I don't mind people coming into contact with my birds. If i know they have livestock I either ask them to clean their boots off with the hose, or I lend them some of my boots. I'm not too worried about the scary deadly diseases (bird flu for example) but I am worried about basic parasites that can be dragged in with people like worms or lice.
Most of the larger breeders and all hatcheries I think have clean flock certifations where their flocks are tested anually for certain diseases. This certification is important since without it they may not be able to ship live birds or eggs. If someone was to mistakingly introduce a disease into one of those flocks it could spell disaster for the company and the thousands of birds they own.
The biosecurity can also be used as a guise coving up bad conditions. My family and I once went to this woman's house who had an add for a "retired show dog". I asked to see the others in the barn and she quickly said no and that sent up a huge red flag. I latter found out the place was a puppy mill (although I pretty much knew when I got there). The poor dog we adopted had been so over bred that she was malnourished. She also had horrible behavioral problems and had to be put down after biting a neighbor (and several chickens).
Most of the larger breeders and all hatcheries I think have clean flock certifations where their flocks are tested anually for certain diseases. This certification is important since without it they may not be able to ship live birds or eggs. If someone was to mistakingly introduce a disease into one of those flocks it could spell disaster for the company and the thousands of birds they own.
The biosecurity can also be used as a guise coving up bad conditions. My family and I once went to this woman's house who had an add for a "retired show dog". I asked to see the others in the barn and she quickly said no and that sent up a huge red flag. I latter found out the place was a puppy mill (although I pretty much knew when I got there). The poor dog we adopted had been so over bred that she was malnourished. She also had horrible behavioral problems and had to be put down after biting a neighbor (and several chickens).
