Exactly! I have no reason to think that your birds would be carrying anything that my birds haven't already been exposed to. If anything - the birds I got from you have to get used to the shavings I use (hardwood shavings from DH's woodshop) and any feed changes (I sometimes switch brands and protein levels depending on flock need). The only reason I worry is because the internet tells me to. I too attempt to build a resistant flock. Your flock looks great! I shouldn't trust the internet over my own eyes and instinct. Thank you!
I hope you didn't take my bad advice in my comment,
nothing wrong with making sure 100% without a doubt you are protecting your flock. If I was breeding some line of birds and I'm not talking expensive GreenFire fancy breeds or favorite pet birds, but a hard to replace line or my own if I had one of generations of work that would set me back devastatingly I would feel different about the subject. I want strong healthy birds, if they can't survive a healthy bird introduction then I guess I didn't have as good of birds as I thought. IMHO
If, and I wouldn't, too many good hatching eggs out there and good breeders, if I ever took birds in from a swap, sale, auction, etc, they would be quarantined for sure. If not just for disease but for bugs, mites, parasites, whatever, never had that in my birds and don't want it, and have heard horror stories of it.
Not too long ago, last spring I gave my extra white giant rooster I kept for backup to my brother who has a mixed flock, who had to cull a mean hatchery buff orp rooster he had. I almost gave him the spit and spew about quarantining him cause I was so into the advice/knowledge/common practice given on BYC, then I got thinking I know the bird is fine, why would he have to?
I was a little worried for awhile for some reason not telling him the 'proper way' and hoping he didn't kill his flock off....Turned out fine. He's not on BYC but he posts crap on facebook about his chickens worse than a crazy chicken lady, and named the rooster I gave him after our father Lol!
At the end of my long comment, I'd like to get back to reality and why flock protection is so important and not to be held lightly, there is diseases we don't hear much of, more to be worried about than 'bird flu' or marek's, etc I about shed a tear when I read this;
http://nationaljerseygiantclub.com/media/Document_17.pdf
edit: that link doesn't say what it was, was a New Castle outbreak.
Nobody is showing any signs of illness. A few years ago I introduced healthy looking new birds after a month of quarantine and the whole rest of the flock got sick. I treated and everything turned out okay. Sometimes you just can't tell. Because I have a large wild bird population that likes to clean up the morning scratch residue they get exposed to everything. I breed for a resistant flock as opposed to bio security. I sell a lot of poultry locally and no one has come back to me with a problem (and I ask them to if there is an issue). You might try putting one of your chickens in with them to see if it gets sick. Kind of like a reverse quarantine. I wouldn't knowingly sell a sick bird, but there is never a 100% guarantee. Just do what feels safe to you.
nothing wrong with making sure 100% without a doubt you are protecting your flock. If I was breeding some line of birds and I'm not talking expensive GreenFire fancy breeds or favorite pet birds, but a hard to replace line or my own if I had one of generations of work that would set me back devastatingly I would feel different about the subject. I want strong healthy birds, if they can't survive a healthy bird introduction then I guess I didn't have as good of birds as I thought. IMHO
