The grandious expectations of Chickens in your backyard

[dehowery]

Hi , I want to thank everyone that sent me information when my teenagers were sick. Alas we lost all three of them. The first one 1 week before the last two. The last chicken that died I sent to the agricultural lab in Huntsville to get a diagnosis of death. It came back Ovarian Cancer as an off shoot of Marek's disease. It seems that all three died just about the same way.-Marek's disease. I did not know if the birds were vaccinated or not. When I talked to the doctor at the lab (who also has a backyard flock) he impressed upon me how important it is to have your new born chicks vaccinated. If they live afterwards the chances of them coming down with a full blown case of Marek's later on is very slim. Over 90% of chickens in the US have Marek's. Normally they don't die from it , they die from other complications due to Marek's. The death of these girls was really hard to accept, so I am taking this time to write the following..... You have to understand when you start your flock you should keep a "closed flock" if possible because every time you bring in a new chicken you bring in new diseases. Chickens are like people they get sick and they either live or die-If you can't accept the heart break of a death DON'T raise Chickens. I had no idea their deaths would effect me this way.
We now have 5 babies about 6 weeks old that we just introduced to the flock. As usual I am uptight about every confrontation that happens. These babies were hatched and raised out doors by our broody buff Cornish hen, we finally brought them into the coop 5 days ago. I guess what I am trying to say- Raising chickens is great/rewarding/super-satisfying but be ready for the dark side.

 

[Sublight]

Dilly Dilly!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I now quarantine any new additions to my flock for a 40 days to make sure they are healthy and disease free. Good luck with your new chicks.

 

[aart]

Yes, it can be tough and impossible to control.
What I call...'Romance meets Reality'.

 

[Foristers]

Good point. I have a closed flock and breed within the population only. Some people think that I need to get "new blood", but I think I'll pass.
I've only had one adult hen die (several chicks have died by predators) and I still have no idea how she died.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I can’t have cockerels/roosters in my town so I am unable to keep a sustainable closed flock. When I started my obsession with chickens I didn’t quarantine, thank God nothing ever happened, but I am quarantining from now on

 

[chickens really]

I can’t have cockerels/roosters in my town so I am unable to keep a sustainable closed flock. When I started my obsession with chickens I didn’t quarantine, thank God nothing ever happened, but I am quarantining from now on

You could get hatching eggs and pop under a Broody if you have one that Broods?...

 

[Foristers]

I can’t have cockerels/roosters in my town

I get why some towns do that but there are ways to keep a crow quiet if it were the issue. I have bred a rather quiet rooster line, just to be more neighborly, but there are also no crow collars etc.
Good plan on quarantining.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I’m currently chicken-less thanks to my neighbors. So I’m waiting until March to get more. I would love to let a broody hatch eggs, but my mom wouldn’t let me raise the surplus cockerels for butchering.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I get why some towns do that but there are ways to keep a crow quiet if it were the issue. I have bred a rather quiet rooster line, just to be more neighborly, but there are also no crow collars etc.
Good plan on quarantining.

I didn’t know that you could breed for a quieter crow. If I do end up with an accidental (or maybe on purpose) cockerel/rooster I’m going to keep him inside as a house chicken with ministered time outside everyday. I’ve rehomed 3 already and the emotional toll it takes on me is too much.