Virginia

[HaplessRunner]

While we usually get hammered with snow when the rest of the State gets little, we only got a dusting of snow this morning with our 8 degree temperatures.

 

[Maggiesdad]

We had about 6 degrees at 9am with 3-4 inches in Botetourt Co. 14 degrees right now. Had two funky eggs in the coop this morning, both frozen. Three more good eggs at second egg check. Hopefully the next two hours will bring three more Stay warm everyone!

mmm those frozen eggs will thaw right out in a cast iron skillet...

 

[MistyMountain]

mmm those frozen eggs will thaw right out in a cast iron skillet...

LOL! Well, one was without a shell. Just a frozen gob of of clear and yellow. I believe I found the rubbery shell on one of the roosts while I was doing a little scraping. The other had been pecked, scratched and overall pooped on. I opted to offer both those eggs as a sacrifice to the dragons in the forest… in hopes that the predators stay away Good news is, Brown leghorn hen affectionately named #3 is working on another egg as I type!

 

[pysankigirl]

We were 4 degrees here at 8am this morning
but as to KI4got's post:
I originally got into chickens two years ago with Dorkings (reds, silver grey and some oddball colors from Craig Russell) & Barnevelders (from Cornerstone farm who got his stock originally from Lowel Barber.)
But at this point I also have a trio of Horstman Silver Penciled Rocks, a trio of Bantam Chocolate Orpingtons, & Pair of Rhodebar.
I also have assorted other eye candy chickens in my laying flock including a couple of Maggiesdad’s basques, that I highly recommend.
I had a respiratory scare last year with a pair of chickens in my quarantine pen (the chickens were promptly dispatched,) but none of my main flock of chickens has come down with any symptoms even in this terrible cold weather so I think I have been very, very lucky on that front and dodged a bullet. But I do know I have Mareks on my land. So I still will not spread it by selling chickens. I am breeding for resistance in my own flock.
With the predator issues we had last year, I am itching to rebuild my flock and I already have some daffy girls going broody on me. (‘sup with that???!!!????) I want to do broody-raised chicks, as they integrate into the flock so seamlessly. But I think I should wait until it is a bit warmer to let them sit on eggs.
I have thought about selling hatching eggs, as Mareks supposedly doesn’t come through the egg, but am kind of not sure how people would react to me obsessive-compulsively warning them that I have Mareks. So maybe I just shouldn’t go there for my own sanity.

 

[Maggiesdad]

We were 4 degrees here at 8am this morning
but as to KI4got's post:
I originally got into chickens two years ago with Dorkings (reds, silver grey and some oddball colors from Craig Russell) & Barnevelders (from Cornerstone farm who got his stock originally from Lowel Barber.)
But at this point I also have a trio of Horstman Silver Penciled Rocks, a trio of Bantam Chocolate Orpingtons, & Pair of Rhodebar.
I also have assorted other eye candy chickens in my laying flock including a couple of Maggiesdad’s basques, that I highly recommend.
I had a respiratory scare last year with a pair of chickens in my quarantine pen (the chickens were promptly dispatched,) but none of my main flock of chickens has come down with any symptoms even in this terrible cold weather so I think I have been very, very lucky on that front and dodged a bullet. But I do know I have Mareks on my land. So I still will not spread it by selling chickens. I am breeding for resistance in my own flock.
With the predator issues we had last year, I am itching to rebuild my flock and I already have some daffy girls going broody on me. (‘sup with that???!!!????) I want to do broody-raised chicks, as they integrate into the flock so seamlessly. But I think I should wait until it is a bit warmer to let them sit on eggs.
I have thought about selling hatching eggs, as Mareks supposedly doesn’t come through the egg, but am kind of not sure how people would react to me obsessive-compulsively warning them that I have Mareks. So maybe I just shouldn’t go there for my own sanity.

LOL let me guess... walk around barefooted in this weather? or squat here for a while on this cozy nest?...


I'll squat!

 

[leighton]

Just wanted to check and see if anyone needs a Easter egger cockerel or a SLW cockerel. They were both hatched on 9/30 making them 17 weeks old. Both are very gentle. I just have too many males. They are hatchery stock from McMurry. I am in the Roanoke area

 

[ki4got]

