I am a killer but don't want to be

I have found that birds from everywhere just don't have what it takes to live at my place. In October I went on a little trip to aquire some new birds. I got some chickens from Sask, a turkey from Sue some roosters from Edmonton. I did a 1700km trip in 24 hours to get these, not cheap to do. As I write this only one rooster remains. The rest decided living by a Troll was not for them and went on to greener pastures. I also found that if I do nothing when I see them in distress they die. If I treat them they die. I traded a friend a wiener for two Bourbon Red hens which I was going to trade for two BSW hens. Wait now they didn't die yet as you are thinking. They turned out to be Toms and two weeks later died. I have the most wicked strain of death on my place and very few newcommers can endure the death that awaits them here. So yes I am once again looking for a new Nag Tom. Yes and these are the good times, and my lucky day.

It would be interesting to know why they are dying? What sickness are you treating or not treating?
It is always best to give them vitamins after a long trip, and mixing birds from different farms is difficult as well, because what is common at one farm and ok in those birds could be deadly for another set of birds from a different farm.
It is an expensive investment of time, travel and money when you lose the ones you pick up. So best to get down to the bottom of the problem before setting forth to get more.

Oh boy, that is a bummer, and that was a whole lotta travelling to get stock. Too bad to hear this. Maybe you have some illness there that your chickens are immune to, what did the birds die of? Do you have any idea? Maybe you should just stick to hatching eggs, but then it seems to me that you do not have the best success at that. But at least you are not putting out lots of bucks for mature stock. Sorry to hear this. Still my wishes for you to have a wonderful day. CynthiaM.

I think the kind of bird you are after needs to be raised in your environment so they slowly get accustomed to how you are doing things. My thought would be to raise them as chicks. What lives will be stronger and able to adapt. I assume you are after a hardier, old-style bird that can survive minimal attention (past food and water). A poineer bird, if you will? I too, don't have a lot of luck with adult birds. It is much better now after I invested in an bottle of Tylan and treat them once they arrive. All birds that I bring here seem to get a CRD. My birds are well looked after too. The stress of travel and change is hard on an adult bird.

That being said, I have a rooster for you! He was hatched from some eating eggs I bought off a friend and decided to throw in the bator (after being in the fidge for a week) during Sue's "hatching store bought egg" challenge. This dude hatched. I tried to move him to the heated coop with the others, but couldn't catch him. He is a general a$$, but is living off cracked wheat and SNOW. I do not give him water 2X per day. I don't see him for weeks at a time and some how he is still alive. He is a survivor.

Oh NO! So sorry, LF.

My Turkeys were fro Jonny, so give him a call.

" I have the most wicked strain of death on my place..."

That's a good one, Lazyfarmer.

I agree that although chicks are delicate, they are also tough, if that makes any sense. If chicks can surive being transported to your place, they will likely be more suited to your situation if they can grow up there. I find adult birds do not adjust so well to change.

I have lost birds over the years and the number one indicator of the liklihood of death is cost. THe more expensive the bird, the more likely it is to drop dead. Don't know why this is so, but it seems to be the way of things.

HOpe you get this figured out, you have done a lot of driving to end up empty handed.

LazyF have the PChants managed to survive? If not, get some eggs and hatch them there. I have found them to be the hardiest breed I have ever had anything to do with. I never lose PChant chicks to ANYTHING! They are robust and determined and can be a little crazy when young but they survive.
I hope I have not jinxed myself for this hatching season now.....

I too am wondering how the Partridge Chanty roosters are doing that your niece picked up for you! They were still young so maybe they are strong enough.
Let me know!

Bowker Acres wrote:
That being said, I have a rooster for you! He was hatched from some eating eggs I bought off a friend and decided to throw in the bator (after being in the fidge for a week) during Sue's "hatching store bought egg" challenge. This dude hatched. I tried to move him to the heated coop with the others, but couldn't catch him. He is a general a$$, but is living off cracked wheat and SNOW. I do not give him water 2X per day. I don't see him for weeks at a time and some how he is still alive. He is a survivor.

This guy sounds as tough as nails! Who would have thought you'd get something like that from store eggs? Very interesting. What breed do you think he is?


I'm sorry LazyFarmer for your streak of bad luck. I hope you find some chickens and turkeys that survive better for you. But like Hidden says it seems a bit risky to spend the money to buy more until you can find out what is going wrong. Have you raised any chicks or poults from your own flocks that survived better? Maybe it is something infectious in your area that purchased birds have no immunity to.

DWD just to show the wickedness of my death touch, one of the roosters died in transport and one died yesterday. I have treated for everything from broken nails to lost heads. The vet says just change his sheep saying to fit chickens. Sick sheep seldom servive. Let me refresh your memories, ordered 150 Mistral Grist 17 lived to butcher, got hatching eggs got less then 50% made it till now. The tough will live the poor ones die that is how it works, or the most expensive die, the one eye, six toed, bow legged, frazzled frozen comb, four coloured droopy winged, whezz split beak, it, will live. Coopslave the PCs decided to play your it, with the coyotes and lost. I did manage to hatch a few that I have high hopes for as they are laying now, I am just hopeing that the new roosters are up to the task and are hardy. Kathy the three buffs I got from you are doing well and started laying last week, a egg every second day. Makes me happy. No extra light and living the life of a Eskimo. I was only able to save one turkey this summer that had Rhinotracheitis, Tylan 200 did nothing treating for two weeks, but treated with Baytrill for 3 days and cleared right up. I think I have enough adults that didn't commit suicide now to get some hardy birds this year.

Sue I was going to get a Tom from Johnny but he decided to keep his that is why I ended up getting one from you.

OMG!!! I feel better. I thought it was only me! It seems half of all chickens that come here die too and I am not far from you. However, out of what is left, they produce off spring that last longer. My whole goal is to bred what survives. I have had mine tested through the vet office (they ship them south) and it is not one single illness doing it. It isnt mass dieing, but a gradual loss. Coyotes are bad here too. I found that some breeds just dont do well here. Maybe we need to trade some chicks and up our survival rates lol. Oh, interestingly enough, all chicks raised by a hen here survive. Yet it isnt chicks I loose from what I hatch, it is adolescence.

I think it has something to do with our area as I loose alot if birds shortly after they arrive also