The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[DaveK]

Not arguing about any of the posted information. Most of it is rules and regulations. Thing is how much of all this concern is valid? For any of us who have our birds exposed to other birds if we were testing we could find we are in the same boat as the importer of that ill fated group. I myself in the last year have gone out to find wild Mallards, wild turkeys and a stray peafowl in amongst the birds. Those are just the unusual ones. It's certainly possible that a lot of us have birds that have been exposed at some point. We have no reason to test so we don't know. But, birds aren't dropping over dead and neither are their owners. There's also the very real idea that our own stock, no matter what we have it for, is not going to come in to any kind of contact with commercial flocks that supply eggs and not even the broiler plant birds. So what's being protected here? Fear mongering?

 

[pips&peeps]

A sample of my birds are tested every three months for AI. The test is a titer test that will react to any strain of AI.

I do this because, I am in a waterfowl fly zone. Many farms do this now because it is a part of the NPIP program.


I think their point was to not knowingly introduce birds that could spread disease. It's one thing to say there is the potential for alot of birds to have AI, but another to to say yes, the bird(s) is/are infected.


I've been through this in my flock also, not to the extent of what happened at the USDA facility, but I lost some birds because of the "rules".

I had to give up some of my breeding flock last year because a couple of my older hens tested positive to pullorum. I repeatedly told the State that I vaccinate for MG, which causes false positives. The birds were older specimens that would most likely cause a reaction to titer tests because of the likelihood of e-coli infection that also causes a false positive reaction. These birds had been tested also in the previous years I have been NPIP certified and had negative tests. They didn't want to hear it. So I had to kill them and they went off to the lab for necropsy and further tests on their reproductive organs. Guess what, they came back negative. So I lost a couple of my very nice breeder birds for not. But rules are rules and in order to keep my status, I followed them.

 

[chickened]

I read once from a book by E.F. Hutt a geneticist that knows way more than I do and he said he culls (kills) all sneezers, snifflers and coughers. Killing is responsible and part of good husbandry. If this were practiced religously it would greatly reduce disease. Cured carriers are the worst.

Not arguing about any of the posted information. Most of it is rules and regulations. Thing is how much of all this concern is valid? For any of us who have our birds exposed to other birds if we were testing we could find we are in the same boat as the importer of that ill fated group. I myself in the last year have gone out to find wild Mallards, wild turkeys and a stray peafowl in amongst the birds. Those are just the unusual ones. It's certainly possible that a lot of us have birds that have been exposed at some point. We have no reason to test so we don't know. But, birds aren't dropping over dead and neither are their owners. There's also the very real idea that our own stock, no matter what we have it for, is not going to come in to any kind of contact with commercial flocks that supply eggs and not even the broiler plant birds. So what's being protected here? Fear mongering?

 

[chickened]

It does suck killing a great bird but I whole heartedly agree with you.

A sample of my birds are tested every three months for AI. The test is a titer test that will react to any strain of AI.

I do this because, I am in a waterfowl fly zone. Many farms do this now because it is a part of the NPIP program.


I think their point was to not knowingly introduce birds that could spread disease. It's one thing to say there is the potential for alot of birds to have AI, but another to to say yes, the bird(s) is/are infected.


I've been through this in my flock also, not to the extent of what happened at the USDA facility, but I lost some birds because of the "rules".

I had to give up some of my breeding flock last year because a couple of my older hens tested positive to pullorum. I repeatedly told the State that I vaccinate for MG, which causes false positives. The birds were older specimens that would most likely cause a reaction to titer tests because of the likelihood of e-coli infection that also causes a false positive reaction. These birds had been tested also in the previous years I have been NPIP certified and had negative tests. They didn't want to hear it. So I had to kill them and they went off to the lab for necropsy and further tests on their reproductive organs. Guess what, they came back negative. So I lost a couple of my very nice breeder birds for not. But rules are rules and in order to keep my status, I followed them.