We were 4 degrees here at 8am this morning
but as to KI4got's post:
I originally got into chickens two years ago with Dorkings (reds, silver grey and some oddball colors from Craig Russell) & Barnevelders (from Cornerstone farm who got his stock originally from Lowel Barber.)
But at this point I also have a trio of Horstman Silver Penciled Rocks, a trio of Bantam Chocolate Orpingtons, & Pair of Rhodebar.
I also have assorted other eye candy chickens in my laying flock including a couple of Maggiesdad’s basques, that I highly recommend.
I had a respiratory scare last year with a pair of chickens in my quarantine pen (the chickens were promptly dispatched,) but none of my main flock of chickens has come down with any symptoms even in this terrible cold weather so I think I have been very, very lucky on that front and dodged a bullet. But I do know I have Mareks on my land. So I still will not spread it by selling chickens. I am breeding for resistance in my own flock.
With the predator issues we had last year, I am itching to rebuild my flock and I already have some daffy girls going broody on me. (‘sup with that???!!!????) I want to do broody-raised chicks, as they integrate into the flock so seamlessly. But I think I should wait until it is a bit warmer to let them sit on eggs.
I have thought about selling hatching eggs, as Mareks supposedly doesn’t come through the egg, but am kind of not sure how people would react to me obsessive-compulsively warning them that I have Mareks. So maybe I just shouldn’t go there for my own sanity.

IMO mareks is everywhere. I had it come in on hatchery chicks. none of my own (breeder-grown) birds had any issues. that was summer going on 2 years ago. I honestly wouldn't worry much about it. if you're particularly worried, there is a marek's vaccine that seems to work well, and can be used on adult birds as well as chicks.

it's a herpes virus of great interest (scientifically) because it's the only known virus (last I heard) to cause cancer... that's what marek's disease is, essentially. cancer of the nervous system. it causes lesions and tumors along the nerve pathways most often but can also affect other systems less often.

my plan for it is to breed, grow and continue on with life. it's out there, and IMO birds that do not get it as chicks will go on to become breeders, thereby passing on their resistance.. btw, it TYPICALLY affects birds 12-16 weeks old... so if they reach point of lay, there's a very good chance it won't affect them.

Quote:

Just wanted to check and see if anyone needs a Easter egger cockerel or a SLW cockerel. They were both hatched on 9/30 making them 17 weeks old. Both are very gentle. I just have too many males. They are hatchery stock from McMurry. I am in the Roanoke area

good age for the crock pot Leighton! 8)

 

[ki4got]

oh and weather wise, it was 4 degrees with 4" of snow on my wooded mountainside.

I opened the coops to

... they did NOT want to come out for food. but you know what? it got spread out in the driveway anyways. their resistance wore down before the horse found it at least. LOL

 

[sleshko]

Hi, I'm in Gloucester Va. Looking for a few chicks. Is it possible to get only 3 or 4? Who knows where a hatchery is or where I may get them in this area. At least by March.

 

[HaplessRunner]

We were 4 degrees here at 8am this morning
but as to KI4got's post:
I originally got into chickens two years ago with Dorkings (reds, silver grey and some oddball colors from Craig Russell) & Barnevelders (from Cornerstone farm who got his stock originally from Lowel Barber.)
But at this point I also have a trio of Horstman Silver Penciled Rocks, a trio of Bantam Chocolate Orpingtons, & Pair of Rhodebar.
I also have assorted other eye candy chickens in my laying flock including a couple of Maggiesdad’s basques, that I highly recommend.
I had a respiratory scare last year with a pair of chickens in my quarantine pen (the chickens were promptly dispatched,) but none of my main flock of chickens has come down with any symptoms even in this terrible cold weather so I think I have been very, very lucky on that front and dodged a bullet. But I do know I have Mareks on my land. So I still will not spread it by selling chickens. I am breeding for resistance in my own flock.
With the predator issues we had last year, I am itching to rebuild my flock and I already have some daffy girls going broody on me. (‘sup with that???!!!????) I want to do broody-raised chicks, as they integrate into the flock so seamlessly. But I think I should wait until it is a bit warmer to let them sit on eggs.
I have thought about selling hatching eggs, as Mareks supposedly doesn’t come through the egg, but am kind of not sure how people would react to me obsessive-compulsively warning them that I have Mareks. So maybe I just shouldn’t go there for my own sanity.

I had posted this following on the cream legbar thread in response to someone who had an outbreak of Marek's. Hopefully, you will find it helpful.

When I first started hatching chicks last year, I vaccinated for Marek's. I was really concerned that they live and grow. But after doing a lot of reading about Marek's since then, I stopped vaccinating. The Marek's virus is everywhere in the environment. The exposure to it happens all the time. Usually, from what I have read, there usually is a breakdown in the resistance of a given chicken that opens the door for Marek's to become active in the weakened bird. In the case of chicks, usually they have not had sufficient time to develop their resistance.

If your chicks and chickens are healthy, eating well, and have not had an unusual stressor, you should be very unlikely to have a chicken come down with Marek's. Not that it cannot happen but it really should be unlikely. Remember they do need to get exposed to the environment. Using some garden soil, a piece of sod, or other natural environmental factor that a broody mama would expose the chicks to is good for them and helps them to develop the natural resistances they need to thrive. If I have a Marek's outbreak, I would cull the affected chickens, try to determine what caused their weakened condition, and make the necessary changes to minimize recurrence. Just my untrained two cents!