"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[chickenbelle]

So, if most folk, including the inspector, What good is the NPIP certificate anyway? I am afraid to let a vet who is visiting, God knows how many sick flocks, to come and contaminate my flocks!!! I have never had any health problems with any of my flocks and do not "visit" the livestock areas of friends with poultry. I take a special pair of shoes, in a bag with me when I go to buy or sell livestock, so there is no contamination possible. I have large bottles of waterless hand sanitizer, everywhere and if anyone wants to inspect a bird, etc. before purchasing, they must wash their hands before and after. I also have plastic bags and rubber bands for all shoes, that are properly disposed of afterward. I carry around a bottle of hand sanitizer with me and use it between going into each area. I bet the inspector taking blood does not change gloves or wash his hands between each bird? It sounds like these inspections, from what I am hearing, are spreading more illnesses than they are preventing! How could an inspector catch and inspect over 400 free ranging birds on a visit and keep a sanitary set-up? This SCARES ME !!!

Same here, but HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!

Funny, my part labs were the same way! They are afraid of thunder and was afraid of the fireworks, too! I woke up at 3:30 to find my big male lab, snuck into my bed and was scared to death! BTW he is half lab and half Chihuahua! LOL REALLY, but that's a long story!!!

Celie,

The birds I originally purchased as my starter flock were not as healthy as should have been. That was my fault for being uneducated at the time. My goal now is to raise birds not only for myself, but for show and sale. I can't sell birds across state lines without the NPIP. If that isn't your plan, you have no need for the certification. I also made sure the USDA vet had me scheduled first thing in the morning (so he hadn't been anywhere else) and he was as sanitary as I would expect from a vet working in the field and outside of an office. He also does not have to test every bird as, if one or two have something--the rest are likely to have it.

Ultimately your closed flock is the best way to go. I'm still trying to get all of the breeds that I want, so that means I have to get birds from elsewhere. All I have visited in our area have just not been sanitary at all. I'm disappointed in what I've seen.

 

[mzstre]

Happy New Years to all!

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Wow, what a chilly damp morning today! I am back at work

- the past two weeks sure did fly by & sure were fun!

My two old Welsummers were the only chickens brave enough to come out of the coop -- that's one of the things I love about this breed so much - they are master "scroungers" - they get out there & forage no matter what.

Now to tackle our New Year's project of increasing the size of the peacocks' run & adding another coop in there for them. Then redo our old barn where we keep our garden tools. I ordered garden seed yesterday!

Have a good one everybody!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Well. THis morning when I went out to feed the girls, I found Gretchen my half lab sleeping in the hen house. I wasent sure how she got in but with the storms and fireworks going off last I wasn't surprised. I went out to check on the chickens and the dogs before I call it a night and found both dogs in there sleeping in the straw. I guess they are protecting there chickens. Too funny.

That was a picture perfect moment. I bet they looked so cute.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Although I have not visited any of your homes so I'm not talking about anyone on BYC, I am really tired of finding nothing but unkept and unhealthy birds for sale near me.  It seems that every place I go I can spot health issues in birds and then I'm not sure I want any.  I brought home two roosters this weekend, one looked great upon pickup and the other was a little pale for my taste but I brought him anyway because I figured he just needed a good clean up and some vitamins.  Of course they are totally in isolated quarantine now that they're here--by the time I got them home I could hear the rattly breathing.  Grrrrrrrrr!  I knew it didn't look like coryza, wondered if it was the cold air on the ride home, or something else.  NPIP vet said it was probably laryngeotracheitis, as that is what has been going around at all of the poultry shows and swaps he's visited lately.  He said the 4H kids' birds were all getting it.  So he put me on  a course of Sulmet with those two roos and they are way out in neverland on the property.  

I need some good healthy eggs or chicks so I can get them going and then keep a closed flock.  I am on the hunt for BLRW, Cream Legbars, LF Chocolate Orps, and splash Silkies.  Hubby also wants to find some Porcelain D'uccles.  If you have any or know a farm with healthy ones, please PM me.  Otherwise, I'm just going to be stalking the swap threads.  

Have a great New Years!

I agree with you. I have seen some poor looking chickens and I feel sad for the chickens. If owners can't take care of their animals like they should, they ought now have them.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thanks kuntrygirl!  I was surprised to hear about the contacting him to check them before shipping--he gave me these carbon copy forms that he is supposed to sign off on before birds ship out.  I asked, "So, you're going to come here at least once a week so i can do that?  That's a two hour drive for ya!"  He smiled and said that most folks don't follow the rules.  

Ah, well...at least I'm moving onwards and upwards!

