Quite Simply, Chook Chat

[its hilly]

It's been so foggy here today that I've been really good and brought my records up to date. One thing I have noticed is that I seem to have a lot of chooks with no names at the minute. So I'm going to join RH with the thinking cap. Although I've named two. My copper black maran and rhode island cockerals have become Redthorn and Richmond
Sorry RH..

[VirginVegGrower]

Lola, Fifi, Coco, Hermione, Evangeline, Clementine, Poppy, Myrtle, Eglantyne, Willow, Tallulah, Hyacinth, Violet, Lily Pickle, Boo, Gigi, Scarlett, Millicent, Honey, Lettuce, Marigold, Gertrude, Lavender, Magenta, Delilah and Dita are my faves...

[RichmondHens]

It's been so foggy here today that I've been really good and brought my records up to date. One thing I have noticed is that I seem to have a lot of chooks with no names at the minute. So I'm going to join RH with the thinking cap. Although I've named two. My copper black maran and rhode island cockerals have become Redthorn and Richmond
Sorry RH..

I feel honoured!

[petal]

er thought i might share what I have already posted on the grapevine chit chat for those that are more familiar with what an idiot i am..."Ofsted inspection thingey today. staff bulletin is for form group where you put your clubs and teachers read it out to the form groups.
ok. so i put my message in regarding allotment club' can students remember to bring their sturdy shoes and wellies to allotment club today'
only...wellies was written as willies...get the picture- inspectors in school, form groups laughing.........OMG!" and people are still thanking me today at work for my freudian slip....

[jessmorris]

It's been so foggy here today that I've been really good and brought my records up to date. One thing I have noticed is that I seem to have a lot of chooks with no names at the minute. So I'm going to join RH with the thinking cap. Although I've named two. My copper black maran and rhode island cockerals have become Redthorn and Richmond
Sorry RH..

I have named mine after female relatives, starting with my grandmothers and working towards the future (if you see what I mean). So, I have/had Edie, Connie, Deirdre, Shirley, Audrey, Penny...and then my ssystem broke down (ever heard of a hen called Alison? Or Christine?). So I just went with the flow and have/had Dizzy (named after my friends landlady Dizzy Bolitho - what a fab name), Biek (Polish for trot as she was very speedy when she first came) and Miss Buffy Rose (plumage colour and mate's name). New chicks aren't named unless they stay, nor are cockerels, with the exception of Grayson, who was Grace Jones, who I raised for a friend who then changed sex (cockerel not friend).
'Trousers' is the best name for a cockerel, ever!

[jessmorris]

Aww, after clearing a fruit garden of 15 bags of nettles, I've now electric netted it and installed Miss Buffy and her 5 chicks. They are going to get such a surprise in the morning when they see their new quarters!

[Munch]

I dont believe this, I have just checked on our last Sebright, who is still in isolation with a pekin hen after loosing the other three after the fox attack.

He is unsteady on his feet, gasping for breath and constantly sneezing! Is it Mareks again? The sneezing is new tho!

Anything I can do?

[RichmondHens]

Give antibiotics - Tylan (it sounds like myco symptoms) or Baytril, whatever you have. Sorry to hear it. Bet you're glad he's still in isolation though.

Did the others test positive for Marek's (can't remember if you had any PMd or not)?

[Munch]

I didnt get the last one pm'd, just cant afford it to be honest. It is exactly the same symptoms, apart from the sneezing. I am wondering if it has been bought on by the fireworks last week, we get tons of the around here.

The last one showed signs about a week after the fox attack!

[RichmondHens]

Mycoplasmosis is often brought on by stress eg moving them, new birds introduced, weather fluctuations, and shock. The symptoms sound like myco to me, possibly brought on by fireworks which by themselves shouldn't normally be a worry but on top of the fox attack possibly has been too much for him.

If you can't afford Tylan give a dose of fresh garlic in the water, but tbh if he is all snotty and sneezy for more than a couple of days then antibiotics are your best bet, especially if he is having difficulty breathing. Even if you lose him they won't be wasted as you can use them to treat the pekin and any others that may show symptoms and the powder usually comes with a good 12 months or more shelf life. I've also used out of date Tylan before now and it has worked. It's worth investing in a tub if you can.

[Munch]

Thanks Richmond.

He is still with us, bless him. The Pekin is sitting on him keeping him warm . Garlic in water already

He is not snotty at all tho. Which is making me think it is more like the last Sebright that we put down to Mareks.

The eggs were bought on ebay, is it possible they came from bad blood line? I know I have read alot about Mareks being notorious in Sebrights.

[RichmondHens]

The eggs were bought on ebay, is it possible they came from bad blood line? I know I have read alot about Mareks being notorious in Sebrights.

Most likely. The downside to getting eggs off e bay (or from anywhere where you can't see parent stock) is that you have no idea of what you are getting. I visited a breeder back early summer when I was on the lookout for various things and that set up was truly disgusting. The owner said she sold a lot of hatching eggs on e bay - well I wouldn't like to be the recipient of those, the adult birds she had there were very depressed and unhealthy looking, probably harbouring a load of stuff. Needless to say I had no intention of buying anything from there and left pretty swiftly.

But on the upside you can get some reasonable stock off e bay too, if you are prepared to take a punt on it. I don't generally buy stuff from people where I can't see parent stock but sometimes am willing to risk it. I bought six Exchequer Leghorn eggs in July from e bay, three hatched and I got one cock two pullets which is not bad really for posted eggs, although one of the pullets is not a pure Exchequer, a Leghorn yes but a colour cross I think. Still the youngsters are all strong and healthy and showing no signs of having problems and that is the most important thing.

[jessmorris]

Yay! I went to my first AGM of my local poultry club last night. Now I'm processing the entries for the first 3 shows, and calling folk to pen their birds through the evening. Exciting!

[polo]

Well, just as everything was going swimmimgly I came home to find a snotty ex-batt with one slightly bubbly eye.

She is reasonably ok in herself, not fluffed and is eating and drinking so not hugely worried yet. She is in the 'sick-bay' in the shed and they all have respite in the water so waiting to see what tomorrow brings.

There's always something..

Polo

[Suechooks]

Uh-oh. Tylan at the ready Polo? Specially with the bubbly eye.