My Local TSC Selling Sick (MG) Chicks

[Silverose]

Just called, I asked if they might be different ages since the welsummers were more feathered out than the wyandottes, she said they all came in last week, so I'm assuming close to same age, then I asked what hatchery they use and she didn't know but put me on hold to find out,... it's Townline poultry. Just fabulous. So far I haven't noticed the first problem, they all seem healthy and happy, running around, eating and sleeping ok. Everyone has firm poop and no yucky butts, but I'm now afraid of infecting my old girls with something. They're almost four years old, so isn't that almost elderly for hens? The new chicks won't be going outside for several more weeks, and when they do there will be a fence dividing them because the big girls free range during the day but the new ones probably won't until close to summer. Should I be able to tell by then? Ugh this is so frustrating.

 

[gmauerman]

I never take someone else's word as law because there can be misunderstandings and miscommunications so I called townline myself. Here is what I was told; Last year one of their flocks tested positive for mg so they culled them all. All of their 35 flocks are kept seperate. No other birds tested positive. They fumigate their eggs once a week to make sure they don't carry anything. The woman I spoke to, Katie, said she overheard her coworker last week giving out incorrect information. It was correct in that they had a flock with it. Key word is had. They followed all safety recommendations with the diseased birds. Katie stated that she'd considered joining BYC so she could contact the original caller and give her the correct information.

 

[Mahen100]

Just an FYI for Michigan residents. NPIP in our state only requires that the birds are tested for Pullorum. MG testing is not state mandated. Please check to see what is required in your area. And PLEASE quarantine all new animals. You just never know what you might be bringing home. Even reputable hatcheries can have lapses in biosecurity.

And you just never know what is already in your yard if there are robins, sparrows, jays, wrens, and any other wild bird.

In my own panic after reading this thread, I sought and got some pretty reassuring comments from a physician friend who's also a chicken breeder. He basically told me that what is likely happening is that the STRESS of shipping is predisposing the chicks that were healthy on leaving a hatchery to develop problems caused by getting chilled during frigid temps in shipment, and illness appearing immedially post shipment may be secondary and not necessarily MG, just because the hatchery's flock is not MG free. He stated if the chick I purchased had no symptoms and was checked carefully and isolated with good practice after bringing it home, I would probably be ok. He did add that the second error people make was at the point the chick was introduced to dirt...with little or no immunity to coccidiosis. I am not trying to debate the seriousness or lack of it in the MG positive population of birds in this country. I did stop and think that unless I choose to successfully exclude all wild birds from contact with my yard, run, environment, and raise my birds "inside" and not ever have a mixed flock, that all the worry about MG in a hatchery flock was about moot. I can seek out an MG free bird from and MG free hatchery or private seller who tests for it. Those sellers will have to have not introduced a new bird or egg into their flock since testing for MG for me to know I have an MG free bird. Then if I bring it home and a robin or wren or jay visits....I no longer can be certain I have "MG free" security.

What I have decided to do is continue to watch my purchased chicks carefully, practice good sanitation, isolate it completely from my adult flock, and if any symptoms of any illness appear, I will isolate the chick from other chicks immediately, and learn what to do for what symptoms I see. I personally can't live in a bubble, and don't want my chickens to live in gilded cages, never touching earth. I net and keep wild birds away from my chicks until they free range, but I cannot net a free range.

 

[Silverose]

I never take someone else's word as law because there can be misunderstandings and miscommunications so I called townline myself. Here is what I was told; Last year one of their flocks tested positive for mg so they culled them all. All of their 35 flocks are kept seperate. No other birds tested positive. They fumigate their eggs once a week to make sure they don't carry anything. The woman I spoke to, Katie, said she overheard her coworker last week giving out incorrect information. It was correct in that they had a flock with it. Key word is had. They followed all safety recommendations with the diseased birds. Katie stated that she'd considered joining BYC so she could contact the original caller and give her the correct information.

Thank you so much! This makes me feel a lot better, I never even thought to call them.

 

[kristinn]

Townlines number is (616)772-6514

 

[ASilkieLife14]

I never take someone else's word as law because there can be misunderstandings and miscommunications so I called townline myself. Here is what I was told; Last year one of their flocks tested positive for mg so they culled them all. All of their 35 flocks are kept seperate. No other birds tested positive. They fumigate their eggs once a week to make sure they don't carry anything. The woman I spoke to, Katie, said she overheard her coworker last week giving out incorrect information. It was correct in that they had a flock with it. Key word is had. They followed all safety recommendations with the diseased birds. Katie stated that she'd considered joining BYC so she could contact the original caller and give her the correct information.

I don't know what to do know! I want some of the Easter egger pullets at my TSC. But it comes from TownLine. Because if I get them and they are sick that would be awful. But there's no where else (other then a hatchery) to get Easter egger pullets! I want them but I don't know.

 

[ASilkieLife14]

There was an adorable orange Easter egger pullet and I'm sure he don't have it anymore

 

[MuadDib]

Thanx for the info

 

[MacCana]

Just so all of you know.
The chicks have elecrolights in the chick waters at TSC. Thuss the reason y the color in the water. Also because most employees are not familiar with elecrolights, will call it antibiotics just like calling a pullet a breed.

When I asked the man at the TSC near me, he said that they had tertracycline in the water. So it's no electrolytes, and I would never assume it is without asking to be sure.

 

[MacCana]

I'm going to call again to talk with them. If i was given the wrong information, I don't want to keep passing along the story as I was first told it to be.