So now that I raised the vaccination question..............of course I have more questions!
I went to the learning center articles here at byc and read a bit.
they have a biosecurity article for non commercial poultry owners.........
one idea was this
[COLOR=333333]h) Keep the airborne viruses, bacteria, and fungi in check by fogging or spraying your coop once a week with a product suitable for this purpose. It’s best to fog your coop with a product approved for use while the birds are present. Most products cannot be used this way and you must be sure before you begin, whether your birds need to be removed. Your goal should be to disinfect hard surfaces and to knock any airborne pathogens out of the air (and kill them in the process).[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]so do you all do this? [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]do you fog or spray your coops? I have never done this...............I only have 3 chickens but...............[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]I have had some mice and even a few rats in the past. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]I have put up traps to reduce and hopefully eliminate the population.............but there is always possibilities of problems with their droppings.................[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]I only put food in the chickens feeder that is suspended from a cord.......and some daily treats in a bowl.............which the chickens eat each day...........so there is not food sitting around.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]do you think mice and other rodents can get into the suspended feeders? [/COLOR]
they also recommended keeping your new chicks separate from the older chickens for 6 months!
now that is longer than I had imagined!
do you guys do this?
My plan was to clean out the coop this spring once its warmer............and disinfect the surfaces using a vinegar and water combo and a scrub brush on a long handle.............. also raking out the run and putting in some new wood chips ..........
in the winter I use the deep liter method but have to admit I have not added as much new pine shavings this year...........its seems dry and not too bad in there............. maybe I should add more?
I would love to hear from you all about your biosecurity measures .................for the small backyard flock
1. do you fog or spray your coop?
2. mice and rodent droppings and biosecurity...............ideas...........and how to keep them out of the food etc
3. chicks away from older chickens for 6 months.................seems kinda a long time..................how long do you do it?
4. visitors to your backyard..................do you spray their shoes? my friends come over to feed the chickens all the time.........
my chickens stay in the coop and run in the winter but free range in nice weather. There is
always going to be stuff encountered when free ranging..............what is a reasonable plan?
once you start to raise these questions a whole lot of new questions and anxieties are raised..............how do chickens ever survive in the wild?