Do you remember back in June we got two beautiful chicks? After a couple of weeks in the box they were big enough to stand their ground and join the flock. They are Light Sussex, a very popular breed for the smallholder. They are good layers but also quite a heavy bird so good for the table too if you can bring yourself to do the deed. Seven months later and here is the rooster in all his pride and glory. We are hoping that they raise some chicks of their own this summer, and with only the two of them its always a gamble as to whether or not a fox or mink might get them first.
He is quite a likable character, not at all evil as a few roosters can become. He never pecks at humans and tolerates me walking right beside him, albeit with a nonplussed glance in my direction. He has only recently begun to crow and this spring will be his first 'active' season. You can see those little stubs on the back of his leg, they are his spurs and as they grow they are what he will use to grasp onto the hen ... its not an altogether graceful act and despite the spurs roosters still manage to fall off.
He is cheeky too. In the mornings the dog is the first creature to get fed and rooster knows this, he waits, and sometimes he even tries to snatch some food from her bowl. Brave man.
I suspect there are many people out there with a few free ranging chickens like us, either on their farms or back gardens. As chicken flu is now present in wild birds over in the UK, isn't it our free ranging chickens that are at more risk from infection than the birds kept indoors? What do other poultry small scale keepers think, and are you doing anything different to protect your flock? Do you worry about letting your children handle pet poultry? How real do you think the risk is to backyard owners?
I've posted a few thoughts over on the Forum: http://sallygardens.freeforums.org/viewtopic.php?p=59#59
But other than cleaning our wellies before we go to another farm, or after we come home from one we don't do much here. We're not under as much threat on our island off the coast of Washington, USA but there are still plenty of poultry diseases out there to come down with.
I never worry about the kids handling the poultry. Washing hands in hot, non-antibacterial soapy water is the best way to keep well, All my girls have been out helping me clear out one of the coops for spring chicks-- even at the best of times it's dusty, smelly, dirty work.
My feeling is anything we do come down with only helps build our resistance. But I also observe my flocks twice every day, know they are healthy, am swift to isolate or dispatch sick or injured birds if needed, and allow them free access to the outdoors in all weather. The coops are full of light and get a cleaning 4 times per year, but are not hosed down and sanitized ever, unless absolutely necessary. If the chickens are healthy, and there are no mites or lice, then there is no need to kill off the good bacteria and microbes along with the bad. I do, however, use probiotics and bokashi from time to time.
Healthy, happy animals allowed to exist as they should are less likely to get ill, and are better off in the long run.
I have made several videos on keeping chickens, and this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhWOyCn8Mr0 on cleaning my chicken coop. Enjoy.
Posted by: Podchef | January 11, 2008 at 04:05 PM
To be honest, other than keeping an eye on our small flock for signs of disease, we haven't changed anything about the way we care for our chickens.
Our 3 year old still picks them up, although I stop him climbing into the coop.
I'm not sure that there is anything we can do short of keeping them locked up, and that's just not practical of kind.
As I'm typing this I am thinking that there are much bigger flocks in our bit of the Weald of Kent (we know someone with 3000 free range egg layers) - so it's more likely that they will pick up any bugs before we do.
No point in worrying about something you have no control over.
Posted by: marc | January 12, 2008 at 01:47 PM
We carefully monitor the birds in our collection at work and any dead birds (wild or our own) are reported and sent for testing.
We have a plan in place to put all free ranging birds under cover should H5N1 be confirmed in the area, but other than that, we carry on as usual.
All you can do under the circumstances I think.
Posted by: Robert | January 12, 2008 at 09:20 PM
I'm living the smallholding life vicariously through your blog so I'm sorry I have no advice on the chicken flu, just an embarrassingly inane comment about how handsome that rooster is. :)
Posted by: Caitlin - Bridget's Flame | January 12, 2008 at 11:33 PM
I had a very nice chicken once. Speckle-neck. I gave her to a friend who became bosom buddies with her.
I gave them away after the chickens found the fake cement insulation all around the house and proceeded to peck holes into it.
I don't have chickens anymore.
Posted by: Nancy | January 13, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Hello from across the big water. First time visitor here. I found you through the wiggler site. :) Nice rooster. We have only two hens but they keep us supplied with fresh eggs because we don't eat eggs every day. Ours are Rhode Island Reds.
Posted by: Greg | January 16, 2008 at 03:17 PM