NPIP- is anyone here certified???

[speckledhen]

That exact government confusion is one reason why I won't participate. I dont want them inspecting anything on my place. Seems like Pullorum and Typhoid are the not that common and if they're testing, why not test for all the many other things chickens can pass around, like Mycoplasma, Coryza, etc? If you are a business, you have to ask gov't permission anyway through licensing, etc, so I can see them coming out to do whatever the heck they do, maybe. Seems to me to be just another gov't program to get you to jump through hoops. And they make it so confusing on that website that it makes you want to go...

There was a reason I said to WADE through it...

 

[MandyH]

I raise chicks to sell to the public and wanted to get the NPIP certification just because I know my flock is clean and wanted everybody else to be assured of it. The cost was going to be outrageous. You have to have like 4 different bottles of stuff to test with and they range from like $25 a bottle to $60 a bottle. Then you have to test 100 birds every time. They come out and show you how to do it the first time then it is up to you to draw the blood and do the testing on 100 birds after that. I told dh screw that, the government already knows too much as it is.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Your state veterinarian should know. I found the veterinarian through my states website and then he sent me a list of people certified to perform the NPIP tests. I haven't gotten it done yet, so I don't know how much it costs, I'm sure it varies by state. A lot big shows (at least around here) require NPIP certification. So if I ever want to show my birds, which I do, I'll find out how much it costs.
I *think* they test for a variety of things, not just Pullorum.

If anyone in Maine is interested I have the list, e-mail me and I will send it to you.

 

[Smoky73]

Everyone needs to realize that there is not clear cut rule, every state is going to have a different set of rules with what they do and sometimes even those change. When I first got mine done 3 years ago, it cost me to join the NPIP program through the State of Colorado, and then $1.00 per bird for the test. The state has since changed the rules and the Colorado State University does the testing with funding and all the testing is free except for the Colorado NPIP program which is $12.00 a year. They test all the birds in the flock for P/T and test only 30 birds for AI.
Remember, this is MY states rules.
Some states require that the birds come from clean states to enter theirs, and mine is not a clean state yet. Colorado had alot of rules about importing and exporting but were not really followed.

Now, I got mine done as I wanted to show outside of the state and to be able to ship birds across the country. (Though I and many people have done this without the NPIP thing)
People do not follow though with alot of the program, though like I said, some states are more strict than others.

 

[nccatnip]

Well, thanks guys for the responses. I got so confused trying to figure out the program from my states website I thought I was having brain failure. Good to know it was just normal government procedure. Sounds like to whole program needs an overhaul so that it is clear and effective. Until that time, I just do not see the point.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I had a phone call from an acquaintance last night. I don't know for sure if this is completely true, but....
He said a Texas State Animal Health man stopped at his house the other day & told him if he had not had his chickens tested for Pullorum/Typhoid, he could not free range. Also told him he had to get his chickens tested, and until he did, he could not sell a chicken or any eggs.

This sounds a bit strange, since he lives a good ways out "in the country". The state may be getting more involved in chickens than we want them to.
The guy free ranged his chickens, nobody around him has chickens, & everyone around him for miles are family, so I doubt anyone "turned him in".

We do what is required by laws in Texas, because we have a "small" hatchery and egg business. We just want to raise and sell healthy chickens and not get slapped with 1,000's of dollars of fines from the government. They are making it harder & harder. If I could fly under the radar, I would.

The local state boys do not bother us. They are very helpful, and usually let us know about any new changes asap. DH talks to them at least once a week. They are just doing their job, and we try to co-operate the best we can.
We do not like the government getting so involved, and we are fighting it by making repeated calls to legislature. In the mean time, we comply with the minimum requirements.

Jean

 

[leghorns_rule]

Quote:
national poultry improvement plan

 

[dragonlili]

About 3 weeks after I ordered from Ideal, I had somebody from the state leave her card in my door! I got all paranoid, like somebody had reported me to the chicken police. We live in the country, but you never know.

After emailing this person I found out that they had a list of anybody who ordered from the hatcheries and were doing an avain influenza survey. She also said she could come and test my birds for pullorum and typhoid next time she is in the area. It's free here.

My daughter got a nice usda chicken calendar out of it!

 

[Lunachick]

I was going to get one other chicken from someone that was NPIP "certified" I didn't know what that was , but when I looked it up it did not impress me that much.

I was thinking of getting one more so I would have "insurance" ( I have 2) in case something happened to one - there wouldn't be 1 lonely depressed chicken.

But I decided that two chickens make enough damage in my backyard!

So, I'm sticking with my two.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Those diseases were a serious problem a century ago. Infected flocks had very high mortality rates for newborn chicks, succumbing to diarrhea caued by the bacteria. Anyone who brought in stock from another source took the risk of spreading it to their flock. When the blood test for pullorum was developed it was a revolutionary development for the industry. Individual flock owners started testing their flocks and could assure buyers that their stock was free from pullorum disease. The states stepped in and started requiring it in certain circumstances. By the 1930's the states had various programs in place and NPIP was created to standardize flock testing programs between the states. That these diseases are not that common anymore is a testament to the program...