Adding to your rant, Cheryl. Start here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...of-good-flock-management.129278/post-24503300
You know so well how much I have been contacted for advice ever since I became known on BYC, right? Well, I thought up a catchy title and summarized my management philosophy in that thread so many someone would just be able to read about it, not PM me. So, every once in a blue moon, I get the ones who have to argue, that they can't do it, especially cull for illness. So, when did I say those were
orders for everyone? I said it was a summary in the very first post, what I do and what works for me. I think the longevity and overall health of my flocks bears out that it is a good philosophy. I tell them that they make a hard decision that frees them up now for the future, or they
don't make a decision to cull so they can never ethically sell adult birds, chicks or even hatching eggs (most have no idea which respiratory disease their flock has, just that it has
something) and they have to always be careful with sanitation so they don't spread things to the flocks of other folks. It's their choice. Sadly, seems to me most never make decisions that inconvenience them and they go on to keep sick birds and sell whatever they want without disclosure to the buyer.
When I said that at this point in time, if my current flocks contracted something, not likely, but if they did, I might decide to just close my flocks because these may be the very last birds I ever have, period, and it will be easy enough for all to just stay put and die off, this person says something along the lines of then the rule #8 should be "it depends" . Well, no, not really. For me, early on, it was non-negotiable. If they were contagious, they would be culled, period. I wanted to be able to sell eggs and chicks and saw a long chicken keeping career ahead. I don't now so. Culling is still and always going to be the best choice for anyone truly serious about flock health, etc. But, you can read the convo for yourself. It frustrates me when they want to rewrite my rules, but they are *my* rules for me, (again "Ten Commandments* was just a catchy title) what works and what has worked for me for over 15 years. They can make their own decisions, but those have consequences and if they are not careful, there will be consequences for other people who may buy from them as well.