The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Love keets

mine are just starting to lose their cuteness and become the ugly birds they will be haha!

I raised them with a few chicks in hopes of making them more sociable and want to return home every night and not wander off. I don't know if it will work but I hope so!

We culled the MG positive laying flock last Sunday so in two weeks we should be safe to move the kiddos from the grow out pen. It was awful but DH offered to do the actual culling so I was just doing the catching. He took care of my two favourites before I made it out to the coop. Thoughtful guy

I looked at neem oil at my local farm store and the label had all sorts of warnings about inhaling, getting it on your skin, in your eyes etc. this worried me as I figure the birds are more sensitive than me. Am I being over cautious here? Does everyone else's have this label?

I feel like crying just thinking about this.

 

[Alibabe]

Congrats on your gorgeous niece Justine, she is so cute.

 

[Shan30]

Thanks for repeating for me.

Is MG one of those things that you can't get rid of from the property..or can you go ahead and get new birds right away?

Luckily only need to wait three weeks. MG does not survive well without a host. It is probably already gone but best to be safe. After three weeks they told us we could even reuse the bedding and feed but we are removing everything that can't be disinfected.

The birds, however, would have been carriers for life.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Some of the symptoms you describe - especially the swollen head/face - sound very much like what a friend of mine is experiencing w/one of her birds.

Her story is that she picked up 5 started pullets from a place in Michigan. Since that time she's had nothing but trouble and some of the folks here recognized the farm as a place they had purchased chicks from and had issues in the past. Apparently there has been a lot of negative here on byc about that particular place but my friend didn't know (and neither did I).

First they all seemed to have lice or mites. Then not too long after bringing them home, one of them started having a "sleepy" look to one of the eyes. It was half-closed all the time. She separated that bird and it has gone steadily downhill since, exhibiting respiratory symptoms and now the face has swollen.

She has been emotionally attached and unwilling to cull the bird. She was hoping to nurse it back to health.

I have sent her a cc of what you wrote and I want to see if I can get her to send the body somewhere to be necropsied. Who do you contact for such things...is it the state university extension? Anyhow, I'd like to have a diagnosis and if there is anything conclusive, I'd like to notify the Michigan State Ag. or whoever investigates these things.

Those birds came from a place that regularly sells eggs, chicks, and started pullets all over the place.

Interesting that when they drove up there, the people would not let them onto the property. They brought the birds outside the gate to them. At first I thought that it could be for biosecurity; then I began to wonder what they had to hide...

Kassaundra - if you are reading this... we've discussed this situation some time ago. Yes, this is the same situation.

 

[Kassaundra]

Some of the symptoms you describe - especially the swollen head/face - sound very much like what a friend of mine is experiencing w/one of her birds.

Her story is that she picked up 5 started pullets from a place in Michigan. Since that time she's had nothing but trouble and some of the folks here recognized the farm as a place they had purchased chicks from and had issues in the past. Apparently there has been a lot of negative here on byc about that particular place but my friend didn't know (and neither did I).

First they all seemed to have lice or mites. Then not too long after bringing them home, one of them started having a "sleepy" look to one of the eyes. It was half-closed all the time. She separated that bird and it has gone steadily downhill since, exhibiting respiratory symptoms and now the face has swollen.

She has been emotionally attached and unwilling to cull the bird. She was hoping to nurse it back to health.

I have sent her a cc of what you wrote and I want to see if I can get her to send the body somewhere to be necropsied. Who do you contact for such things...is it the state university extension? Anyhow, I'd like to have a diagnosis and if there is anything conclusive, I'd like to notify the Michigan State Ag. or whoever investigates these things.

Those birds came from a place that regularly sells eggs, chicks, and started pullets all over the place.

Interesting that when they drove up there, the people would not let them onto the property. They brought the birds outside the gate to them. At first I thought that it could be for biosecurity; then I began to wonder what they had to hide...

Kassaundra - if you are reading this... we've discussed this situation some time ago. Yes, this is the same situation.

I thought so.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I should add - she tried to find a vet that knew anything about chickens. Of course, in a farming community, most people would just cull a sick bird and go on with life so I don't think there's much of a market for a chicken vet. She never found one but one vet prescribed an antibiotic to put in her water to see if it would help.

Right now she's doing a mister with oxine in it.

From what she describes, this bird is on death's door and I don't want to go over to examine her as I don't want to carry anything home.

What kind of fee did they charge you to do the necropsy?

 

[Shan30]

I feel like crying just thinking about this.

Thanks Justine, it was awful. Who ever thought I would cry over chickens?

However, like all hard experiences we learned a valuable lesson and hope to pass that lesson on.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Is it the county extension you contact for a necropsy?

 

[Shan30]

I should add - she tried to find a vet that knew anything about chickens.  Of course, in a farming community, most people would just cull a sick bird and go on with life so I don't think there's much of a market for a chicken vet.  She never found one but one vet prescribed an antibiotic to put in her water to see if it would help.

Right now she's doing a mister with oxine in it.

From what she describes, this bird is on death's door and I don't want to go over to examine her as I don't want to carry anything home. 

What kind of fee did they charge you to do the necropsy?

Poor bird, the symptoms do sound right. However they also match a number of other viral, bacterial and fungal diseases. There is only one way to know for sure.

Necropsy makes the most sense and it does sound like it is suffering at this point. She may be able to get blood work done if she can't let go but it will be expensive.

I am in Canada and our necropsy was done in a government facility. They were incredibly helpful and would have tested up to 8 birds for $10.50. It was getting them to Vancouver that was tricky.

Once a necropsy is done and the cause is determined, a simple blood test on the rest of the birds is far less expensive as they are only testing for the one disease.

Maybe someone on your state thread can tell you where it can be done?

 

[Kassaundra]

I thought so.

I had dealings w/ same name different hatchery all negative, fortunately mine didn't live long enough to pass on anything (if they had anything to pass on). I will not ever purchase from a small hatchery again, basically have decided if I can't buy a hatching egg (I know some things go through egg but not nearly as much) or look someone I know in the eyes to get a chicken or hatch it myself I don't need it. I am fortunate in that I have the basic foundation of where I am wanting to go chicken wise already on my property, and if I need extra blood there is a byc'er who has what I would need and who I trust implicitly. The birds I got from the other place I have abandoned the project for, simplifying what I want to do w/ the chickens is only good for me and my circumstance.