The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[wlhtx]

I agree. Super bugs and the fast method of  transmission from mega hatcheries,  at poultry shows and close proximity to neighbors.

Many adults and children  on the Oregon Trail died of Cholera, Typhus, Scarlet Fever, and who knows what else. Most of my ancestors ate or traded  their chickens long before they got to Cheyenne or  La Grande. When they settled in Washington and Oregon, they were on farms of average 150 acres or more. I'd call that bio security.

Yes, but you have to admit that - while your ancestors didn't make it all the way with their birds, some birds did make it the whole trek. And for those like your ancestors living on the large acre farms, they had to start over - presumably with birds from someone who made it the whole way. And then they probably supplemented with birds from someone else that made it the whole way, and on and on... My point being that they definitely had to be swapping birds. Maybe they didn't have access to large shows and/or swap meets like today, but there was swapping... Maybe they didn't live across a fence from a neighbor, but there was swapping... It doesn't matter if you live on 150 acres, if you go to town and being home new chickens from the market or if you go to the neighboring farms and bring home some birds - they were probably not actively practicing bio security as you all term it.

And I don't know about the argument that they were not subject to the contagious diseases we have today. If not the same diseases, then something else. I think it's naive to think only our current generation is fighting disease.

While I'm thinking about it, you all seem to have a much higher incidence of disease in your area (pacific northwest, yes?). Why do you think that you are having such a hard time with this ILT or whatever it is? I would typically guess it has something to do with your cooler, wetter climate - but you all say your having a heat wave now. I'm just curious because we don't seem to have such a prevalence here - at least not that I am aware of.

 

[mikkles]

Yes, but you have to admit that - while your ancestors didn't make it all the way with their birds, some birds did make it the whole trek. And for those like your ancestors living on the large acre farms, they had to start over - presumably with birds from someone who made it the whole way. And then they probably supplemented with birds from someone else that made it the whole way, and on and on... My point being that they definitely had to be swapping birds. Maybe they didn't have access to large shows and/or swap meets like today, but there was swapping... Maybe they didn't live across a fence from a neighbor, but there was swapping... It doesn't matter if you live on 150 acres, if you go to town and being home new chickens from the market or if you go to the neighboring farms and bring home some birds - they were probably not actively practicing bio security as you all term it.

And I don't know about the argument that they were not subject to the contagious diseases we have today. If not the same diseases, then something else. I think it's naive to think only our current generation is fighting disease.

While I'm thinking about it, you all seem to have a much higher incidence of disease in your area (pacific northwest, yes?). Why do you think that you are having such a hard time with this ILT or whatever it is? I would typically guess it has something to do with your cooler, wetter climate - but you all say your having a heat wave now. I'm just curious because we don't seem to have such a prevalence here - at least not that I am aware of.

Maybe it's the wet combined with the heat....

 

[delisha]

Newbie question

What is too hot for a chicken coop?
I'm trying to figure out if I might need to rebuild my coop somewhere else...
Dont have any trees in my yard directly, but surrounded by woods, should it be moved to the tree line? Its getting pretty hot and my poor chickens are just laying around panting...
Any advice or suggestions?
Please and thank you!

If you can move it..It would not be a bad idea.

I just wanted to ad my .02 on quarantine.

I first got chickens last spring. All in 1 batch. Then early this spring we added 1 adult roo. Imagin our luck! That first batch really was all hens lol!
I did not quarantine Rae. It went just fine.
Late spring we decided we want turkeys. Researched blackhead. And decided to risk putting them with the chickies. We found someone who raised them with their chickies, hoping they would have built up immunity. We proudly brought home our seemingly healthy magnificent pair.
It was a long trip. By the time we were home, tom was sneezing goopy snot. No other bird on that property seemed sick. I researched crd. Learned a lot.
I am gratefull to resources here. Ive learned much about biosecurity. We seperated. Sadly culled tom. It was a horrible experience for us. They are our pets, not food. I know this is different than some, but who we are. Ive added birds since. I have quarantined every time, preventing the spread of cocci to my flock.
I have decided to never add a bird again with out quarantine. I have twice saved the entire flock. Myself lots of $ and my children lots of heartache.
Disease is out there when always exchanging. Best for everyone, quarantine. Stop (slow) the spread of disease.

Sorry about the rambling! Just wanted to say how important I think it is!!

(Even tho I am not yet an old timer ;-))

Hello Mel,

Nice to see you post over here..hows work and the chickens doing in this horrible heat?

 

[Shan30]

Maybe it's the wet combined with the heat....

