not natural. At least if you lose animals to predators it is somewhat expected but stolen or killed is not. I would probably have been beside myself with anger and disbelief and I know u will need time to let go of peoples stupidity but u will probably never forget.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

My Partridge Brahma Pullet

And Her mate a Partridge Brahma Cockerel

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Our newest trio of SFH the 2 pullets are from the last GFF blood line they imported that are supposed to lay the larger eggs.

 

[pysankigirl]

I didn't think you were supposed to bring new birds, chicks, or eggs into a closed flock when you have been diagnosed with having MG in your flock. How does that work?

You can bring birds in, just not out.

Why would it matter if you bring birds in?

 

[chiqita]

Wv there is mg that kill s everything and there is mg that is a mild bug. I think the thought is you don't bring in birds if you have the everything dies version that psy does not have.

Or at least this is my understanding.

 

[pysankigirl]

Thanks Chiqita.

As I have stated before, the Mg that I might have is so mild that I am not even sure we actually have it. My birds are completely asymptomatic and have been the whole time. The two that tested positive for it were in my quarantine pen.(thank goodness I quarantined all birds coming in!!!) But because I might have it, I have decided to close my flock to any birds going out so that if I have it I am not spreading it. I have brought in birds several times and none of them have ever developed any symptoms. So that leads some people to think that my flock doesn't have it. But I still wont take the chance and my flock is still closed as far as I am concerned to birds going out.

Maybe someday I will do blood tests on them but so far haven't done so and not sure what it would prove since blood tests only show active cases, I would still not feel comfortable opening up my flock even if they all tested negative.

It limits me and I have to be very choosy about what I bring in because I cant just get rid of the extras and as a result I have a much higher ratio of roosters to hens then is optimal, (about 2:1) But because I freerange on several acres with an electric net fence the girls can pretty much get away and most are not overmated. I only have one missing a few feathers and it could be because this is moulting season. and I have given several Roosters to a coworker to eat after explaining the Mg situation to him.

Some breeders are actually thrilled to sell to me because they know I will never be competition to them. Some not so much because they are afraid of it. But there are far worse diseases out there to be afraid of than one that doesn't affect the chickens unless you stress them by putting them in tiny horrible cages and treat them like crap. like Mareks or Coyoza.


is that a more thorough explanation?

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Shoot I have a Black Australorp Rooster (big daddy) who has had as many as nine hens and keeps them all fertile and is rough on feathers but he is so big and beautiful. So sounds like u are doing good.

 

[pysankigirl]

I have thought about creating a bachelor area but so far no one is getting injured so it hasn't warranted the effort. And because I am not breeding either for eggs or chicks, I don't need to separate out the breeds, so they can all intermingle. scratch feeding time is a hoot!!!

Next year if I have broodies I may give them 2 eggs each and would need to separate a few out to get eggs for them, but since I am not trying to sell any, I may just experiment with mixes just to see what happens for fun. SPR over Barnevelder to try to make silver Barnevelders for example.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Sounds like lots of fun, I wouldn't seperate them either unless its a problem. We all know there is plenty of work that comes with chickens/farm/hobby farm.
I love crossing I did that last year but to busy this year with adding new breeds and building coops and tractors.

 

[pysankigirl]

So many people here at work have asked if I would help them get started in chickens after seeing my "idyllic farmette" and I have had to regretfully say "no" about hatching them out chicks or selling them birds or eggs. But this leads into a conversation about biosecurity, which is something I think all new chicken owners should learn about as soon as possible, so it is actually a good thing.

I do know where to get the breeds they are looking for and LOVE to design/create coops. So I have thought about doing so for fun for people I run into who want to get into chickens. I am thinking about satisfying my urge to buy chicks and cool breeds by becoming a "personal shopper" for other people interested in getting into chickens but who might not know where to get them or have the time to search them out. and maybe even bring an incubator into work so that I can help them hatch them out here and then take the chicks home directly. we have over a thousand people in the building and it is in the middle of a very rural area and the chicken thing has really gotten to be a popular concept here so it could be fun to live vicariously through them. (and make friends with like-minded people)

it isn't like I am ever using that incubator again.