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- #21
OK I have been dragging my feet with the flock elimination.....Dawg53, I hope you read this because I have a few last questions and I think you have the answers for them (I have been stalking your other posts for info pertaining to my situation).
I am so ambivilant about this. I am not opposed to culling every bird at this point but want to make sure it is going to eliminate this problem for good if I do it. And also, I am not sure why it's necessary. Is there a health risk with eating the eggs (will they give us e coli or something>?) or is it solely a matter of reducing the risk of transmission to other flocks?
after reading reading reading and observing the chickens for a few weeks here is the situation:
I think the 2 sick chickens (who i culled 2 weeks ago) had MG or IB but the symptoms didn't seem to phase the chickens. I did mercy kill one rooster but in retrospect I think I overreacted. I dont' think he was all that uncomfortable. sneezy but otherwise healthy. No fatigue, change in eating habits. he developed clear mucus in his beak and once i saw it bubbling out of his eye. but no other eye irritation or signs of conjunctivitis. I have seen 2 other birds with similar but more mild symptoms that lasted only a day or two and went away. But it's not like a i have a flock of really funky birds. I hadn't seen any symptoms since i culled the rooster but today a hen had clear snot inside of her mouth.
I had introduced new birds 2 months prior so this could be a factor but I am not convinced because we have SO many wild quail and other birds here and the top of my coop is only welded wire (not the mesh i have everywhere else).
They get good nutrition, lots of water and they have a clean coop and large run so I don't think the sickness is coming from improper care.
SO: my first question: why do I even need to get rid of the disease? I dont' think I am in a situation where i pose much of a transmission risk and the birds don't seem all that sick.
I don't sell eggs and wont give away birds, I don't have friends or neighbors with chickens (if I did, i would be asking them these questions!) and I don't go to livestock auctions, fairs etc......I could track chicken germs into the feed store but I have special "poop shoes" for the coop and I don't wear chicken clothes away from the house. maybe I am ignorant on this topic and need to be properly informed..... : )
Can I get sick from eating the eggs? I am just not sure about exactly why one needs to depopulate when only a few chickens have mild symptoms. Is it for the greater good of chicken owners in my area? Or are there health risks for my family here?
Is there anything wrong with just letting them be and only culling a chicken if it gets "really sick?" (i'm not going to medicate again)
And the last thing is this: i haven't depopulated yet because what if I do and then my new chickens just get it again because they got it from the local wildlife???
So i guess what I need to know is what is wrong with having a flock who sneezes now and then? and i mean that literally. I am not being dismissive
Thank you to anyone who has insight for me!
I am so ambivilant about this. I am not opposed to culling every bird at this point but want to make sure it is going to eliminate this problem for good if I do it. And also, I am not sure why it's necessary. Is there a health risk with eating the eggs (will they give us e coli or something>?) or is it solely a matter of reducing the risk of transmission to other flocks?
after reading reading reading and observing the chickens for a few weeks here is the situation:
I think the 2 sick chickens (who i culled 2 weeks ago) had MG or IB but the symptoms didn't seem to phase the chickens. I did mercy kill one rooster but in retrospect I think I overreacted. I dont' think he was all that uncomfortable. sneezy but otherwise healthy. No fatigue, change in eating habits. he developed clear mucus in his beak and once i saw it bubbling out of his eye. but no other eye irritation or signs of conjunctivitis. I have seen 2 other birds with similar but more mild symptoms that lasted only a day or two and went away. But it's not like a i have a flock of really funky birds. I hadn't seen any symptoms since i culled the rooster but today a hen had clear snot inside of her mouth.
I had introduced new birds 2 months prior so this could be a factor but I am not convinced because we have SO many wild quail and other birds here and the top of my coop is only welded wire (not the mesh i have everywhere else).
They get good nutrition, lots of water and they have a clean coop and large run so I don't think the sickness is coming from improper care.
SO: my first question: why do I even need to get rid of the disease? I dont' think I am in a situation where i pose much of a transmission risk and the birds don't seem all that sick.
I don't sell eggs and wont give away birds, I don't have friends or neighbors with chickens (if I did, i would be asking them these questions!) and I don't go to livestock auctions, fairs etc......I could track chicken germs into the feed store but I have special "poop shoes" for the coop and I don't wear chicken clothes away from the house. maybe I am ignorant on this topic and need to be properly informed..... : )
Can I get sick from eating the eggs? I am just not sure about exactly why one needs to depopulate when only a few chickens have mild symptoms. Is it for the greater good of chicken owners in my area? Or are there health risks for my family here?
Is there anything wrong with just letting them be and only culling a chicken if it gets "really sick?" (i'm not going to medicate again)
And the last thing is this: i haven't depopulated yet because what if I do and then my new chickens just get it again because they got it from the local wildlife???
So i guess what I need to know is what is wrong with having a flock who sneezes now and then? and i mean that literally. I am not being dismissive
Thank you to anyone who has insight for me!
