The Old Folks Home

[superchemicalgirl]

SCG are you getting the puppy?

Not sure, yet. The puppy will be born any day now, so we have to make a decision, soon. I think the disturbance to my life will not be worth it. I'll have to let it out (or worse yet, because the land isn't fenced except the various runs, will have to walk it in extreme cold). There's also the 3 cats to think about and how they'll feel about a puppy.

ooooooh!

You wanna ogle graves with a purpose? Want me to give you my family tree????? You can see if all of my grandparents are still where they are supposed to be? My family came over just a few years after the Mayflower. A stepmother..or aunt?, was a suspected Salem Witch.

If you give me names and locations, I'll see what I can do. A group of 4 of us chose these 6 sites because of the old graves and the slate carvings.

 

[Kusanar]

Not sure, yet. The puppy will be born any day now, so we have to make a decision, soon. I think the disturbance to my life will not be worth it. I'll have to let it out (or worse yet, because the land isn't fenced except the various runs, will have to walk it in extreme cold). There's also the 3 cats to think about and how they'll feel about a puppy.

As for fencing, they are making some really cook electric fences these days that are MUCH nicer than the old ones. You don't actually have to run a wire underground anymore, you can chose between a circle around your house or the GPS one where you can draw the fence lines to keep certain things out. Also, the old ones, once they blew through the fence, they didn't get shocked again until they tried to come home, the new ones will keep shocking them at intervals until they are back inside the perimeter so they don't get relief from the shocks until they do the right thing and go back in the area.

 

[NotAFarm]

@superchemicalgirl
What intricacy on those stones!!
What can you tell us about how those carvings, some almost 300 years old, have survived when some of those you have been restoring are barely or no longer legible?

 

[getaclue]

scg, thank you for posting the pics. Wow, to think someone hand chiseled those stones, and did all that work. It's held up well too.

 

[ronott1]

I love the family history stuff... the whatever non-grandparent that was the Salem witch, was NOT killed because she was pregnant. So they shipped her down to Boston with her toddler, to rot in prison, and after several months (yes, with toddler at her side ), give birth in prison.

Shortly after the birth the insanity in Salem went away, and person connected to me was released and sent home. People in Salem were so sorry for the horror that they collected then handed out monetary restitution to all afflicted parties. Makes me think the hallucinagenic corn fungus theory might be correct.

I do not know which is worse, your relative sent to prison as a witch or you being sent to the cold North!

 

[chickisoup]

What are the symptoms of that? Sounds like a good thing to know.

They just started going downhill. No sign of respiratory issues. Only mild diahrrea. Had me puzzled at first. Did the usual "molesting" looking for bugs, wormed them, etc. Eating and drinking, crop felt ok. Their immune systems had been so weakened from surviving the Marek's that they just went down hill quickly. By the time I figured out it was fungal, it was too late. I've learned my lesson, no more relying on memory and now grab my copy of Gail Damerow's book FIRST. (BTW, her latest version of her Chicken Health Handbook is a complete rework of her original and is really great).

 

[ronott1]

They just started going downhill. No sign of respiratory issues. Only mild diahrrea. Had me puzzled at first. Did the usual "molesting" looking for bugs, wormed them, etc. Eating and drinking, crop felt ok. Their immune systems had been so weakened from surviving the Marek's that they just went down hill quickly. By the time I figured out it was fungal, it was too late. I've learned my lesson, no more relying on memory and now grab my copy of Gail Damerow's book FIRST. (BTW, her latest version of her Chicken Health Handbook is a complete rework of her original and is really great).

Thanks so much for the book tip!

I need to see if it is on Kindle

 

[chickadoodles]

Wow Scg thanks for posting and sharing those stones they are all amazing! I just love old head stones.
I have been hunting family headstones for 17 years and try very hard to find folks to take pics of them for me across the US.
These you just posted as true works of art!

 

[microchick]

Unfortunately what I've experienced with my flock is that once they show the symptoms of being ill, it's a loosing battle. Their immune systems are so skewered by the Marek's that there is little I can do except cull them to keep them from suffering.

I did a head count this morning. I'm down to 20 standards at this time. I have a few crosses/bantam/standard but they are in their own category. 4 have ocular Marek's but are holding their own. Weight is good, eating well and acting normal in spite of having really weird eyes. I had 38 the first part of the year, rehomed 4 roosters before I knew I had Marek's in the flock but they have since died from a fox attack. So my best estimates is that I've lost 14-15 standards from Mareks and 4 bantams from it also.

SO I have 13 standard hens that are showing resistance, although the one that I lost yesterday was resistant until she got whatever she got that killed her. That is the pattern that I am seeing in the birds (standards) that have survived the primary infection. 3 roosters are currently showing resistance also. Problem is I need them to survive longer than 3 years and unfortunately BO's are listed as being particularly susceptible to Marek's. I cannot see the logic in breeding future chicks from them with that thought in mind.

Earlier this summer I had a perfectly healthy looking Welsummer hen come up to me, sit down at my feet, all fluffed up and immediately pull her head in and go to sleep. I picked here up and like the hen I put down, skin and bones. I culled her immediately.

From the description of the symptoms, I'd say they are succumbing to fungal infections. They get good food that is kept inside and dry but they do get out in the wet so who knows where they pick it up.

My plan is still to introduce vaccinated Fayoumis into the flock. At least 6 or more hens. No cockerels and let my resistant Bantam roosters cross with them. I'd go with a few cockerels but in all honesty, my bantam boys will just beat them senseless so may as well not go there.

@chickisoup, what are you treating your birds with for fungal infections?

 

[ronott1]

Unfortunately what I've experienced with my flock is that once they show the symptoms of being ill, it's a loosing battle. Their immune systems are so skewered by the Marek's that there is little I can do except cull them to keep them from suffering.

I did a head count this morning. I'm down to 20 standards at this time. I have a few crosses/bantam/standard but they are in their own category. 4 have ocular Marek's but are holding their own. Weight is good, eating well and acting normal in spite of having really weird eyes. I had 38 the first part of the year, rehomed 4 roosters before I knew I had Marek's in the flock but they have since died from a fox attack. So my best estimates is that I've lost 14-15 standards from Mareks and 4 bantams from it also.

SO I have 13 standard hens that are showing resistance, although the one that I lost yesterday was resistant until she got whatever she got that killed her. That is the pattern that I am seeing in the birds (standards) that have survived the primary infection. 3 roosters are currently showing resistance also. Problem is I need them to survive longer than 3 years and unfortunately BO's are listed as being particularly susceptible to Marek's. I cannot see the logic in breeding future chicks from them with that thought in mind.

Earlier this summer I had a perfectly healthy looking Welsummer hen come up to me, sit down at my feet, all fluffed up and immediately pull her head in and go to sleep. I picked here up and like the hen I put down, skin and bones. I culled her immediately.

From the description of the symptoms, I'd say they are succumbing to fungal infections. They get good food that is kept inside and dry but they do get out in the wet so who knows where they pick it up.

My plan is still to introduce vaccinated Fayoumis into the flock. At least 6 or more hens. No cockerels and let my resistant Bantam roosters cross with them. I'd go with a few cockerels but in all honesty, my bantam boys will just beat them senseless so may as well not go there.

@chickisoup, what are you treating your birds with for fungal infections?

Have you looked into oxine?

Definitely work on flock health. I use litter life and Big Ole bird from southland organics. Seems to keep them healthy. I had one hen die from mareks cancer so it is here. Likely not a bad strain though