The IMPORTED ENGLISH Orpington Thread

[thedragonlady]

They look to have very even, exceptionally rich buff color, especially considering that we are seeing baby feather. Is that your impression since you get to see them in real life?

Hi Dave,

They are truly gold all over, especially in the sunshine.There are no dark wingbows! I am thrilled with these kids.

 

[rebel yell]

Oh I love that blue pullet! Where you been Roger? Good to see you!

Good to be back ! Thanks for the welcome, My job has been working us to death, 6-7 days a week 12 hours a day wont let you do a whole lot of anything but I guess I better get it while I can no telling what this day & time will bring tomarrow.
Getten to old for this though.

 

[galanie]

 Hate to change the subject here but I have been trying to get a pic. of this girl for so long & she finely posed for me today !!!!! This is my 100% pure English chocolate bantam pullet at 6 months old, pic. do not give these birds justice at all they so beautiful !!!!! This ones for you Julie.

Drop dead gorgeous.

 

[pips&peeps]

NPIP will also be looking for avian flu in coming years, like european outbreak..if your flock is vaccinated they cannot be destroyed in an outbreak..there is a cert that laminate and post on barn tell them flock is protected..the avin flu could potentially be one of the deadliest pandemics to ever emerge much like 1918 flu killed millions.more than anything, that is why they monitor..disease that could wipe out poultry indusrty, and or since chickens and pigs are mixing bowls for deadly human virus, most emerge in asian countries due to close living quarters with poultry human and pig..a harmless chicken flu enters pig, mixes DNA coat with pig virus, emerges as deadly human virus..but there are lot of reasons they monitor..but those stand out..like in mad cow outbreak, they came in no questions asked , destroyed herds..trust me , you wouldnt want to eat one of those cows, a prion disease cannot be cooked out of meat..a prion is a molecule that defys heating and freezing and it lives in brain and spinal fluids, the human equivilant is crutzfeld jacobs pronounced yacobs disease from consuming animals affected..there is also an equivilant chronic wasting disease in elk herds they are watching, will that prion enter cattle out west has it already??

NPIP is a little slow to act on things I think, or recomend, so you have to be proactive..watch whats going on and take care of your own..how long ago was avian outbreak in canada? way to slow to just now react..I have a hard time understanding why there isnt a killed vaccine, maybe a simple one like newcastles water drop in mouth, I do like that NPIP is free, I dont think they are smart enough or organized enough to be an on purpose problem to people, they are as clumsey as any government agency. nice and official looking but ineffective..I am dissapointed at how they re slow to recomend or use preempitve vaccines against avian flu..but it takes them that long just to have a meeting about the issue. I call them quite regularly, and say chop chop (chinese for whats taking so long) lets recomend something on the avian flu befor it makes an appearance.

This is why there is AI restrictions in almost all States now for importing eggs, chicks and birds. Most States require the sender to not only be pullorum free but also AI free. The State tests 30 birds in your flock every three months to monitor your AI status. I do this in my flock and have been AI free for several years now. Also, if there is an outbreak and my birds are killed, the NPIP program offers me "indemnity" to cover my losses by being taking part of this service and being AI Free. It's a insurance policy on my birds for free.

Even if you are NPIP certified it is important to check the importation rules of all States you ship to.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Roger: va va voom! She's gorgeous!

Any bird entering a show in PA that has funding from the state (for instance our 4H) must come from a flock testing clear for AI (Avian Influenza) and the birds being shown must also test clear for Pullorum. All birds in the flock -if less than 30, or 30 birds being a good representation of the flock must test clear for AI.

Among other things, To be a part of the NPIP in PA your birds can not be exposed to wild birds, for me, that would mean no free ranging, so I know I will never be part of that plan. I do get my birds tested though and we are AI and Pulorum clean. NPIP is not free in PA, although the lab work for the blood draws is subsidized, making that end reasonable (55 cents per AI test), but the expense comes in when you need to find someone to draw your blood. They must be a Vet or a CPT Certified Poultry Tech and some are very expensive.

.

