Not swapping yet. I'm looking for opinions and advice on swapping in my area.

[FowlWitch]

So, technically, I'm in the Newcastle quarantine zone; however, there hasn't been a single reported case in my specific location due to geographic isolation. I'm up in the San Bernardino Mountains, very close to Lake Arrowhead. I have chicks hatching and I'm trying to think of what I want to do with them; I can either butcher the extra chicks once they reach a specific size, or I could attempt rehoming them.

This is a PDF from CFDA that shows the known outbreaks of VND: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/pdfs/OverallDetections.pdf

This PDF shows the most recent detections: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/pdfs/30DayDetections.pdf

My neighbor and I are the only people keeping chickens in our neighborhood, and neither of our birds are in contact with one another. We haven't brought any birds up here from outbreak areas (I did introduce a chick earlier this month, but he came from the high desert on the other side of the mountain), and my flock has been quarantined from any new birds for about 30 days, so if they had VND, it would have shown up by now as far as I can tell.

I have an avian vet that I'll be seeing this payday that I can ask to test my birds for VND. Hypothetically, if the tests show up clean, could I swap my birds in the immediate area? Would I be better off just butchering the extra birds instead? I'm looking for thoughts right now as I have not committed to rehoming without looking at the issue from every angle.

 

[Kiki]

You are or aren't in the Q zone?

If you are I wouldn't move any bird any where if I were you.
It's against the law right now.

 

[FowlWitch]

You are or aren't in the Q zone?

If you are I wouldn't move any bird any where if I were you.
It's against the law right now.

I thought I read the CFDA could give permission for selling? I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble getting certified because, in the hypothetical of rehoming, I wasn't going to charge for the chicks. It would probably be best just to butcher

 

[Kiki]

I thought I read the CFDA could give permission for selling? I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble getting certified because, in the hypothetical of rehoming, I wasn't going to charge for the chicks. It would probably be best just to butcher

I have not heard this before now.

Do you have a direct link that states this from the CFDA website?

 

[FowlWitch]

I have not heard this before now.

Do you have a direct link that states this from the CFDA website?

It says it here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/newcastle_disease_info.html

"CDFA enhanced biosecurity requirements are contained in the California Secure Food Supply Guidance document and Secure Food Supply Plan template. CDFA and USDA are currently enforcing these requirements. One of the conditions for movement of poultry, eggs, supplies and other items that can spread vND, is approved and verified minimum biosecurity as outlined in the Secure Food Supply Guidance and Plan Template. If a farm is not meeting these biosecurity standards, movement permits will be revoked. Finally, violations of disease prevention minimum requirements can put indemnity in jeopardy if a farm becomes infected. Poultry related businesses not meeting these biosecurity standards will be subject to violations and fines."

Basically, there are guidelines you have to adhere to in order to meet requirements for selling birds, but it seems like it pertains specifically to farms? I only have a few chickens, so I don't even know if I can be approved. They're also saying on the same site that some infected birds may test negative?

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

As I understand it, if you get your birds tested and even one is positive, all of your birds will be killed. Think about it: none of your birds are ill or have died. If one tests positive that means it has developed immunity. Won't matter, though, because they'll all be killed. Makes sense, doesn't it?

 

[FowlWitch]

As I understand it, if you get your birds tested and even one is positive, all of your birds will be killed. Think about it: none of your birds are ill or have died. If one tests positive that means it has developed immunity. Won't matter, though, because they'll all be killed. Makes sense, doesn't it?

Honestly the whole thing is sketchy to me, and I hear the state vet has investments in commercial poultry. I really hope this quarantine ends soon because it's making my life difficult haha

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Honestly the whole thing is sketchy to me, and I hear the state vet has investments in commercial poultry. I really hope this quarantine ends soon because it's making my life difficult haha

@Animalfisherwoman is very knowledgeable about this situation. She might have some good advice for you.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I thought I read the CFDA could give permission for selling? I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble getting certified because, in the hypothetical of rehoming, I wasn't going to charge for the chicks. It would probably be best just to butcher

@FowlWitch, if you are in zip codes 90000-93999 you can't ship chicks out per usps. This affects non-quarantined counties including Imperial, San Diego, Ventura and Orange. It remains legal to sell chicks locally if you are within those counties. If people told you outright that they live in the quarantine region of LA and most of San Bernardino and Riverside, I would not personally sell to them.

If you are within the quarantine zone, you cannot legally move live poultry or even nonhatching eggs unless you are NPIP and get a permit. To my knowledge, such permits have only been given to commercial ops moving say pullets from Riverside (said pullets came in before Q) to their production farm in Chino, and even those people haven't gotten that done yet.

If you are in a kill zone, especially the Mira Loma/Jurupa Valley/western Riverside City, or Perris or anywhere on the cdfa map where the dots have turned blue, CDFA has said all poultry healthy or not have to be killed by them using a garbage can improvised as a co2 gassing device. They have also said ppl can diy butcher beforehand, and at this point, I'd give serious consideration to the latter if this is your situation.

ETA: Updating as you did give your location. No there haven't been recent positives where you are but there are in Phelan and Muscoy. There's a lady in Victorville who sells nonhatching eggs still but have heard of no permits being given out in your situation.

The SOB site is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SOBSaveOurBirds
The main thread here for the socal vnd situation is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...bird-quarantine.1293980/page-92#post-21473229

I'm sorry for your situation.

 

[FowlWitch]

@FowlWitch, if you are in zip codes 90000-93999 you can't ship chicks out per usps. This affects non-quarantined counties including Imperial, San Diego, Ventura and Orange. It remains legal to sell chicks locally if you are within those counties. If people told you outright that they live in the quarantine region of LA and most of San Bernardino and Riverside, I would not personally sell to them.

If you are within the quarantine zone, you cannot legally move live poultry or even nonhatching eggs unless you are NPIP and get a permit. To my knowledge, such permits have only been given to commercial ops moving say pullets from Riverside (said pullets came in before Q) to their production farm in Chino, and even those people haven't gotten that done yet.

If you are in a kill zone, especially the Mira Loma/Jurupa Valley/western Riverside City, or Perris or anywhere on the cdfa map where the dots have turned blue, CDFA has said all poultry healthy or not have to be killed by them using a garbage can improvised as a co2 gassing device. They have also said ppl can diy butcher beforehand, and at this point, I'd give serious consideration to the latter if this is your situation.

The SOB site is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SOBSaveOurBirds
The main thread here for the socal vnd situation is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...bird-quarantine.1293980/page-92#post-21473229

I'm sorry for your situation.

I'm not in the kill zone, thankfully. I'm thinking I'm going to butcher the chicks when they reach the right size and freeze the caracasses to eat later. I'd prefer not to because I have some rare breeds like crevecouers and svart honas, but I don't think it's worth trying to get a permit to rehome the excess chicks. All things considered, I may be able to spare most of the females, though, because I'm going to start freeranging.

Thank you for your help!