Straight answers needed on ILT

[toomanypeeps]

I have had a small flock of chickens on my farm for 16 years. I have bought and sold birds from and to different people over the years (not a ton) and never had problems with disease. My birds are in movable houses surrounded by electric netting until it snows then in our big building (60'x80') for the winter. This fall I bought 8 nice yearling hens from a lady...3 silkies, 3 EE's. Quarantined for 2 weeks then introduced into the group. Everything was peachy until it got really cold. In 3 days everything I had was sick except for the new silkies. Two of my older girls died and the vet necropsied and did a respiratory panel. Positive for ILT...Hoy Cow, I've never even heard of it. Since then I haven't lost any birds, we went into serious supportive care mode but, I have gotten two different opinions from vets. One...birds will always be shedders of the virus even if we vaccinate and will infect anything they come into contact with. Two...once it warms up and everyone is 100%, vaccinate and they will not be able to infect other birds. Very different meanings for us. Sorry this is so long but, nobody wants to talk about ILT or admit to having it on their farm. Any help greatly appreciated. BTW several of our birds are my children's pets and my oldest just started breeding Pilgrim Geese.

 

[dawg53]

Here's a link regarding ILT for your info:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._infectious_laryngotracheitis_in_poultry.html
ILT vaccine info in this link:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120712144754.htm
Here's another link regarding ILT vaccines in the U.S.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1430/new-treatments-offer-help-against-surging-ilt-in-poultry
http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/.../Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus Facts.pdf

 

[toomanypeeps]

Thank you. I have read them all except for the one from pa state. Maybe I can contact the vet fromNew Bolton. that seems like the newest info on the three vaccine types. I didn't see where they addressed my situation. If I vaccinate, will it be safe for people to come to my place and possibly buy chicks.

 

[dawg53]

Thank you. I have read them all except for the one from pa state. Maybe I can contact the vet fromNew Bolton. that seems like the newest info on the three vaccine types. I didn't see where they addressed my situation. If I vaccinate, will it be safe for people to come to my place and possibly buy chicks.

No. You must maintain a closed flock. Vaccination for ILT is not as successful as for other disease. Surviving birds are carriers for life. It can be spread on clothing, shoes, equipment, tires on a vehicle etc...
I recommend that you cull your flock, disinfect everything with oxine and repopulate in 6 months. Practice strict biosecurity.

 

[toomanypeeps]

Do you yourself ever bring in birds from other places? Their doesn't seem to be a way to know that you aren't getting sick birds. These had no sign of illness and I had them for a month before anyone here got sick. I believe this is much more widespread than we think.

 

[dawg53]

Do you yourself ever bring in birds from other places? Their doesn't seem to be a way to know that you aren't getting sick birds. These had no sign of illness and I had them for a month before anyone here got sick. I believe this is much more widespread than we think.

I get chicks from reputable hatcheries. I've dealt with only 2 two hatcheries over the years without any problems. I dont go to swap meets neither.
There are incubation times and course times. Some diseases have long course times over 6 weeks, it's a roll of the dice when bringing birds in from mixed flocks.
ILT isnt the only disease to be concerned about. Birds can carry multiple diseases and be carriers; bacterial, viral, fungal...not to mention the numerous types of external and internal parasites coming in from different soils from different places. All you have to do is read some of these threads in this section of the forum where someone unknowingly brought in a bird infected with marek's disease which infected their whole flock. Or someone introducing a protozoa cocci strain from different soil and wiping out their existing flock. It goes on and on.
Here's a link with the different types of diseases birds can get:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[toomanypeeps]

If you had to humanely euthanize 28 birds, how would you do it?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your diagnosis. You may want to contact your state vet and discuss this matter. They may have answers to some of your questions, and be of help in helping to advise you about how to deal with this. Sorry that you are dealing with this.

 

[toomanypeeps]

I did talk to my state vet. He said we could vaccinate after our birds were asymptomatic and they would not be a danger to other birds. He seemed very sure of himself. He is the vet in charge of poultry at the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg. I am getting conflicting info from other folks, however, and it is incredibly frustrating. I don't want to kill 28 healthy seeming birds but, I don't want any of our friends birds to get sick at some later date because they were exposed to my birds shedding the virus even after they have been vaccinated.

 

[dawg53]

If you had to humanely euthanize 28 birds, how would you do it?

A .22 bullet to the head. It's easy, quick and painless for the bird. Then incinerate them or dig deep holes and bury them. I've done this way on occasion for various reasons. It's not fun, never is.