Topic of the Week - Biosecurity, Quarantine and Infectious Disease Management

[casportpony]

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[casportpony]

- (How) do you manage show birds and showing?

I do not show. Diseases have been transmitted at shows, like ILT. Contrary to what some believe, being NPIP-certified, as you must be to show, does not mean a bird is disease-free!

I agree... NPIP is a good thing, but NPIP doesn't mean the flock is free of respiratory diseases, Marek's, lymphoid leucosis, etc.

 

[casportpony]

This week I would like to hear you all's thoughts on biosecurity, quarantine and infectious disease management. When it comes to adding chickens to the flock, taking birds to shows, buying birds from meet-ups, chicken stocks etc, there is always a risk of bringing back and introducing a disease or pest to an existing flock. Even with precautions in place, diseases can still be spread by wild birds, or caused by circumstances out of our control. How do you all manage these important aspects of chicken keeping? Some questions to get started:

- (How) do you quarantine new birds before adding them to the flock?
- (How) do you manage show birds and showing?
- Do you take precautions when having (human) visitors to your poultry yard?
- How do you handle sick/diseased birds in your flock?
- What is the best way to handle outbreaks of serious disease(s) such as Mareks and prevent spread and recurring cases on your property?

• (How) do you quarantine new birds before adding them to the flock?

I don't acquire that many new birds, but when I do, I keep them away from all other birds for at least 30 days.

• (How) do you manage show birds and showing?

I don't show, and I don't go to shows.

• Do you take precautions when having (human) visitors to your poultry yard?

Yes. No visitor snear the pens and the open areas where the birds live. All sales are done from a sales cage near the front gate.

• How do you handle sick/diseased birds in your flock?

Treatable ones are treated, terminal ones are euthanized.

• What is the best way to handle outbreaks of serious disease(s) such as Mareks and prevent spread and recurring cases on your property?

The biggest problem I have in my flock is blackhead (histomoniasis) in peafowl and turkeys, so I try to keep my chickens away from the peafowl and turkeys, and keep their pens as clean as possible. Then they are monitored very closely for signs of illness.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

- (How) do you quarantine new birds before adding them to the flock?
I do rarely add adult birds (not chicks) to my flock as I have had over the years some predator loss to my broody crew (huge loss as those who solely brood with hens know) and I ended up getting some blue egg layers that hatching did not create, however, I greatly prefer to just hatch my own eggs or purchase fertile eggs of breeds I desire. I know that MG can still be passed by purchased fertile eggs. ...I try to use only reputable breeders with clean, healthy birds and clean looking eggs...I guess I've been lucky...which is why now that I've got most of the breeds I want, I plan to hatch from my own eggs or foster with feed store chicks in adding anything more.

For adult/pullets incoming, I keep a designated quarantine metal cage that has a plastic bottom (for easy wash/disinfect) under covered fenced area on pavers (easy to disinfect) that is behind a thick heavy fence that is away from my flock range and on the side front of the yard vs. the back yard. It still is not 300 feet away air space, but it is the best I can do. All pullets stay in that for at least 2 weeks and if any symptoms or doubt, then as much as 30 days. I have access to that side kennel from a different door in the house, and I keep a separate coat and boots for that side kennel with separate dishes, utensils, treatments, feed bucket, etc.

I go through a different door on the other side of the house to enter the backyard and keep a separate designated coat for my main flock with separate designated back yard boots which I always wear and ONLY wear to feed and take care of my main flock. I tend to the main flock first, then take off boots and coat, wash hands, then go through the house to the side door and put on another long coat and boots to tend to any isolation birds. It's a bit of a hassle, and not perfect, as changing a Hazmat suit alone would provide complete bio-security, along with a bubble tent at 300 feet away, but hopefully it cuts down on some of the possible transmission.

If I have to drive out to a farm to pick up fertile eggs or birds, I take the truck through a car wash on return if my normal rainy Oregon hasn't done the favor for me with dripping wet roads and abundant puddles. I really avoid going to anyone's farm as I don't want to bring back problems that way. By far, if I purchase eggs or pullets, I meet at a halfway place that is neither on my property or theirs. If someone is purchasing my fertile eggs, I deliver at a meet up place as well. Egg sales are delivery to a common location where my customers and I regularly meet (church parking lot).

