Am I understanding this whole NPIP thing right?

[blueberrychickens]

So if my flock becomes NPIP certified, then I can not add chickens to the flock unless those chickens are NPIP certified too? If I was to add chickens from non NPIP sources then it would nullify MY NPIP, right??? & if I sell any of my flock or eggs, I need to prove that they are NPIP too?
It seems like alot of the folks here are not NPIP. My flock was tested last week & they were clean, so now its just a matter of a bit of paperwork to have them be a NPIP flock.

 

[Judy]

This varies some from state to state. Hopefully when you get your paperwork, there will be explanations included.

 

[madamwlf]

I was told by my tester that if I wish to add birds to my flock that aren't NPIP certified that I would need to have them tested before I could add them to my flock. So I don't think it nulls your certification but you would need to have those birds tested first.

So if my flock becomes NPIP certified, then I can not add chickens to the flock unless those chickens are NPIP certified too? If I was to add chickens from non NPIP sources then it would nullify MY NPIP, right??? & if I sell any of my flock or eggs, I need to prove that they are NPIP too?
It seems like alot of the folks here are not NPIP. My flock was tested last week & they were clean, so now its just a matter of a bit of paperwork to have them be a NPIP flock.

 

[berniezahm]

I was told by my tester that if I wish to add birds to my flock that aren't NPIP certified that I would need to have them tested before I could add them to my flock. So I don't think it nulls your certification but you would need to have those birds tested first.

And of course have someplace besides near your current flock to keep them untill that testijng and the aprroved paperwork is done. In Maryland that can't be anyplace on the piece of property you NPIP Approved flock is housed, evan if it is the other side of a 100 acre plot of land, you can't keep them on it till approval is completed. However you could keep them in your neighbors coop 20 feet away from your coop on his property. Every state hase it's own seperate/different set of standards even though is is a "National" program. The USPS does not even check to see if what your mailing is NPIN approved, as they claim they do not enforce state standards. I have received hatching eggs from sellers in 5 or 6 different states and have never been questioned by the Post Office on my end either.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Since your NPIP certificate says your flock is free from some specific diseases, and if you bring in un-tested birds that might be disease free or might be infecting your flock (and you don't know which, because they weren't tested), it makes sense that you can't just add whatever bird you want to.

If you buy untested birds, you will need to have the tester back out to test the new birds, and you'd better hope they aren't infected, or you could possibly lose your entire flock.

If you buy hatching eggs, you want to get those from an NPIP flock, also.

 

[blueberrychickens]

my concern was more for hatching eggs from non NPIP sources. It seems like the breeds I want I am having a hard time finding NPIP breeders. The eggs I currently have in the bator are non NPIP, but I'm hoping to sell all of those & they wont ever come in contact w/ the outside flock.
Now if I can just convince mom & dad to put up a small coop in their yard, I could bring in the non NPIP chicks, raise till 16 weeks when they can be tested & then add to my flock.....seems like alot of work to do it that way....

 

[Illia]

Yep, the drawback on NPIP is that a lot of people with just what you want aren't certified. Certain breeds as a whole especially tend to have followers who aren't certified.

 

[blueberrychickens]

Yeah, I was begining to notice that.....kinda makes me not want to bother w/ the whole NPIP thing, but I figure I've come this far, maybe I can do it for the year or work on plan B w/ the folks!
BTW Illia, I love your tolbunt polish!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Quote: "The development of the NPIP was initiated to eliminate Pullorum Disease caused by Salmonella pullorum which was rampant in poultry and could cause upwards of 80% mortality in baby poultry. The program was later extended and refined to include testing and monitoring for Salmonella typhoid, Salmonella enteritidis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis, and Avian Influenza."

Pullorum and some of the other diseases can infect the egg. If you hatch infected eggs, you will be getting infected chicks, The only way to bring in non-NPIP eggs would be to keep them in isolation until they are old enough to test. In the meantime, since you have non-NPIP poultry on your property, it would be unfair of you to sell your birds as NPIP until your youngsters get tested.

I suggest that you buy all the birds you want and then close your flock. Once the flock is closed, get them all tested and get yourself certified.

The tester will also swab your brooders and incubators. Your incubators can be infected by infected eggs. the tester will be back every year to retest and to extend your certification.

 

[blueberrychickens]

Thank you Oregon Blues, that is a good way of doing it I guess. I will buildup the flock to what I want, then have them inspected for the certification.