YO GEORGIANS! :)

[brucifer]

Welcome to BYC! Don't let all this stuff scare you. The bird flu stuff will be gone with the wind soon enough, but no matter what happens, everyone should always practice good biosecurity and management habits. You'll have a ton of fun and be hooked in no time.

Yup, chicken fever is hard to break once you catch it...lol

 

[eqserman]

Prayers and hope all goes well

 

[eqserman]

Real Nice !

 

[brucifer]

Me and papa got it worked out. We are meeting at the rodeo on Friday! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for volunteering to help...yall are the best!

It's too bad Captain Billy's Fish House in Franklin closed down. It would have been worth the trip just to go there. The wife and I used to visit at least once a month several years ago.

As for your trip, GPS doesn't work to well out there, so be sure you have your location mapped before you leave if you don't know where to find the arena.

 

[JurassicChicken]

Yeah, I've seen the Mr. Haneys of the chicken world. Not pretty!

NPIP is fairly meaningless. NPIP breeders are just as responsible for spreading disease as anyone else by selling carrier birds. The reason I don't buy started birds and all are hatched here is so I can be a reliable source for other people. I must keep my flock as healthy as possible, which means proper management and keeping strong immune systems so if something passes through, they are strong enough not to be infected in the first place. It's really all anyone can do. Nothing is foolproof because no one can see a germ.

What you need to watch out for are the folks who treat their birds' "colds". No such thing. I once asked a guy if he'd heard of any diseases in our area floating around, as sort of a test. His answer? "No, I just see the usual crud and treat with antibiotics". Well, I would not buy from him! Stay away from those types. I just stay away from everyone, even those I trust. Even if they think their flock is healthy, they can't see germs, either, and if the birds were infected with something just prior to me purchasing the bird and symptoms showed up at my place, my flocks might become infected with whatever it is. Doesn't mean the person was lying, necessarily, though I've watched a lot of folks try to sell what I knew to be carrier birds. Not cool, people, not cool.

I agree with Mr. Cynical. I'm your long-lost cousin, I think. Good point, no one shows their certificate and if they post their number, how many actually check it out? Plus, seems to me that the testers themselves going from farm to farm might be responsible for spreading stuff if they become lax in their sanitation practices. I know one tester for GA, a man I highly respect. I hatched eggs he sent me six years ago. He's been breeding chickens bout as long as I've been alive....and that's a stretch more than 25 years, I can say. He got a breeding rooster direct from a famous breeder out west who has kept up a spectacular line of Plymouth Rocks for over 50 years. Before he would [put the rooster with the hens and before he would even send me eggs, he put that rooster through the usual tests, plus every other test he could come up with and gave him a clean bill of health. It's folks like that I will buy hatching eggs from when I need them, which isn't that often, thankfully.

I'm new to the forum (although been lurking for a while), and I find these discussions very educational. I have only been involved with backyard chickens for a couple of years, so I really enjoy gleaning what wisdom I can from you experienced poultry folk.

 

[PapaChaz]

It's too bad Captain Billy's Fish House in Franklin closed down. It would have been worth the trip just to go there. The wife and I used to visit at least once a month several years ago.

As for your trip, GPS doesn't work to well out there, so be sure you have your location mapped before you leave if you don't know where to find the arena.

I've never had any trouble using google maps on my phone. Are you one of the 3 or 4 people in the world who still uses an actual GPS unit?

 

[RoboDuck]

I still use folding maps.... **** kids and their gadgets.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

I still use folding maps.... **** kids and their gadgets.

What's a gps??

 

[eclecktic1]

I still use folding maps.... **** kids and their gadgets.

Paper maps for the win. They don't talk to you either.

 

[brucifer]

I've never had any trouble using google maps on my phone. Are you one of the 3 or 4 people in the world who still uses an actual GPS unit?

I used to use a TomTom years ago, and the GPS had me about 50 yards parallel to Martha Berry Hwy. There was no road there at all. It was funny! lol.

To be honest, I have not used my iPhone map going through Franklin and down to LaGrange since I know the areas well and don't need the help. However, it is rural between Carrollton and LaGrange, and I have had the phone signal drop, and I have Verizon which usually will pull a signal when the no other carrier will.

Maybe the signal has improved now, but on the safe side, printing a Google or MapQuest map may be a good idea. I'm just going by my own experience. I hope you and Missy make your connection.