Need help with an ethical question.

[babsbag]

Quote:
If the vaccine does not prevent it , what does it do?

It prevents the tumors from forming so the birds remain symptom free. That is why I say it is a false sense of security. The bird can still contract the disease and spread the disease, it just won't appear to have the disease.

I would vaccinate, I am not anti-vaccine. I am just willing to admit that it isn't a perfect solution. So a vaccinated chick can still infect any unvaccinated birds.

 

[GotChicken?]

My philosophy is simple: No matter where or who I bought them from, or whether they hatched out from my flock - ALL my birds are infected with something. Period. So unless your birds have been raised under strict, biohazard-level laboratory conditions, you have to assume so are yours.

My birds are free-ranged, and as such they are exposed to all that Nature has to offer them, for better or for worse. All I can do is keep my birds as healthy as can through love, good nutrition, regular preventative care (such as worming), and a clean coop to call home. That way anything they have has much less chance to overcome their immune systems and could prevent an actual outbreak from occurring in my flock.

Also: QUARANTINE, QUARANTINE, QUARANTINE; even if a bird looks healthy, the stress of simply being sold may be enough to bring something nasty to the forefront.