One open class young lady brought in a sick Auracauna (unbeknownst to the superindendants) and now a whole row has upper respiratory INCLUDING a pen of 12 white coturnix who now have swolen faces. I got with the intendants last night and we planned to get them out of there as well as others and educate the kids. These were open class kids ...not guided by 4-H leaders that were bringing in a sick bird. The Quail child is going to suffer a big problem. I emmediately spotted the whites put in with the rest of the general population. Their eyes and nares began swelling the first night....we are talking 7 hours after arriving.... Spoke with two poultry leaders and the head of the County's program. Biosecurity will now be a class for 4-H kids AND LEADERS for heaven's sake. Decided at last minute not to enter any of mine due to wanting to keep all of my birds producing for the eggs for consumption business I am getting going. We sanitized shoes and changed clothes and washed up after visiting fair. OK...PAMPHLET TO INCLUDE BIOSECURITY MEASURES. The problem is not so much in the Quail being at fair. It is the allowing a of a chicken who can barely hold it's head up, being allowed in. Perhaps it looked well at first, but at first sign of illness....GET IT OUTA THERE!!!. Well, we are. We are fixing this. I had been in so much pain this summer I did not get down there for the set up. I was judging record books (22 kids...EXCELLENT upturn in poultry participation). What say you Quail Jedi? Shall I suggest that this Quail entry preteen cull these birds and not take them home? We are trying to watch symptoms and I am going to call my own Vet who normally cruises the Poultry barn like a silent protective hawk... He used to "show up" with a black Doctor bag to some of my cruelty cases when I was an officer "on a tip". Tonya
It may be best to have posters of the quail and bring the quail eggs to show them (but not hatch them later) for biosecurity safety. Recently getting getting my NPIP renewed and getting all birds blood drawn for mycoplasmas (negative...phew! ) it is essential for all to practice biosecurity and to teach children at a young age. Also closed flocks and having visitors come only when picking up birds, eggs, is only essential for the safety of the birds. People still can have chicken with quail (not in the same pens and all) but when taking to a fair for show, need to really quarantine birds afterwards. It would be devastating to tell the quail owner to cull the flock but maybe have him quarantine the birds and have them checked up. WE wouldn't want them to spread any nastiness to others. With that said, since the one chicken had the upper resp., it is airborne to all. BLAHHHHH....We need more 4H leaders aware of diseases of the flock and to examine birds prior to fair.
I'm not really a quail Jedi, but teaching anyone, especially children proper bio-security is a good thing! An ounce of prevention...and all that. I'm not telling you or anyone else what to do, but no bird at the event would be welcome on my property.
Maybe if they were suited up in biosecurity gear... Helmet, white suit. I just watched Quarantine 2... Scary stuff right there
Welcome To Applied Epidemiology 101 Cant Tell Anyone Else What To Do With Their Cooty Infected Birds, But Much Like Joe... They Would'nt Make It Through The Front Gate Here Alive (infact After The Napalm Burned Off I'd Likely Need A New Front Gate And Some More Trees, And A Dozen Or So New Fence Posts, And Likely Need To Replace The Vinyl Siding On The Front Of The House... ) The Only 2 Illnesses I Know Of That Causes There Symptoms In Gamebirds Is A Mycoplasma Or Ai, And If Its Ai The Cdc And Usda Will Eliminate Them With Much Gusto And 1/2 The Fairgrounds If You're Not Careful ...either Way The Facial Swelling Is A Very Ominus Sign In Any Quail Or Pheasant Speces.( While There Are A Few Other Illnesses That May Cause These Signs In Other Poultry Its Generally Only Those 2 That Cause These Signs In Gamebirds) This Is The Number 1 Reason Why None Of My Stock.. Gamebird, Chicken Or Otherwise Goes To Fairs. (number 2 Is That Our Fairs Are During Breeding Season) Some Ideas To Go Along With The Education I See Coming To Poultry In Your Area--- If Gamebirds Are To Be Exhibited It's Best To Keep Them In A Seperate Housing Facility With Proper Public Barriers To Prevent Cross Contamnination (i Have Seen Kids With Idiot Parents Roam The Poultry Barns Sticking Fingers In Each And Every Cage In Sucession And Shuddered At The Cold Chill That Run Up My Spine) This Can Be Endorsed As Protecting The Birds And The Public. The Strong Education I See You Putting Togather Will Help As Well. Personally I Also Believe The Original Source Would Need To Replace Any And All Stock Lost By Others (sometimes This Sting Helps Get The Point Across And Estabolish Compliance With New Rules-- Sorry Folks But Its Not Always A Pretty World Out There.) What You're Experiencing Has Happened Before In Other Parts Of The Country...florida Doesnt Even Offer An "open" Class For Misc Or Gamebirds. Many States Are Like-wise.
Quote:WATCH THE "BOY IN THE BUBBLE" THEN INSTEAD YOU CAN JUST PUT THEM ALL IN THEIR OWN BUBBLES WITH AIR FILTRATION UNITS
the national NPIP folks have a good little pamphlet on Biosecurity our state passed out when they certified me to check others birds
The USDA has a nice website on biosecurity for birds where you can order materials for free. I get a calendar every year and I've gotten coloring books for my kids as well. Here's the link: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/birdbiosecurity/ It's a little late now, but I hope that you can turn this into a valuable learning experience for the kids.
Tonya, I am glad to hear that you did not enter any of your quail in the fair this year. I know you have been working hard to get your "egg business" in gear and have been enjoying this venture. How sad it would have been if you had taken them and brought home potentially sick birds. And how sad it is that folks bring sick birds to the fair, risking the health of everyone else's birds. It seems to me that anyone that keeps poultry should know about biosecurity and be aware that not only can your birds infect others, but that other birds can infect yours. It seems like common sense that everyone should understand this, and I have to wonder about the conditions some of these birds are kept in that come to the fair in an ill state. Very sad.
