flu testing in texas, should i say yes??

[blue90292]

i got a call yesterday from one of those state guys. he wanted to know if i would be willing to get my birds tested for the flu. says he has to get 7 samples from the brazoria county area and was looking for someone in the upper brazoria area with a flock.

that would be me.

sooo, my questions is....if i say yes, is my name going to be on the fbi list for future date?? no...seriously.....

 

[wynedot55]

if you have your flock tested for bird flu.they wont put you on the FBI watch list.the bird flu is transmitted via wildbirds.but know this if your birds test positive.they will destory the flock.an test every flock in your county.

 

[speckledhen]

And how did they know you have a flock anyway? Eyes are everywhere or they are baiting people and seeing who will bite.

 

[crazy4daisy]

I'd say yep...I don't think it would cost you anything.

 

[blue90292]

there's a guy coming to test my flock so i can sell them outside of my property. i lost the post it with his number and name (doh!) and called a&m to get it, and another guy called me back. when i explained to him how i spoke to the other guy, he (the 2nd guy) wanted to know if i would be willing to get them tested for the flu. i almost felt sorry for him. the way he asked me sounded like he gets ALOT of rejections.

he has to have consent in order to test.

funny thing, i did ask him if he was going to kill my flock. he answered, we don't have the flu in brazoria county. lol. i think he should become a politician with that answer, no?? LOL

 

[wynedot55]

your getting your NIP cert.thats why he is testing your birds.man i feel for you.you will have to pull blood on all your chickens 6 months old an older.an he will also look at your complete setup.an prolly walk though your pens.

 

[justusnak]

If he wants to ...walk through your pens.....call him before he gets there, and tell him he will HAVE to have disposable shoe covers, and maybe even disposable gown...so he does NOT bring anything into your coop. LORD KNOWS how many coops the person has been in...and what he might carry in with him. BE CAREFULL!

 

[robin416]

Every state does thing slightly different from its neighboring state.

My birds were randomaly flu tested when NPIP tested. But before I gave the go ahead and because someone said if they find flu they will kill your flock I decided to do some research.

The WILL NOT automatically destroy a flock if a flu is detected. They will quaranteen to have time to confirm, then they will determine the virus involved. More than half of the known flu virus' are not even reportable. Some are reportable but are not a virulent enough to necessitate culling of the flock.

Do your homework before making blanket statements about destroying a flock.

 

[prariechiken]

Each state is different, everyone should be aware of your own local/state rules and regs on this. If you have big corp poultry producers nearby, expect stricter rules and swifter action if something is found.

 

[blue90292]

Quote:
actually, less than 10 of my birds and a couple of their babies will be tested he said, since the rest are from MM hatchery and i have the paperwork to prove it.

and the other guy said he'd also only test about 10 at the most for the flu.

it's always scary when something new is about to happen. thank you's to those that gave me advice.

i was hoping there were those out there that have had the flu tests conducted at their property and what there experience had been....

i may be ignorant to think that these people, being from texas a&m, know what they are doing, but i'm betting, with all this poultry scare and how texas doesn't allow alot of things without alot of red tape, when it comes to poultry...that these individuals will be very cautious when checking out my birds. i just hate getting into things blind folded, so to speak.