YO GEORGIANS! :)

[speckledhen]

I always get paranoid about my birds health when getting ready to trade or sell. I don't want to be someone that sells sick birds to someone.

I am also paranoid, but common sense goes a long way toward keeping disease out, which is why I practice bio-security and NEVER buy birds, not even chicks, from ANYONE, even those I trust. I do not trust this GA state lab to tell me about the health of my flocks. They already diagnosed something that was impossible, according to the consulting vet I had analyze the report they gave me. That is as bad as not finding something that is here. Worse, really, IMO.

I DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE. I trust ME. And so do a lot of other folks. If there are no symptoms, your birds are probably healthy. No way I'm getting the government involved, a government who does not want me to have a flock in the first place. And they don't. If I know there is something contagious here, I won't knowingly pass it to someone else. But, the USDA/GA Dept of Ag/State Vet will never be involved. They have an agenda and it is not one beneficial to a small flock owner. Be careful what information you volunteer to these people. It may come back to bite you.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

No they care less for your flock they don't get passed d from you but get the kickbacks from broiler houses

 

[Flowerbh]

I confess! I am a hatchalolic! I love love love hatching chicks! I am also one of those ones who stays up all night to note each chicks hatching. I number my eggs and in my notebook, write down whose egg it was (Yes, I know almost all my hens eggs!) As each chick hatches, I find some identifying marks that lets me identify them later. Such as, big yellow area under neck, feathered legs, no feathered legs, black blotch on feather, etc. Since I have a Brahma and a legbar rooster, I know that all the chicks hatched with feathered legs are the Brahmas, those without are my Legbars. That way, I can make a good predict of the egg colors that any hens may lay. I sell chicks, so that also helps me sell what the buyer wants.....blue egg layer, green, or brown. Of course, it's not going to be 100%, but I tell people that and say, they 'should' lay a certain color egg, etc.

So, all you who have your incubators going.......YAY!!!! Don't worry too much about little temporary temperature fluctuations, just keep it steady as close to 99.5 as you can ( fan assist incubators) and the humidity about 30-40 percent for the 1st 18 days. Take the red plugs out of the incubator and let the oxygen in. And, after lockdown, don't open the incubator until after hatch is over. And, in the end.....you will have this!!! Good luck!!!

 

[Flowerbh]

Katsdar, Didn't you go to court? What happened?

 

[ameliadanielle]

I am also paranoid, but common sense goes a long way toward keeping disease out, which is why I practice bio-security and NEVER buy birds, not even chicks, from ANYONE, even those I trust. I do not trust this GA state lab to tell me about the health of my flocks. They already diagnosed something that was impossible, according to the consulting vet I had analyze the report they gave me. That is as bad as not finding something that is here. Worse, really, IMO.

I DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE. I trust ME. And so do a lot of other folks. If there are no symptoms, your birds are probably healthy. No way I'm getting the government involved, a government who does not want me to have a flock in the first place. And they don't. If I know there is something contagious here, I won't knowingly pass it to someone else. But, the USDA/GA Dept of Ag/State Vet will never be involved. They have an agenda and it is not one beneficial to a small flock owner. Be careful what information you volunteer to these people. It may come back to bite you.

There are diseases that can passed through the egg too. Even if I hatched all myself I'd still worry. Lol. I'm a chronic worrier.

 

[ameliadanielle]

I'm also painfully socially awkward. I always feel like I will be being rude or make someone not want to do business with me if I keep asking a billion questions.

 

[ameliadanielle]

Because you really have to be skeptical of someone, and it makes me feel like I'm giving someone the third degree about a murder when I get started. Lol.

 

[speckledhen]

There are diseases that can passed through the egg too. Even if I hatched all myself I'd still worry. Lol. I'm a chronic worrier.

Yes, there are, but relatively few. Most are passed horizontally, from bird to bird. If you get hatching eggs from someone, make sure they have a stellar reputation. Only do business with folks you KNOW draw a hard line with disease.

I'm also painfully socially awkward. I always feel like I will be being rude or make someone not want to do business with me if I keep asking a billion questions.

Well, I understand that. I used to be shy, too, but I figure, the health of my flock depends on me and if someone doesn't like me asking questions, that is their issue, not mine. I have no problem asking if someone has had a contagious respiratory illness in their flocks before I consider buying hatching eggs. You rarely have to buy those, really. Mostly, I hatch from my own birds. And I know the health of my birds. And I don't mind someone asking me questions about the health of my birds before they buy.

Do you have a strong disinfectant like Virkon-S or Oxine to use around your coops? If not, get one! And make EVERYONE spray their shoes if they go anywhere near your coops. Never let chicken owners you don't know inside your pens/coops. Never buy started birds, especially from auctions or swaps and definitely not from flea markets, even when there isn't a ban on that. When you do all you can, you can breathe easy. No one can see a germ but if you follow sound practices, you'll be fine!

 

[speckledhen]

I confess! I am a hatchalolic! I love love love hatching chicks! I am also one of those ones who stays up all night to note each chicks hatching. I number my eggs and in my notebook, write down whose egg it was (Yes, I know almost all my hens eggs!) As each chick hatches, I find some identifying marks that lets me identify them later. Such as, big yellow area under neck, feathered legs, no feathered legs, black blotch on feather, etc. Since I have a Brahma and a legbar rooster, I know that all the chicks hatched with feathered legs are the Brahmas, those without are my Legbars. That way, I can make a good predict of the egg colors that any hens may lay. I sell chicks, so that also helps me sell what the buyer wants.....blue egg layer, green, or brown. Of course, it's not going to be 100%, but I tell people that and say, they 'should' lay a certain color egg, etc.

So, all you who have your incubators going.......YAY!!!! Don't worry too much about little temporary temperature fluctuations, just keep it steady as close to 99.5 as you can ( fan assist incubators) and the humidity about 30-40 percent for the 1st 18 days. Take the red plugs out of the incubator and let the oxygen in. And, after lockdown, don't open the incubator until after hatch is over. And, in the end.....you will have this!!! Good luck!!!

Whoa, now that's a basket 'o chix!

 

[ameliadanielle]

I also know that even if birds seem healthy... they could still be sick, just have good food and care and no stress and you can't tell.