Keeping a flock healthy

[Clay Valley Farmer]

With all the CRD, MG, MS, ILT, IB, Coryza, Newcastle, Marek's, forms of leukosis, fowl pox and so on is it a realistic expectation to keep a healthy flock given all the routes of exposure.

-Barn sales
-Auctions
-Shows
-Wild Birds
-Rodents
-Visits to other farms, feed stores
-Hatching eggs
-Even hatcheries are not pure as snow

Even with a quarantine, new stock may appear healthy for 30 days but still carry disease. I think it would be a huge challenge to maintain strict quarantine of two flocks on the same property, esp if kids tend the flocks at all, hard to explain to a 10 year old that it is not ok to play with one group of chickens then go and play with the other and that each water must always go in with the same group it came from.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
If I understand correctly, you are asking "is it a realistic expectation to keep a healthy flock????" I think so. I don't do barn sales; auctions or shows but DH and I are at the feed stores daily, our farm is open for tours, our birds all free range and poultry (chickens, ducks, geese, guinea, peafowl) and livestock (goats/sheep) all roam the farm together with dogs and cats and everyone gets along. Other farmers also come and buy animals. I don't practice "biosecurity"; vaccinate; or medicate and everyone is healthy. Maybe the trick is that everyone freeranges and are kept pen free/cage free and able to run, play, eat, drink, forage and just be all "natural".