Well where I live is definitely the pacific north west and is often warm and wet. (Hot and dry lately) I know that MG is prevalent all over North America. When it does not have a host, MG dies quickly especially in sunlight so I think it has less to do with the climate and more to do with the bird contact. I was told at the lab that they call it "Poultry Market Disease" as markets and feed stores are the most common source.

As far as ILT goes I have no idea but know that Justine is on the opposite side of the country.

 

[Mumsy]

Yes, but you have to admit that - while your ancestors didn't make it all the way with their birds, some birds did make it the whole trek. And for those like your ancestors living on the large acre farms, they had to start over - presumably with birds from someone who made it the whole way. And then they probably supplemented with birds from someone else that made it the whole way, and on and on... My point being that they definitely had to be swapping birds. Maybe they didn't have access to large shows and/or swap meets like today, but there was swapping... Maybe they didn't live across a fence from a neighbor, but there was swapping... It doesn't matter if you live on 150 acres, if you go to town and being home new chickens from the market or if you go to the neighboring farms and bring home some birds - they were probably not actively practicing bio security as you all term it.

And I don't know about the argument that they were not subject to the contagious diseases we have today. If not the same diseases, then something else. I think it's naive to think only our current generation is fighting disease.

While I'm thinking about it, you all seem to have a much higher incidence of disease in your area (pacific northwest, yes?). Why do you think that you are having such a hard time with this ILT or whatever it is? I would typically guess it has something to do with your cooler, wetter climate - but you all say your having a heat wave now. I'm just curious because we don't seem to have such a prevalence here - at least not that I am aware of.

In 1840 at the onset of the great overland migration, there were not near the varieties of poultry in the USA there are now. When people got to where they homesteaded, flocks were often started from doing business with those that got there ahead of them it's true. That is neither here nor there. We live in a different age, with different strains and breeds of birds and we all mostly live closer to our neighbors.

I have never heard of ILT until coming onto this thread. There is no heat wave here. It's 75 degrees today. That's typical. I have raised chickens in the PNW for forty years and don't know if any thing birds catch here is any different than what flocks in dryer climates get. This is a temperate climate. Living on this island means I don't deal with drought, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes or snow blizzards. A hot day is around 80 degrees. When it rains, the flock are still free ranging. It hasn't snowed here in four years. I use flock management practices that work for me. I don't care what anyone else does with their own flocks. Either here, the South, or in Australia. I find it interesting reading on what other people do but it doesn't affect me or my flock unless someone has info that could benefit my back yard birds. I try new things. If they work great. If they don't work, that's ok too. I don't have a disease problem in my flock. What I'm doing is working for me.

 

[Shan30]

Mumsy, I didn't realize you we're so close! Next time I'm in Victoria, I'll wave

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy, I didn't realize you we're so close! Next time I'm in Victoria, I'll wave

Hah! I can see Vancouver Island from the beach just down the road from my house!

 

[wlhtx]

Someone else had mentioned how great grandma didn't swap birds with folks across log distances. I was just setting out an argument to the contrary. I agree we aren't living in the 1840s. It's just a discussion.

I'm only a recent reader of this thread and I don't have all of your locations known by heart. But whoever was so vehemently advocating on behalf of bio security mentioned an abundance of disease in her area. Aoxa maybe? I may be confusing her with someone else, but I thought maybe she was from the Pacific Northwest. Maybe not...

I am not trying to argue that any who feel strongly about bio security should change their methods. You've raised your flock for 40 yrs. I've had mine for 2. I'm still learning, which is why I followed the previous Road Less Traveled thread onto this one. However, I did want to set forth an alternative argument of doing things when it comes to adding new birds to an established backyard flock. Maybe my way will come around to bite me in the butt in the future. Maybe I lose all my birds. Maybe I don't. I just choose not to stress out about it. Again, just an alternate method being set forth for the random newbie reader (like I was a yr ago) who is overwhelmed at the extra steps some of you take and then claim are "common sense" for natural chicken keeping.

I'm going to drop it now. No more from me on this.

 

[cuties]

If you can move it..It would not be a bad idea.
Hello Mel,

Nice to see you post over here..hows work and the chickens doing in this horrible heat?

Hi vicki I usually only keep up here, it is busy! I felt strongly about this subject, and wanted to share my experience.

We are also HOT! Lol it is112○ at work today.
I lost one of to's chicks yesterday. :'( I did have acv in a waterer. I added a second one with electrolytes. Hope to have better results when I get home this evening. I think they have a harder time because they are not free range. There are sooo many lol. They are in full time shade.

How are yours holding up?

 

[mikkles]

Here's a pix of my 6 1/2 old silkie out free ranging..she/he hangs with my 4 Polish and an EE that are the same age and were brooded together! This lil one is SO nosy! lol