LOS ANGELES county CA under bird quarantine :(

[Aunt Angus]

I'm in Los Angeles County and I've been waiting for this.

I don't think it's all that big a deal for backyard keepers who keep good practices. Where I am it's just smart to keep your birds enclosed in a run. I do.

I get my chicks from My Pet Chicken. I don't show them or transport them. They don't come into contact with other birds. I wouldn't adopt anyone else's birds. ...not even free ones ...not even chickens who will be put down if they don't find a new home.

I'll be alert but I'm not afraid for the safety of my flock.

Good for you! I wish I were that confident. I'm in NorCal, but I know how easily Newcastle spreads. It just makes me nervous.

But everyone knows I'm paranoid - LOL!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I'm in Los Angeles County and I've been waiting for this.

I don't think it's all that big a deal for backyard keepers who keep good practices. Where I am it's just smart to keep your birds enclosed in a run. I do.

I get my chicks from My Pet Chicken. I don't show them or transport them. They don't come into contact with other birds. I wouldn't adopt anyone else's birds. ...not even free ones ...not even chickens who will be put down if they don't find a new home.

I'll be alert but I'm not afraid for the safety of my flock.

Well, you have no choice in the matter should your area be one of the zones where they have to cull........ so, better prepare yourself for worse case scenario.

 

[IamRainey]

I'm not saying I won't be vigilant. And I'd give up my chickens in a dead bang second if it helped contain the infection. They're sweet and they're dear to me but I won't protect vectors of the disease!

I've been watching Newcastle migrate for the last 18 months. So I'm NOT taking it lightly. But, happily, I'm up in the northwest corner of the county almost to the Ventura County line. There are not a lot of chicken keepers in my area. We're spread out and my chickens aren't going to come into contact with theirs. They live in their covered run.

I am posting these notices and a link to this thread on my neighborhood forum as soon as I finish this tread so my neighbors are aware and working on containment too.

I think the key is awareness, good practices and a willingness to let the authorities do their job! There may be tears but the really important thing is no more Newcastle Disease!!!

LA County folks, let's be aware, let's be smart, let's be good citizens, let's not panic.

 

[Morrigan]

Things like this make me really nervous too. Because, honestly, my coop security isn't the best. DH point blank refuses the idea of separate coop or feed store shoes. Plus, when we travel, we have a family that looks after our chickens. I can't imagine asking them to change/spray shoes and would have no way of knowing if they actually did so.

Finally, I can't really make a fuss about coop shoes, because we have huge amounts of migratory birds -- sparrows, robins and geese all over our yard. The sparrows sneak in and eat side-by-side with the chickens from the feeders. There is goose and bird poop all over the place in the winter. Short of keeping my birds enclosed in a small, completely enclosed and roofed run, I have to accept that my chickens are getting constantly exposed to outside influences. All I can hope for is that nothing really bad gets in, and that my flock is developing strong immunities to local germs and parasites.

New, incoming and virulent things like ND, really put me on edge. It's still hundreds of miles away, but all it takes is one person to bring a sick chicken in.

 

[IamRainey]

While we're on the topic here's some good info on recognizing and dealing with Newcastle.

 

[tripletfeb]

So, I live in Ohio so am not affected by this but I am watching this thread and had a terrible thought. If someone does come to your house to see if you have chickens, how do you know they are legit people? Meaning, I can see people pretending to be from whatever agency has to euthenize, just to kill innocent chickens. You always hear of people pretending to be from the gas or electric company trying to steal your identity. I can see some sicko pretending to be from the government, going around killing chickens. Ask to see a badge or some kind of identification if they come knocking on your door! There are bad people everywhere that will take advantage of a catastrophy. Good luck to everyone affected!

 

[LuckyCluckyCA]

My friend had warned me about this when I adopted Lucky Clucky who was a chicken who just showed up in a tree above my training yard. Compton was under quarantine but thats 20-30 min down the freeway from us so I was highly doubtful she'd fly that far. I did end up catching her and when there was an incident with a rooster attacking her and she had to go to vet, I had her tested then. Only because she had been wild. all my birds are in enclosed runs, with hardware cloth roofs. I was more worried about raccoons getting in. Once in a while a finch will sneak in a hole and get stuck in the coop, and then I will shoosh them out the door.

 

[LuckyCluckyCA]

So, I live in Ohio so am not affected by this but I am watching this thread and had a terrible thought. If someone does come to your house to see if you have chickens, how do you know they are legit people? Meaning, I can see people pretending to be from whatever agency has to euthenize, just to kill innocent chickens. You always hear of people pretending to be from the gas or electric company trying to steal your identity. I can see some sicko pretending to be from the government, going around killing chickens. Ask to see a badge or some kind of identification if they come knocking on your door! There are bad people everywhere that will take advantage of a catastrophy. Good luck to everyone affected!

excellent question. I'd ask for ID and then call the agency and / or the contact people on the statewide notice.

 

[Fluffy&Cutie]

My friend had warned me about this when I adopted Lucky Clucky who was a chicken who just showed up in a tree above my training yard. Compton was under quarantine but thats 20-30 min down the freeway from us so I was highly doubtful she'd fly that far. I did end up catching her and when there was an incident with a rooster attacking her and she had to go to vet, I had her tested then. Only because she had been wild. all my birds are in enclosed runs, with hardware cloth roofs. I was more worried about raccoons getting in. Once in a while a finch will sneak in a hole and get stuck in the coop, and then I will shoosh them out the door.

awww. how is lucky clucky doing?

 

[denisenoelle]

hi, first post here — came here looking for info on this quarantine. i have two pet button quails that i keep in my apartment. no contact with other birds, not ever. are these considered poultry? would they have to be put down if found? im certainly hoping im safe living in an apartment in an urban area but still kind of freaked out. i was gonna drop them off with a friend to watch them when i go on vacation in April but now i guess i wouldnt be able to drive them over there??? sorry if these are dumb questions....