Turkey Talk for 2014

[DraigAthar]

Good luck with the NPIP today. How many birds do you have to test?

Heh, you made me sit here and count on my fingers ... at the moment I have 21 birds. 18 hens, one rooster, and the two turkeys. I REALLY pared down before winter this time. Just had to. Last winter got a little ridiculous. I'm about to start setting eggs again though, so here comes the chicken math ...

 

[K Epp]

Are chicks hatched from a NPIP clock automatically covered or do they have to be tested?

 

[DraigAthar]

Are chicks hatched from a NPIP clock automatically covered or do they have to be tested?

If the chicks are from your own NPIP tested birds, then they are fine. If you bring in any live birds from another flock that have not been NPIP tested, you nullify your NPIP status. If you bring in live birds from another NPIP tested flock, you must get the paperwork from them as proof that they have been tested. I think it may be the same with eggs, if they come from someone else's NPIP flock you can ask them for the paperwork. I know when I registered for my NPIP number they gave me a form booklet for shipping eggs/chicks out of state.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Are chicks hatched from a NPIP clock automatically covered or do they have to be tested?

If the chicks are from your own NPIP tested birds, then they are fine. If you bring in any live birds from another flock that have not been NPIP tested, you nullify your NPIP status. If you bring in live birds from another NPIP tested flock, you must get the paperwork from them as proof that they have been tested. I think it may be the same with eggs, if they come from someone else's NPIP flock you can ask them for the paperwork. I know when I registered for my NPIP number they gave me a form booklet for shipping eggs/chicks out of state.

Yep, that's how it works. You can usually isolate untested birds & quarantine them until tested if you bring in anything not NPIP. I try to bring everything in right before my recert (June) when possible so I don't have to pay additional fees for extra trips. If I hatch poults in April/May & keep them separate from my main flicks then they are old enough for testing by June. Any uncertified turkeys I get & their tutors stay separate from all my other birds until tested. Same for chicks.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Are chicks hatched from a NPIP clock automatically covered or do they have to be tested?

If the chicks are from your own NPIP tested birds, then they are fine. If you bring in any live birds from another flock that have not been NPIP tested, you nullify your NPIP status. If you bring in live birds from another NPIP tested flock, you must get the paperwork from them as proof that they have been tested. I think it may be the same with eggs, if they come from someone else's NPIP flock you can ask them for the paperwork. I know when I registered for my NPIP number they gave me a form booklet for shipping eggs/chicks out of state.

Yep, that's how it works. You can usually isolate untested birds & quarantine them until tested if you bring in anything not NPIP. I try to bring everything in right before my recert (June) when possible so I don't have to pay additional fees for extra trips. If I hatch poults in April/May & keep them separate from my main flicks then they are old enough for testing by June. Any uncertified turkeys I get & their tutors stay separate from all my other birds until tested. Same for chicks.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote: Yep, that's how it works. You can usually isolate untested birds & quarantine them until tested if you bring in anything not NPIP. I try to bring everything in right before my recert (June) when possible so I don't have to pay additional fees for extra trips. If I hatch poults in April/May & keep them separate from my main flicks then they are old enough for testing by June. Any uncertified turkeys I get & their tutors stay separate from all my other birds until tested. Same for chicks.

I am really impressed that there are so many people on this thread that are NPIP certified. It is such an important step in trying to control some of these contagious diseases. I have always purchased only from NPIP hatcheries/breeders, but assumed they were few and far between. I currently have a closed flock, but will definitely get certification before/if I start selling eggs or poults. In my state (WA), the fee for less than 50 birds was only $50, basically the cost of a single exam at the vet's office, but they come to your house, draw all the blood for you, and run all the tests for that cost.

 

[K Epp]

I believe when I called about it (Still need to open the package and read the info.) It was 56¢ a chicken. I do know they come out for free and will come back out if I get more.

 

[SilkieSensation]

 

I am really impressed that there are so many people on this thread that are NPIP certified.  It is such an important step in trying to control some of these contagious diseases.  I have always purchased only from NPIP hatcheries/breeders, but assumed they were few and far between.  I currently have a closed flock, but will definitely get certification before/if I start selling eggs or poults.  In my state (WA), the fee for less than 50 birds was only $50, basically the cost of a single exam at the vet's office, but they come to your house, draw all the blood for you, and run all the tests for that cost.

