how can i go about getting my flock tested?

LilQtBear · Nov 10, 2011

So I'm newer to chickens as of this year, started out with going to farm store and getting my first there, then my mom moved in with a small flock, I got a couple from a gal who hatched hers....then got some at a couple young ones at a swap.
Then as I'm reading on here, searching and learning..... now I'm paranoid about disease and carries and such. Now when new birds where brought in I locked them up seperate for 30 days no problems.
I see some people are certified on here for some tests...depending on state depends onn what is tested for? Is this good enough? Should I not worry until there is some sign of illness?
How can I go about getting my flock tested to be sure its a "clean flock"

I live in Lane county Oregon if that helps for info

Also should I be vaccinating for anything? Feed stores around here don't think so annd don't sell anything

stoopid · Nov 11, 2011

The testing I think you are referring to is NPIP. That really doesn't have anything to do with other sicknesses, it is mainly for pullorum.
And, from what I hear, Oregon isn't too convenient for testing. Has to do with funding....
There are lots of diseases that are common in poultry. You may want to look up your state agriculture dept. for advice.
Although testing them will cost you a chunk of change. The best thing to do is search the illness section right here on BYC.
You can vaccinate for some diseases, I am not sure what is prevalent in your area.
Or you can contact Peter Brown, First State Vet supply. I met him at a show last month.
He will probably tell you what he told me, Unless you see it happening, don't do it.
In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. These are all just my own opinions, everyone has their own take on this subject.
That's why this forum is so great, you get to see everyone's own opinion.
Good luck with your birdies! Roberta

LilQtBear · Nov 11, 2011

So bad news bright and early (keep thinking its still night time been up most night). My mother lives with me on my property and has her own coop. I was stressin to her early this morning about how I was reading about disease and swaps and what not. She had also gotten a few birds at the swap but when she quarantined she just put them in kennel in her coop! And informs me one of the silkies she got had a "cold" so I go look...eeek! Rinny eye, snotty, just sickly looking I freak and make her remove it right away...look over the flock who have been in coop with it (mind you its been 3 weeks to a month) and one of her BO has a huge swollen eye and head feels very warm to touch. We remove it as well.
Well my flock was not around the silkie from the swap BUT that BO does tend to free range from time to time with my flock on the property so now I'm freaking out. My mother is not happy but had my husband cull the two. We don't have the time or confined space to try and treat those two right now.
Now for the rest of the flocks... I'm spazin out. I just hatched 5 babies (they are still in house) and have 17 more going into lockdown today.
MY outside flock right now consists of 19 (10 young that stick around barn away from the older 9 who range all over but do roost in same barn stall with the at night) the BO with swollen eye of my moms has been around my roo and older girls, and I'm sure she has passed by my younger flock.
Took the cage my mom had in coop the BO slept in and the one the 2 silkies where in and have been washing them with bleach water (super cold and early so I decided to go back to it when more light) her other silkie put in seperate cage and in closed stall in barn right now as well as one of the roos she got from swap and had allowed to be with silkies here and they when she put them in a closed pen outside.

Now I got a silkie from the same lady along with 2 young orps at same swap. My silkie is confined away from all other birds in my house. But have been fine (exception one orp didn't make it I assume from the stress of swap and 2hr car ride in small box, it just died, no symptoms other than lethargic then gone) but the other orp from someone at swap and silkie from same lady my mom got hers from in different cage are fine (still have them in tote away from others 30 day was going to be up this week but now I'm wondering if I should extend that.

So my hopes of breeding now are feeling a little crushed and I'm worried about my original flock, my faves.. what do I do, just close down flock? My family thinks I'm just obsessing and freakin out..makin everyone throw clothes in wash no outside shoes in my house etc cuz of just two birds.

I know I kinda jumped all over the place here but I'm freakin out...and its very odd that right when I started reading up on pultry disease and start freaking about it and learning about bio security then find out 2 ARE ill.

So much for jumping in and learn as you go....I just jumped in and am now just learning the dangers of swaps and bringing in new atarted birds, bio security etc. I was just looking into learning to get tested and certified so I could breed and sell hatching eggs

Now what

dawg53 · Nov 11, 2011

You're going to have to play the waiting game and see what happens. I think you've done everything you can do up to this point to help prevent spreading the disease. If you smell a foul odor coming from the head/nostrils areas of future sick birds, it's most likely coryza. If there's no smell, most likely mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG.) Here's a link to respiratory diseases in poultry. Scroll down to Infectious Coryza, then Mycoplasma Gallisepticum and read about them, including treatments. I wish you the best:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

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how can i go about getting my flock tested?

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