What exactly does breed for resistance mean?

[NYREDS]

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So i'm wondering are you guys just guessing your flocks are disease resistant when you are culling for only visual symptoms, or if you get your flocks tested to find out of they are truly resistant

No, I don't have birds tested. For one thing I don't know if there are tests available for all common illnesses. For another I'm sure it would be prohibitively costly.
At the same time I'm not guessing. My data is I don't often get sick birds & I do lots of things people here tell me I shouldn't. I go to shows & don't isolate birds on their return. I visit other farms & always welcome visitors to mine. On those rare occasions when I do bring a new bird or birds in they go directly in the existing flocks.
This is not a one generation process. When I first began this practice I culled a number of birds. Each year the number became fewer & now a sick bird is a rare thing.​

 

[NYREDS]

Why (if I have a long -term goal of owning healthy birds) would I ever want to medicate sick birds? Do I want to allow them to survive and breed and pass those genes along?

That's pretty much breeding for resistance in a nut shell.​

 

[Chris09]

I fell that the ones that over medicate and use precautionary medicines have no idea if there birds are resistance to a illness/ disease or not.
So to me they are by no means are breeding for disease resistance and could be doing more harm than good for the breed/s that they are breeding...
By over medicating and use precautionary medicines you are lowering the birds need for a natural immunity to illness and disease..

Chris

 

[NYREDS]

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This yeat I raised about 250-the fewest in years. Is that a large enough sample?

 

[lildinkem]

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Also by over medicating your causing havoc on your birds kidneys.

 

[JanieMarie]

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My but you said that well! That there is exactly what breeding for resistance means. I also believe this carries over to bumblefoot and worms. While bumblefoot is initially an injury the flock has built up the natural ability to heal the injury without massive infection. And with worms the flock has built up the natural tolerance.

Great discussion everyone!

 

[gogoalie]

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Well said Chris.

 

[kathyinmo]

Thank you all for your advise and opinions. This has been very educational.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

There was a discussion a long while back about it being ethical to sell or give away sick birds/exposed to Mareks. I stated in the thread that I would be highly upset if my neighbor brought home such birds. There was one poster who got highly upset and said that maybe I should keep my birds in a germ proof airtight chamber. I found out by searching some of their threads that they had been/were fighting Mareks in their flocks. I then go to their byc page where they were offering chicks for sale. Shameful, in my opinion. Is the money that important to some folks? Not to me. Now whether someone decides to medicate diseased birds or not is a personal decision, however I'm not going to purposely expose my birds to such diseases if I can help it. If any of my birds get sick, they will be culled immediately. I've never had this problem though.

I do practice bio-security due to having several friends with chicken houses. It is mandatory before I visit their farms that I shower and change shoes/clothes. They also treat me with the same respect.

 

[kathyinmo]

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I was told that many of the microorganisms of these dreaded diseases can live for days in YOUR (humans) nose or your ear, etc. Go somewhere and sneeze ....... and you have passed it on. Scary thought, isn't it?

I have learned, by reading and researching, that many of these diseases are just "everywhere," and most people don't even know their flocks are infected or have been exposed. William (Pine Grove) has said that more than 70% of the flocks he tests are postitive for MG. I have read elsewhere that it may be closer to 90% in fact.

I worry too much, and it has taken alot of the fun out of having my chickens. I am gonna relax a little bit more, and just do the best I can to keep my birds safe, clean, happy, and healthy. This thread has helped me to decide that I will not vaccinate or medicate, and I will breed for resistance. If I see any sign of a sick bird it will be killed immediately, and I will move on ............