Ohio has a program that is $35 for flocks of up to 50 birds, $50 for 51-300 birds & prices go up from there.

 

[Sydney Acres]

My friend just sent me some pictures that she took when the group was less than a week old. I forgot how tiny they were! Will need to get some current pictures posted soon. They are now 31 weeks old.
(Sorry they're in random order -- this is my first posting of pictures to BYC and haven't figured out how to move them around yet.)

This is Isabella. She is a Spanish Black, and is now 11.0 pounds. She was always a goofy, bouncy, happy poult from day one, and remains that way today. She is everyone's favorite (husband, best friend, and both toms) despite her limited eyesight and mild neurological issues that prevent her from having fine motor control while eating, and sometimes missing important social cues. You just can't stop smiling when she runs up to greet you, chirping wildly, then hops and bounces around you in circles with her head bobbing up and down, like a dog begging you to play with her.

This is Stanford. She is a heritage Bronze, and is now 10.9 pounds. She was the first one to fly out of the brooder, the first to fly out of the yard, the first to do almost anything. She was a very interactive, social, and fearless poult, but as a teenager she prefers to be quite independent. She is the most wild-like of all the birds, the first to spot a predator, makes the most noise, and will bite quite hard if reached for after she has gone to her roost. But during the daytime she is sweet when handled or carried, although she prefers to just follow you around without all that physical contact.

This is another picture of Isabella (sorry, tried to get them in order but couldn't make it work).

This is DeLorean. He is a Blue Slate, and is now 18.1 pounds. When he was 3 days old he tried to squeeze through some 1X2 wire in his brooder and got stuck, and ended up with abrasions over much of his body as he struggled to free himself. Well, we started calling him "Road Rash," but that was unbecoming of a proud tom, so when we saw him stretch out those long beautiful wings the first time we changed it to DeLorean, after the beautiful silver car with gull wing doors.

Also DeLorean.

My favorite picture of DeLorean. He would fall asleep in my hand as soon as I picked him up at that age. It was as if he needed the peace and quite away from the rowdy bunch.

This is Victoria. She is a Blue Slate, and is now 10.0 pounds. She and Stanford are the ringleaders for getting into trouble, over fences, chasing deer, etc. She has never been much of a social bird, despite being handled extensively as a poult. But she's not flighty or anxious or aggressive. She just doesn't like physical affection, and turns away whenever she is petted.



Another picture of Victoria.



Another picture of Victoria, showing her "angel wings," which were always held away from her body. I was originally quite concerned about this, but as she molted into longer wings the feather position tightened, and now her wings are normal, and quite functional.

This is Dorthea. She is a Spanish Black, and is now 10.4 pounds. She was a bit of a squirrelly poult, which is why none of these pictures are in focus. She wasn't anxious or antisocial so much as she just didn't want to be held. But there was something about her -- she was compact but perfect. She was only 54 grams in this picture, but she was well fleshed for her age, and she had a physical symmetry about her that made you just stare and smile. Everything was in perfect balance, nothing was too big or too small or gangly or sticking out awkwardly. She was a perfect little miniature. And amazingly, she has remained that way throughout her growth. There's no goofy pictures of her tucked away. She's all beauty. But sometime in the last 3-4 months she decided that cuddling was wonderful, and bedtime isn't right if she can't tuck her head under my chin for a few minutes as she goes to sleep.






My friend didn't get any good pictures of Camilla, the always anxious, hyperactive Royal Palm, who is now 9.0 pounds and beautiful, even if she does hate to be handled, or Francis, the largest of the group from day one. He is now 25.4 pounds, always on display, protects Isabella from the wrath of her social mistakes, and is the sweetest boy I've ever had. He is also tall enough to go through the waist-level pockets of my coat, and crafty enough to use a light touch so I don't notice his head in my pocket right away. But when he goes to bed there's nothing he likes more than to have his neck and head and snood rubbed as he goes to sleep

Hope you all enjoyed the baby pictures.

 

[DaisyMeadow]

Thanks for sharing the pics! It's hard to remember that they start out so little!