So, if most folk, including the inspector, What good is the NPIP certificate anyway? I am afraid to let a vet who is visiting, God knows how many sick flocks, to come and contaminate my flocks!!! I have never had any health problems with any of my flocks and do not "visit" the livestock areas of friends with poultry. I take a special pair of shoes, in a bag with me when I go to buy or sell livestock, so there is no contamination possible. I have large bottles of waterless hand sanitizer, everywhere and if anyone wants to inspect a bird, etc. before purchasing, they must wash their hands before and after. I also have plastic bags and rubber bands for all shoes, that are properly disposed of afterward. I carry around a bottle of hand sanitizer with me and use it between going into each area. I bet the inspector taking blood does not change gloves or wash his hands between each bird? It sounds like these inspections, from what I am hearing, are spreading more illnesses than they are preventing! How could an inspector catch and inspect over 400 free ranging birds on a visit and keep a sanitary set-up? This SCARES ME !!!

Good morning

Same here, but HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!

Well. THis morning when I went out to feed the girls, I found Gretchen my half lab sleeping in the hen house. I wasent sure how she got in but with the storms and fireworks going off last I wasn't surprised. I went out to check on the chickens and the dogs before I call it a night and found both dogs in there sleeping in the straw. I guess they are protecting there chickens. Too funny.

Funny, my part labs were the same way! They are afraid of thunder and was afraid of the fireworks, too! I woke up at 3:30 to find my big male lab, snuck into my bed and was scared to death! BTW he is half lab and half Chihuahua! LOL  REALLY, but that's a long story!!!

I can only speak for the vet that comes out to my house but he is VERY careful about practicing biosecurity. I have an obsession for cleanliness and not contaminating anything including my chicken yard and I have no complaints with him. He and his assistant he a 10 ! When he comes, he parks his truck close to the street. His tires barely touch my yard. As soon as he and his assistant gets out of his truck, both of them immediately get into their protective wear. They place these THICK clear plastic shoe covers on and put their gloves on. When they are fully dressed in their protective wear, then they walk into the yard and then into the chicken yard. I keep my coops and stalls closed in the morning until he gets there. When he gets to my house, I go in and catch the bird and bring them out. He and his assistant wait until I catch the bird. They don't test all of the birds. Just a certain percentage. It depends upon how many birds you have.

They do the stick and I release my bird. It's an easy process. I am VERY glad that I have the vet that I have. He is the best!!! Reminds me. I need to call him right now to schedule my re-certification.

I"m like you, I am very careful. I purchase blue shoe covers for when I have to visit someone who has chickens and for someone who is coming over to buy an animal. They have to wear shoe covers and gloves if they plan on handling the animal they are wanting to buy. I'm a stickler for cleanliness and I wouldn't have it any other way. My birds are an investment and I will not slack in the area of biosecurity. And whoever puts up a fuss about wearing the protective equipment can turn around and go home because they will not step foot in the area where my animals.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Just called the vet. I'm scheduled for my re-certification on 1-28-2012 @ 8:45 AM.

 

[luvmychicken]

Quote:

 

[PrimroseMom1]

all


I can only speak for the vet that comes out to my house but he is VERY careful about practicing biosecurity. I have an obsession for cleanliness and not contaminating anything including my chicken yard and I have no complaints with him. He and his assistant he a 10 ! When he comes, he parks his truck close to the street. His tires barely touch my yard. As soon as he and his assistant gets out of his truck, both of them immediately get into their protective wear. They place these THICK clear plastic shoe covers on and put their gloves on. When they are fully dressed in their protective wear, then they walk into the yard and then into the chicken yard. I keep my coops and stalls closed in the morning until he gets there. When he gets to my house, I go in and catch the bird and bring them out. He and his assistant wait until I catch the bird. They don't test all of the birds. Just a certain percentage. It depend. upon how many birds you have.
They do the stick and I release my bird. It's an easy process. I am VERY glad that I have the vet that I have. He is the best!!! Reminds me. I need to call him right now to schedule my re-certification.
I"m like you, I am very careful. I purchase blue shoe covers for when I have to visit someone who has chickens and for someone who is coming over to buy an animal. They have to wear shoe covers and gloves if they plan on handling the animal they are wanting to buy. I'm a stickler for cleanliness and I wouldn't have it any other way. My birds are an investment and I will not slack in the area of biosecurity. And whoever puts up a fuss about wearing the protective equipment can turn around and go home because they will not step foot in the area where my animals.

Can I say, yet AGAIN, how much I love this thread?? I never thought about the contamination issue. I got 2 of my girls from a feed store. Not long after, all my girls had cocci (spelling), but this thread saved their lives by instructing me on Corid. I won't take chances again even just visiting places. I'm going to buy shoe covers and gloves, should I get anything else? I want to be able to visit other birds and set ups and don't want to hurt theirs or mine.

 

[mbmess2003]

i tried going back and searching for the number to get NPIP certified but couldn't find it. is it a general number for everyone or specific to areas?