Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Chickielady]

Aw. I love how fluffy they are!
I think I accidentally just bid on a group of mixed banty eggs on ebay

If I'm not outbid by tomorrow I'm going to need an incubator....

I LOVE Calico & Millie Bantam Cochins !

But alas.....with our mud, it didn't work.
We had Lemon Blue (LF) Cochins too...and after a few days in this weather (and our clay) the birds had DINGLE BALLS of clay the size of golf balls, all over their feet, legs & nether regions.

They clacked together when the birds ran/walked.

I had to clip all their fluff & feets, toes, legs..................................

 

[Chickielady]

My birds are doing OK. Almost all the pullets have died, so I'm glad I won't have to deal with culling much longer. There is one sick pullet left that I hope will be the last one to get Marek's. Ironically, her two sisters are half Australorp and seem to be immune to it. They are huge and both starting laying this week. I've read that other people have had hens get sick but it doesn't progress and they live a semi-productive life as "handicapped" hens. My birds get to fight it out until their quality of life is diminished and then I have to call it for them. Unfortunately, one of my favorite pullets suddenly went blind last week. The poor girl was totally able-bodied, but couldn't see a thing so she couldn't walk or eat. That was a tough day.

I'm sure my birds will continue to shed the virus until they die. I will not be able to rehome any adult birds, ever, but I can bring in new birds if I want to risk it. I brought in several mature hens last year (1 year and up). None of them got sick. Marek's is mainly a disease that infects baby birds. All of my new chicks are vaccinated and have to spend the first six weeks of life in the house in isolation. Unfortunately this means I don't get to handle them much, so they aren't as tame as I would like them to be.

Eventually life will return to normal, with the exception that I can't sell any of my birds. Marek's is blown by the wind, so building a coop in a different area probably wouldn't do any good. Also, the virus is everywhere around us...I just happened to get hit with a particularly virulent strain and my chicks were exposed to it suddenly after having no immunity. Fortunately I think the worst is over for me. I'm also trying to make the best out of a bad situation - I'm trying different vaccine protocols to see which one is most effective. Hopefully my bad experience can help other people in the future.

So, what if you get more birds that have been vaccinated (and have buit immunity) and then introduce them to your coop ?

 

[littleredwagon]

 I do that alot !
I am on restriction from ebay now...........................:/

I still want those Silver bantam Barnevelders though.........so much that it is on my mind alot, so much so  that yesterday I told Einstein to take left over rice out & feed it to the barnevelders.
He walked right over to the Bielefelders.....and tossed the rice in .
He never said a word about it.
(We do not have Barnevelders)

Haha its so hard to choose!!

 

[Chickielady]

Anyone in Washington with Blue Laced Red Wyandottes?

BYCer had some really nice ones (in Monroe) " WA-4-HPoultryMom"

Send her a PM & ask.

 

[littleredwagon]

I LOVE Calico & Millie Bantam Cochins !

But alas.....with our mud, it didn't work.
We had Lemon Blue (LF) Cochins too...and after a few days in this weather (and our clay) the birds had [COLOR=B22222]DINGLE BALLS[/COLOR] of clay the size of golf balls, all over their feet, legs & nether regions.

They clacked together when the birds ran/walked.

I had to clip all their fluff & feets, toes, legs..................................  

Oh no! I used to think leg feathers were kind of silly looking but on a cochin they look like fluffy pants
I can't wait to get some eggs! These birds will end up spoiled though. I almost shouldn't be allowed to have silkies.

 

[sphinxface]

Have to ask ALL your neighbors within crowing distance.

What is the typical crowing distance? There are only neighbors on one side of the street so it might be feasible

 

[Lil Go Peep]

Well, everyone's started May 12th / 13th which 13th is my mothers b- day, what a perfect present hatching of lil fluffy butts

Bantam Blue/Splash Frizzle

Top: Lavender Orpington - middle: Standard Blue Cochin - bottom: Bantam BBS Cochin/Frizzle

Can't wait

 

[OverEggstended]

OK where has @OverEggstended
   been ?

Having her 18'x18' garage demolished... And I ain't too happy about it!

 

[Chickielady]

What is the typical crowing distance? There are only neighbors on one side of the street so it might be feasible

Ask them & see.

 

[Chickielady]

Well, everyone's started May 12th / 13th which 13th is my mothers b- day, what a perfect present hatching of lil fluffy butts

Bantam Blue/Splash Frizzle


Top: Lavender Orpington - middle: Standard Blue Cochin - bottom: Bantam BBS Cochin/Frizzle

Can't wait

Oh dear you are going to have a peepulation explosion as bad as I have here !

ALL AT ONCE !!