 

[DaveK]

There may have been several changes over the last few years that I haven't kept up with . However, the big problem for European breeders and those in other countries importing their birds is the fact that birds were being destroyed because they had antibodies indicating an exposure to (and an appropriate immune system response to) AI. Exposure did not mean contract or even some kind of carrier status. Just the fact of the antibodies was enough to have the call go out for destruction. This was especially common with the pigeon folks who tend to move a lot of birds around the world if possible. A waterfowl shipment in one case was allowed to be returned to the European sender and treated for the antibodies (can you really do that?) rather than be destroyed. They never made it out of quarantine. Jean, no disrespect intended but no matter how much some of us may have shared stock "indemnity" to cover my losses does nothing to salvage a gene pool ravaged by having my birds or even a select few destroyed. Not a situation I'd care to find myself in after all these years.

 

[pips&peeps]

Dave,

Yes, there are many forms of AI. The testing currently used by the USDA will react to all of them. If one has a positive reactor, then further testing is needed to determine which strain it is. I think the problem with the birds imported that have been destroyed is that the USDA requires that the birds not be vaccinated for AI. A positive reactor would either indicate vaccination or exposure to AI and I believe AI is one of those diseases that the bird remains a carrier for life. Therefore you are risking exposure to the birds in the US by allowing birds in that react positively to the test.

I agree no amount of money could replace birds on various breeders farms. The lines would be lost forever. But the alternative you would face would be to have all your birds destroyed and nothing to show for it at all. That is the way our government works and I am sure if there is an outbreak in the US, "they" (men in white suits and astronaut helmets breathing like Darth Vader) will be going door to door checking for birds within a certain mile radius and everything will be destroyed regardless.

This is also a good reason to have partners to share your flock with if you are an avid breeder. Someone within reasonable distance, yet far enough away to CYA.


FYI,

Note to all out there. The USDA does NOT require pullorum testing or pullorum free status on birds coming into the US....... WTH???????

 

[aveca]

This is why there is AI restrictions in almost all States now for importing eggs, chicks and birds. Most States require the sender to not only be pullorum free but also AI free. The State tests 30 birds in your flock every three months to monitor your AI status. I do this in my flock and have been AI free for several years now. Also, if there is an outbreak and my birds are killed, the NPIP program offers me "indemnity" to cover my losses by being taking part of this service and being AI Free. It's a insurance policy on my birds for free.

Even if you are NPIP certified it is important to check the importation rules of all States you ship to.

we,ve been NPIP for 6 years now..some states have not caught up to others yet...the AI rule does not affect here yet, while Pa requires it..pa birds can show here with just pullorum tests I beleive..but we have to have additional paperwork to show down there...there was an outbreak of something in cattle down in Pa. and another outbreak in chickens cant remember what it was.. ..so they had to clamp down a bit on them..the cows were shipped in from out west..Oh I think it was brucilossis (sp) hadnt been seen in the state since like the turn of the century..i think people can get brucelossis , not pretty. I did know about the no pullorum test on imports so thats what I mean..sometimes it doesnt make any sence..but some things are good..

if your birds are vaccinated , they will not destroy them..At this time, vets have to give the vaccines, to record it..plus Im sure its not too safe in amature hands , I think every vaccine should be killed vaccine. that one is so dangerous that it would need to be a kiled vaccine wouldnt it? our vet said once vaccines are given, they issue you certificate to post on property..

I love my inspector..bought her a calander book this year..we a routine now..birds caged in a line, table set up , and down the rows we go..she fell in LOVE with the english orps..giggled her way around here over them..

 

[BamaChicken]

Roger she turned out great. So glad you got some black splits to breed her with and get some new blood in the line for better egg production.

 

[jeremy]

I collected the first egg for my Partridge project today.

My big Splash boy Neville is penned with Prudence, a hen that is the result of an English Splash Orpington roo crossed with a Buff Orp hen.




I'm breeding this pair in hopes of coaxing out any hidden genes that might be in my English line, with the intention of replicating the breeding that produced Prudence. She is pretty distinctly marked and I'm crossing my fingers that her offspring have a even clearer marked Partridge pattern to their feathers.

I plan on collecting 4 eggs at a time and then setting them, I'll probably do this until I have at least a dozen eggs incubating.

Here's to wishing for Partridge marked babies in just a few weeks!