 

[aveca]

A lot of diseases live in the blood of the birds like pullorum, possibly bird flu..pullorum is passed into the egg into the next generation producing salmonella..its really tough to eradicate once it gets a hold..it is especially dangerous to infants and elderly..so that is why they are so strick which if fine by us..funny you got the false negs, we vaccinate also for mereks , new castles , and there is another one I have to read the bottlecocci i think..cant remember off the top of my head and long work weekend. some of the vaccines are simple droplets so easy to use for even the beginner. too bad they all wernt the droplets simple for everyone to use.. we took classes a long time ago in peublo colo for vaccinating livestock, cattle horses and poultry. subcutanous, intervenious, intramuscular..and its an assembly line trhe babies get subcutanous right behind the neck . once you get used to it , its very simple..some are intramuscular i older birds in breast area.I just wish they could do a killed vaccine for bird flu . at this time only vert can give it and they dont seem very concerned. its one of those vaccines where you probably have to vaccinated to handle it cause its live.This just reminded me I need new baby hubs.

we dont live in direct path of waterfowl areas but are tested every year.our inspector had an absolute fit that I brought my moms 2 sebright hens up here..I told her that they were the only birds at moms and shes 84 , it was getting too much for her to get out in winter to take care of them..inspector calmed down once the tests came back. no problems.I didnt think there would be.

thou we dont sell eggs for consumption, its a huge releif knowing whats out in that flock..nothing, I do give one of our dialasis patients eggs because she was told by doc that she needed more ambium in her diet and after all of the sickness outbreaks and egg recalls she only trusts mine..you can drink them out of a glass . all clean. so we are people that seriously LIKE the inspections and rules. even thou we only do it for show.

 

[DaveK]

So called cured carriers ARE bad news. My understanding of AI is that birds register as simply having been exposed and come through. Like a vaccinated dog. Doesn't mean they are carrying. And I could be wrong. I should probably apologize for having gone down a side line path when all I wanted to do was express what a shame it is that stock was destroyed and a chance to broaden Orpington horizons was denied to those who might have been interested. I expressed my doubts about USDA draconian policy but for me that applies to a lot. An in depth discussion of USDA practice doesn't make my hobby any more fun or interesting and even if it did this is not the thread for that discussion. I just think the whole mess was a shame no matter where the birds came from and completely agree with Bob Follows in not wishing to repeat the whole scenario.

 

[galanie]

   So called cured carriers ARE bad news. My understanding of AI is that birds register as simply having been exposed and come through. Like a vaccinated dog. Doesn't mean they are carrying. And I could be wrong. I should probably apologize for having gone down a side line path when all I wanted to do was express what a shame it is that stock was destroyed and a chance to broaden Orpington horizons was denied to those who might have been interested. I expressed my doubts about USDA draconian policy but for me that applies to a lot. An in depth discussion of USDA practice doesn't make my hobby any more fun or interesting and even if it did this is not the thread for that discussion. I just think the whole mess was a shame no matter where the birds came from and completely agree with Bob Follows in not wishing to repeat the whole scenario.

That is my feeling on it as well. It's a shame and could have been needless, but the fact is that it happened. Hopefully it won't again.

 

[klf73]

Hey everyone,
Still waiting for my jubilee orps to lay then it will be time to fire up the bator! Dh gave permission to have one hatch so I need to make it count. The cream legbars, blue breda, and swedish flower hens are all laying....just waiting on these darn orps!
Also, I haven't had time to research yet, but wondering if anyone has put a jubilee roo over black hens? I have a nice 100% english hen that I was going to pair my "extra" jubilee roo with. Then cross those pullets with my other roo later on. With just 2 pair I was hoping to not inbreed too much. Of course I will research when classes are done and I have time but wondering if anyone has done this?
Thanks!
Krista

 

[kidcody]

Hi Krista,
Yes, I put a Jubilee roo with Black English Hens and got the biggest most beautiful all BLACK chicks!!

 

[jeremy]

Hey everyone,
Still waiting for my jubilee orps to lay then it will be time to fire up the bator! Dh gave permission to have one hatch so I need to make it count. The cream legbars, blue breda, and swedish flower hens are all laying....just waiting on these darn orps!
Also, I haven't had time to research yet, but wondering if anyone has put a jubilee roo over black hens? I have a nice 100% english hen that I was going to pair my "extra" jubilee roo with. Then cross those pullets with my other roo later on. With just 2 pair I was hoping to not inbreed too much. Of course I will research when classes are done and I have time but wondering if anyone has done this?
Thanks!
Krista

Theoretically you should get all Black chicks, split to the Mottling gene. You probably will have birds with Red leakage as well, especially in the males.