Messages

526

Breeding / Partridge Ameraucana

« on: March 26, 2012, 06:40:01 PM »

I may be starting more controversy, I hope not, with all the bickering on other topics on this forum. I am of the opinion, and doubt I can be persuaded to change my mind. Grandkids are great, even awesome! I really think its the parents fault not us grandparents or grandkids. I\'m already doing all I can to spoil them! Enough said!

527

Housing, Health & Hatching / Infertility question

« on: March 24, 2012, 09:50:18 PM »

Amen to that, Mike.

528

Housing, Health & Hatching / Broody or ?

« on: March 22, 2012, 01:29:46 PM »

My neice had the power go off for about 6 hrs on her sportsman incubator in Feburary. They put blankets over the incubator until the power came back on. She still had 33 hatch out of 36 eggs hatch. Eggs were about 7-8 days from hatching when the power went out.

529

Ameraucana Marketplace / how to determine pricing?

« on: March 16, 2012, 08:50:41 PM »

I usually take my culls to a local sale barn. Same story as most of you. After comission, they may bring $1.50- $2.00 for 5-6 wk old birds.  Once in awhile maybe up to $6.00. One time I took 2 LF adult cocks thinking, well there will be $2 birds. I got my check and they each brought $14 each. You never know. But that is not the norm! Usually I just shake my head and say \"Well, at least they aren\'t eating my $15 a bag feed anymore! Then I go out to the coops and admire the ones I kept.
Boy do they look nice. They better, cause ther\'e still eating my $15 a bag feed.

530

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 16, 2012, 06:50:19 PM »

Congratulations! It sounds like the chicks and you both made it through the ordeal in great shape. Now, was it as bad as you had anticipated? Now that you have went through round 1, you will know what to expect and it will go much smoother next time. I expect you will be able to do that many chicks in less than half that time!

531

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 13, 2012, 09:59:41 AM »

Here is a pretty good down to earth site for explaining mareks vacination for the small flock raiser. http://poultryone.com/articles/mareks.html

532

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 13, 2012, 02:20:14 AM »

You do not have to vacinate at day old. I usually wait until the incubator is done hatching for that batch. Yes that means the oldest chicks might be close to 2-3 days old (usually only a very few hatch early-usually 90% on due hatch day-and a few straglers the next day). It takes at least 10 days for chicks to build up an immunity after vacination, so they should not be exposed to older birds or housing that might be contaminated with the virus. I usually keep chicks isolated for 3-4 weeks as a precaution.

533

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 10, 2012, 10:53:12 PM »

One advantage to using an alcahol swab is that when you swab the neck area the fuzz almost disappears and you have a clearer view of the skin below. I have done as Mike said and not swabed the area and have not had any bad effects. I do make sure the needle is swabed with alcahol between injections.

534

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 10, 2012, 07:58:42 PM »

Using a 1-1/2 needle you could get by if you are careful to not let it protrude through and go out the other side. It will sure slow down the process and with open time of about 1 hr after mixing the vacine you won\'t get as many chicks done. I have used \"1  needles and even with them you have to slow down and be careful- 1/2 inch works much better. We usually gather the chicks in 30 gal rubber storage tubs all lined up. My daughter is the catcher and holder. I swab and vacinate. When we first started we could only do about 50-60 chicks an hour. But with practice our best has been about 174 an hour. That\'s with about 70% bantams which are much harder than LF. That\'s smoking! You do not have to rub the bubble on the chicks neck. Just watch them and keep them warm. I think the alcohol swab cooling them down is harder on them than the vacine. I have never had a chick have adverse reactions to the vacine. All in all, it\'s probably harder on my daughter and me trying to beat the clock and use as much vacine before time runs out!
Good Luck- It\'s not as complicated as it sounds. You\'ll be a pro in no time!

535

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 10, 2012, 10:37:12 AM »

I use a 22 gauge x 1/2 inch needle on day old chicks. I buy these at my local Orscheln store. Yes you are correct for the .2 ml dosage per chick.

536

Housing, Health & Hatching / Laryngotracheitis Vaccine

« on: March 08, 2012, 03:19:32 PM »

What is the suggested vacination procedure for adult birds?

537

Breeding / My first breeding decision for type instead of color...

« on: March 08, 2012, 08:53:18 AM »

Find a good Black hen and breed her to your Splash cockerell and you will have all the blue chicks you want!!!!

538

Exhibiting & Promoting / Chickens magazine article

« on: March 02, 2012, 06:02:16 PM »

I read the article a few years ago when I was given a subscription by my brother. Great stuff. If a person didn\'t know the difference between true ameraucanas and easter eggers, they had no excuse after reading the article. Clear and to the point!

539

Exhibiting & Promoting / Chickens magazine article

« on: March 02, 2012, 12:42:31 AM »

Maybe I\'ll have to go to the doctor more often to read the free magazines. Better yet, maybe I can just hang out in the lobby!

540

Housing, Health & Hatching / Feed Prices

« on: February 28, 2012, 05:48:33 AM »

Wow, what a varience in feed prices. I am paying 13.85 for a 18% egg layer at a local coop. That\'s down from 14.50 a month ago. Purina flock raiser is 15.50. These are all 50# bag prices. I hate having to recalculate when you have to start figuring in 40# bags. Sometimes I think my birds eat better than me.