Breeds and Disease Resistance

[Year of the Rooster]

I almost forgot about this thread. Anyone else have anything new to report/add?

 

[gjensen]

Disease resistance in birds is an interesting subject to me. Among my fruit trees, garden, and landscaping I do not want anything that I have to baby day in and day out. If I give them good growing conditions and they fail to thrive then they are replaced. I think that is common sense. I have found that particular blueberry varieties are better suited for my conditions. Where I live grapes can be a challenge, but muscadines are near bullet proof once thet are established. My wife likes Hydrangeas as do I, but when the summer heat sets in they really suffer. You better have them in the shade, but they don't bloom as well in that shade. My point is that particular varieties are better suited for local conditions. Local conditions vary. That can even vary even with ten miles of difference. Ten miles from here they have clay soil, and I have sand six and seven feet before you get to a base.
Birds are a little different. It is obvious that you want birds that are resistant to the problems that you might have naturally in your area. You can select by culling. What you can't select for is what a bird has never been exposed to. If you are consistantly bringing in new birds from different sources, you will eventually bring something in that your birds have not been exposed to. They may get sick. If you have a problem in your flock, and you bring in birds that have not been exposed to it, they may get sick. I will use MG for an example since it is so common. If you start with a flock that has a degree of resistance to it, and are carrying it then new birds that have never been exposed might not have that same resistance. They may catch it. It works both ways. The same as if the wild birds are spreading it your area. They might not be where a bird is from.
I am not trying to discredit the fitness of some breeds or strains. I am interested in breeds, that have strong immune systems. Chris pointed out the reputation that games have for disease resistance. Fayoumis are reported to be resistant to alot of poultry diseases. The commercial industry is breeding for disease resistance.
As far as breeding for disease resistance in my flock, I can only select for vigor until a problem shows up. A goal is not to bring it here though. In the old days flocks were more isolated. We move them around alot more now. Especially with this new interest in them. You can start with a breed that has a reputation for disease resistance and select for resistance to localized problems, but I have a hard time seeing improving further unless I introduce them to more problems (which I don't want to do).

 

[gallorojo]

My experiences- If you want disease resistance, do not ever buy from those who have closed flocks, who never show, etc. Their birds may be clean and free of disease at their farm, but, when you take them to your place, and expose them to all manner of new germs, they will get sick. Unfortunately, they have not been selected for resistance, they have been coddled. Terrible scenario.

Far better to buy stock from someone who shows all the time, and keep lots of species as well. Their stock will have to be resistant, as they are constantly being exposed to more germs then someone's birds that never leave the coop.....

 

[gjensen]

That's a good point, but for me it would depend on what germs. I know some people that have had quite a battle with some things. And fight it yearly, and cull. There are some fights not worth fighting. I would want someone to be honest with me about what they have dealt with.

 

[Arielle]

Interesting point. You have me rethinking a closed flock . . . . .

 

[Farmerboy16]

Quote:
x2 I was thinking of not free ranging my new flock, just keep them in the coop and a large cover run, and close the flock after I get all the poultry I need. Now, I am thinking how are they going to build disease resistance, if they do not free range? But I had to cull all of my poultry to Coryza and Mycoplasma, so I think that there is a fine line to it. Free ranging is ok, but bringing in random birds from different farms/shows is not so ok, if you do not quarantine them first. Always buy new stock from trusted breeders. My two cents.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I have bought from breeders that did not have closed flocks and showed their birds. I have no idea of how they were kept at their homes but once here they often do not do well. My birds are in open pens or free range during the day. We have a lot of migratory birds, wild turkey and a lot of wildlife coming up to lick salt blocks or pick up foods left by the horse or chickens.
The chickens I raise here from birds resistant to these continuous "infections" do quite well but when I bring in from other breeders, especially from show breeders, I often lose some of those birds. It seems those have been vaccinated against certain things and they often can not really handle "true life" conditions.

And I agree with the closed flock view. I think it isn't a good idea.

 

[Beekissed]

I think it depends on what one considers a closed flock and how you've developed the immunities in the home flock before you introduce the immunities of a strange bird. I wouldn't bring a bird from an auction or a show to my home. I would, however, bring in an adult bird from a flock that had been raised like my own....free ranged, no medications, hardy and healthy breeds/birds from an honest person.

I made the mistake of taking in some donated birds from someone who had only kept them inside for their whole life...and they appeared to be very healthy. And they were...except they brought scale mites with them, though showing no evidence on their own legs, which I had inspected thoroughly.

Quarantining wouldn't have helped, as the birds were on my property where every chicken roams, enclosed into a pen or not they would have contaminated my buildings with mites. I'll never repeat THAT mistake....until that time I'd never had parasites of any kind in my flocks. Took me some doing to get those mites gone until I discovered NuSTock.

I advise a closed flock in the sense of growing your own flock out, perpetuating their own genetics, and, if needing to add a breed or so, order chicks from a hatchery so that you can develop their immunities by exposure to the flock you already have. There really isn't any reason to get adult birds from a show or auction if you merely raise a working flock of layers who can reproduce their own efficiently.

 

[Arielle]

I have been following this thread for some time. Many great points of discussion.

As someone just starting out with birds and trying to establish my own flocks, I struggle with acquiring birds in a safe manner. All methods of adding stock seems to have some level of risk; some very low, others very high.

I buy directly from what I think are reputable breeders and are NPIP/AI tested. I try to acquire juveniles. Though a year old hen was given to me: how does one politely refuse when so graciously given. ANd truth be told, I was so thrilled to get the hen that I totally forgot my rules. WHile I worry that I may have made a big mistake, I know that the bird came from a farm that regularly sells stock and treats for pests, deworms and files the birds nails before selling. A reduced risk, but still some risk.

BEkissed, you bring up a good point about buying from a flock with birds raised in a similar method. Long ago that was pretty much the only way to acquire stock. From a local person, with stock already adapted to the local environment, including weather, pests, diseases. If more people continue to add chickens to their farms and yards, maybe that will enhance the disease resistance in the years to come.

My 2 cents.

 

[Gresh]

Game breeds (specifically Oriental gamefowl) are supposed to be very hardy and disease resistant. Orloffs in the UK are supposedly very immune to Marek's disease--one breeder I talked with said he doesn't even vaccinate his birds.