marigoldminifar
Hatching
- Jan 4, 2016
- 1
- 0
- 7
I had a beautiful backyard flock (15-20 hens) and wanted to expand this spring to about 60 and try to sell eggs... well I bough 40 year old layers, they had been the only birds on the property of a friend, she had bought them from TSC. I introduced them to my flock after 30 days, they looked beautiful, full feathered, laying well... then my original birds got sick. A couple died, all had runny swollen eyes, lethargy, difficult raspy breathing. I took two to my state lab and they tested positive for MG and Coryza.
Prior to this episode, I had been terrible with biosecurity and knew nothing about poultry diseases and I had never had an issue. Learned my lesson! The state came out and quarantined my farm, I was fined if any poultry entered or left my property for 45 days. They recommended that I cull my birds, so I did, all 60+ (those of my original flock were all named, it was awful). After all of this, I am learning so much about diseases- and how ridiculously common MG/MS/MM is, as well as ALL the diseases listed above. Especially since MG/MS/MM effect laying ability.
Now I am concerned about getting new birds. I want to stick to one breed- Wheaten Marans if I can- but I cant find any flocks that are NPIP certified tested for MG/MS, much less other diseases. Am I being unreasonable? There are so many diseases! I'd be willing to pay a good fee for a breedable pair of wheatens that could produce healthy chicks. Everyone tells me to buy from an NPIP flock, but they only test for Pullorum-Typhoid, and Avian Influenza.
What can I do? Anyone know a Wheaten Maran flock who is NPIP and Certified MG/MS? I know clean birds are out there, because my original flock was clean (out of luck) until I introduced the new birds. TIA!
Prior to this episode, I had been terrible with biosecurity and knew nothing about poultry diseases and I had never had an issue. Learned my lesson! The state came out and quarantined my farm, I was fined if any poultry entered or left my property for 45 days. They recommended that I cull my birds, so I did, all 60+ (those of my original flock were all named, it was awful). After all of this, I am learning so much about diseases- and how ridiculously common MG/MS/MM is, as well as ALL the diseases listed above. Especially since MG/MS/MM effect laying ability.
Now I am concerned about getting new birds. I want to stick to one breed- Wheaten Marans if I can- but I cant find any flocks that are NPIP certified tested for MG/MS, much less other diseases. Am I being unreasonable? There are so many diseases! I'd be willing to pay a good fee for a breedable pair of wheatens that could produce healthy chicks. Everyone tells me to buy from an NPIP flock, but they only test for Pullorum-Typhoid, and Avian Influenza.
What can I do? Anyone know a Wheaten Maran flock who is NPIP and Certified MG/MS? I know clean birds are out there, because my original flock was clean (out of luck) until I introduced the new birds. TIA!