- (How) do you manage show birds and showing?
I don't show and I rarely go to shows. I stopped going to swaps after a big AI scare a few years back. When I did go, I wore only clothes that go to the show with shoes that I walk around the show in and disinfect shoes soles upon return. Clothing goes to the wash immediately. I rely on the fact that the only shoes that go out to my backyard flock are the designated boots by the backdoor.

- Do you take precautions when having (human) visitors to your poultry yard?
I'm actually a bit snotty about this. First, I don't allow visitors to my flock if at all possible (see quarantine isolation and delivery above). If people must for some reason come to my home, I have the birds ready for pick up in my front yard. If on the once or twice occasion that they were picking up the birds from my flock, I made them wear my designated boots that I keep for guests...I don't care how much they think their shoes are clean or if they "disinfected" them.

- How do you handle sick/diseased birds in your flock?
If treatable, they go to the isolation kennel, with same isolation rules as quarantine above. However, especially with the new FDA rules that don't allow purchase of antibiotics anymore, I simply cull (spelled kill) anyone that looks like they need more than some rest and TLC from an injury.

- What is the best way to handle outbreaks of serious disease(s) such as Mareks and prevent spread and recurring cases on your property?
I don't think I've had Marek's, fortunately. Any ill bird is culled and the flock monitored. I predominately bring in only fertile eggs or hatch my own. I don't do a lot of trading or selling out of my flock. Usually I give healthy appearing hens who are being phased out away for free with clear instructions to the buyer to isolate for their protection (which I think most people ignore). I worry about selling birds (or giving them away free) and having someone come back with complaint of a sick bird (beyond my knowledge). I take no bird back. Thus far I've been lucky and no one has complained that any of my birds became sick. I worry about that. It is a bit of a risk, so I give away my older birds mostly to a friend with a farm who likes older birds and rolls with it.

LofMc

 

[Isaac 0]

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[PeepersMama]

Okay, I don't have loads of experience with buying new chickens, but I will never buy a chicken past a week old ever again. I got two chickens for my birthday last year. A bielefelder and a lavender cuckoo Orpington. The ORP was never really in good health, I probably shouldn't have bought ANY birds from those guys in the first place :/ we "quarantined" them for two weeks ( it was a very poor excuse for quarantine) and a week after we let them loose, the Orpington started coughing. Two weeks after they were out, she died. It was fairly sudden. She pretty much hit the bottom one morning, which I blamed on open coop windows and freezing temps, but she did t hardly open her eyes that whole day. She either sat in my lap or her box and slept. She died very early the next morning.
Right after she died, the rest of m started coughing. Not nearly as bad as she had been, but coughing/sneezing/ runny nose, all that good stuff. When the rooster started loosing control of his feet, we blmed Marek's, and culled all the sickies. After that everything was fine.
NOW I realize that other people have had similar experiences with their roos, and no side affects with the rest of e flock.
Sooooo..... There's my two cents. And if any of yalls have a clue as to what it was, feel free to pm me and tell me!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Curious to hear what people do about visitors who are not chicken people... I know I will have friends who will want to see the coop and chickens, and I want to show them. If they do not have chickens is there a risk?

Thanks

Gary

 

[Teila]

Subscribing to yet another great Topic of the Week

I keep a closed flock so really do not have anything to add. However, I am sure that I am going to learn heaps; already have!

 

[Folly's place]

I don't worry about visitors who have no other contact with chickens, but warn them that boots are a very good idea! Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

Curious to hear what people do about visitors who are not chicken people... I know I will have friends who will want to see the coop and chickens, and I want to show them. If they do not have chickens is there a risk?

Thanks

Gary

Gary, I would not worry about non chicken people, but... I just don't let anyone in my coop or run. they can view from outside. My grand kids love to gather eggs, but they can do so by opening egg box door. I don't want them going in the coop, and if a hen is on the nest, I tell them to leave her alone.