Keeping The Best, Culling The Rest

[ILuvMyFlock]

About 5 years ago, I learned a very valuable lesson. I had suffered a raccoon attack that decimated half my flock, and wanted to find some replacement hens. A co-worker offered to supply said hens, and the deal was struck. I should have followed my guts when I saw the birds, because they were coated in lice, and seemed off, but I knew how to clean that up and figured that lice was an easy fix, since I didn't want to drive out there, then be rude and leave empty handed. Wrong!
Once I got home, I separated them for about a month, treating their lice, and observing them. They seemed to perk up after treatment, so I put them with my flock. Within a few weeks, my old ladies started getting sick! I sent a hen to the state lab, and I had brought in avian leukoma virus. I had to cull them all and start from scratch. That was hard.

I am truly sorry that happened...

 

[lazy gardener]

About 5 years ago, I learned a very valuable lesson. I had suffered a raccoon attack that decimated half my flock, and wanted to find some replacement hens. A co-worker offered to supply said hens, and the deal was struck. I should have followed my guts when I saw the birds, because they were coated in lice, and seemed off, but I knew how to clean that up and figured that lice was an easy fix, since I didn't want to drive out there, then be rude and leave empty handed. Wrong!
Once I got home, I separated them for about a month, treating their lice, and observing them. They seemed to perk up after treatment, so I put them with my flock. Within a few weeks, my old ladies started getting sick! I sent a hen to the state lab, and I had brought in avian leukoma virus. I had to cull them all and start from scratch. That was hard.

BB, you are not the only person to tell this story. ALV is forever. And will remain in a flock forever, unless the entire flock is culled. This is a very good reason in support of: keeping a closed flock (this means NOT rescuing birds from other locations). And it is also a very good reason for culling weaker birds from an existing flock. By keeping the weaker birds in a "no kill/no cull" flock, The gene pool of that entire flock will eventually be weakened, if it is a breeding flock. Each successive generation will be more prone to illness and deformity.

 

[Bantambird]

Yes. I learned my lesson, and now, my flock is closed. I only bring in chicks or eggs from NPIP flocks, and usually just a few to diversify genetics. I keep two breeds of chickens. I never never rescue birds, I don't want to kill my whole flock again. Someone wants to return a bird that has been in another flock? No dice.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yes. I learned my lesson, and now, my flock is closed. I only bring in chicks or eggs from NPIP flocks, and usually just a few to diversify genetics. I keep two breeds of chickens. I never never rescue birds, I don't want to kill my whole flock again. Someone wants to return a bird that has been in another flock? No dice.

My understanding that NPIP does NOT test for ALV. IMO, NPIP provides a false sense of security and little else.

 

[aart]

Quote: That's for Sure!

Is ALV the same as Avian Leukosis?
Think I have it here, one bird diagnosed by a state poultry vet via necropsy photos....was a hatchery bird.

 

[Bantambird]

Nonetheless, it's all we have for a guideline, that and knowing your sources, which I do. I don't buy hatchery birds. You are right that hatchery birds can have it. You are also right that it isn't tested for in the NPIP program. My mother calls it chicken AIDS, because it is a retrovirus. It dies quickly outside the host, however, it transmits both vertically (hen to egg) and horizontally (chicken to chicken). I've only brought in birds 2 times since restarting my flock.

 

[mizjones]

This is good to know. We rescue dogs but will never rescue chickens. I like the closed flock idea. Our flock is all new as we have only lived in this place for 2 years. I fuss about everything though, worrying if they're happy, if any diseases are lying in wait. And predators. Always predators.