Vacinations- BioSecurity (long rant with opinions wanted!)

[LynneP]

I don't have much experience to add. My first birds are my only birds, now 29 weeks old. They were bought for $1.75 Cdn each, vaccinated for Marek's. Trained in zoology and ecology, biosecurity is of prime consideration to me, with emphasis on prevention. I was SO lucky to begin with new ground and to have a hubby dedicated to helping me build a coop/run with all the things needed to separate the birds from dangers (closed flock). The only people allowed in there are me and he! So far, so good, and I hope for continued good fortune with these marvellous egg machines. Details in the link below.

Thanks for the thread!

 

[spook]

Lynne, very good point to make and you have every right to comment, its great to see all opinions and I am learning a whole lot these days!!!! LOTS !

 

[spook]

To share the recent letter to the State Veterinarian, I welcome your comments!!!!

Of course with the internet, it can be a blessing and a curse. I was reading on another state that the NPIP program is not only for the PULLORUM-TYPHOID, but for other ailments such as MG, MS, and other infectious diseases needing certificates to pass between one state/country to another is only for commercial flocks. My question here is if we do not test for these conditions, be it the small flock/show bird owner and small farm egg/chick producer, then aren't we creating our own death spiral?Are the costs of such tests that high that we are not expanding our own standards for Maine flocks? These birds that we spoke about, still to this point are NPIP tested negative! Even losing as many birds as this farm has at this point. Yet said flock owner could turn around, say next week, hypothetically, sell anyone of this flock, eggs or chicks, and proudly say NPIP tested. And be true, spread to another unsuspecting, healthy NPIP tested flock.Interestingly the online site I belong to www.backyardchickens.com, "Chickenstock", we have had a couple of them, one in Litchfeild the other at the W.Gardiner Gun Club, went to one in Milford, NH and really wanted to bring the folks in my own community together, share their enjoyment for poultry, ducks, etc. Sell, trade and buy something new and different, yet now I feel as thought I have the huge responsibility to avoid bringing these people together, for the health of their flocks. My opinion,NPIP is not doing all that it can to better the health of Maine flocks. Now, I have heard that all in or all out approach to raising/continuing a flock in my standings of
"assuming" at this point that the birds I hold have MS and exposed to ILT from vaccined birds. Its also my understanding that with these conditions my property will always have the "toxic dump" affect. Once I have no more poultry in my possession that if I was to clean with strong disinfectants that I can have more birds in the same unsterilized wood building. Yet I have read that once its here, it is here, on one acre of land, I will never rid any flock of these health issues. Yet introducing new birds is a big no no, how can I continue (for my own personal use) to bring in layers for eggs and Cornish X as meat birds?I am very sorry to plaque you with more questions, like I said, the internet is a place where you have many answers that lead to more questions. Being new to the "diseases" of poultry, never having a single issue through all the years I have owned them (ignorance is bliss) and beginning to enjoy other peoples joys of showing and raising such beautiful examples of birds, I really wonder how long it is before we need to up testing procedures through the 4-H and Poultry clubs, Bio-Security and what to do for after care. Most folks can go kill their "tainted" poultry, mine are pets with a benifit, also from 2 NPIP tested people (false security).

The one test that we expect in club shows, fairs, selling and shipping eggs is NPIP tested, only Pullorium and Typhoid. No other protection between your bird and Joe Schmoes at the poultry shows. So now you can come home with your bird, do you quarentine your show birds? Most of us its a no, they came from here, toss them in with their buddies and go about your business..until the coughing or bloody cough and then we worry, and its to late.​

 

[speckledhen]

I have always said that NPIP gives everyone a false sense of security. It tests for two main diseases that are not at all common anymore, but leaves out many, many very nasty carrier-type diseases. Some think that they are completely safe to toss in new birds if they come from an NPIP flock...WRONG! 100% wrong. I do not vaccinate and have no plans to do so. I keep a closed flock, but even then, I know that someone could walk in a disease on their shoes right from the feedstore. I do ask them to spray their shoe soles with a mild bleach solution before they come into my yard, but nothing is foolproof because you cannot see viruses and bacteria, only the devastating affects they have.

 

[Feathered Wings]

Quote:
NPIP what a joke i know of some who are certfied who routinely buy birds from auctions and outside individuals. HOW could they be NPIP doing that!

I personally bought a pair of chickens from one of these and they died in 2 days of respitory disease.

 

[mountaintopchicken]

I am also interested in vaccinating.

I don't think having a 'closed flock' is a guarantee, either. It certainly helps, but disease can come in in so many different ways. I mean, what's to guarantee that the UPS man or the oil delivery man doesn't happen to have a flock at home suffering from ILT, that he just checked in on before he went to work? I know that sounds unlikely, but it could happen. It's hard to quiz absolutely everyone who enters your property as to whether they have poultry, and if so, to get them to disinfect everything they are wearing.

I have some acquaintances that decided to keep chickens, and didn't research anything about keeping them before hand. When they talked about them I would try to educate them, but I didn't want them anywhere near my own birds (for example - they thought feeding them a diet of only sratch was o.k.). Well, one day, these people showed up with their whole family in tow to give their family a tour of our farm, unasked for and unannounced. The first I even noticed them on the property, every one of their family members was in our coop. What really bothered me? They were ooh and aahhing about how clean my coop was, when actually to my eyes my coop was way overdue for a cleaning and at the tail end of what I would consider acceptable for my birds to live in. Says alot about how they must keep their own birds. People like that are hard to keep out, because they have no clue and no manners, and they can bring down your whole flock by bringing in a disease.

I wish that poultry catalogs would start providing vaccines in vials and at prices that are more user friendly for non-commercial flock owners.

 

[speckledhen]

Those people should be reported to the state then. There was a breeder in another state across the country who is responsible for the spread of ILT, a very nasty disease. That breeder is NPIP and the state doesn't seem to want to do anything to stop that person. So, yes, to me, it's a joke. It's only as good a program as the person is honest. And even then, as I said, it does not test for every common disease birds may contract, usually only two or three of them, depending on the state itself.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
I agree and have said before that a closed flock is not a guarantee. There are SO many ways disease could come into the area from outside, even on feed sacks. We just have to do what is in our power to do to keep our birds safe.

 

[Feathered Wings]

Speckledhen I completely understand where you are comeing from

 

[LynneP]

I'd like to add a little something that I noticed at an autumn poultry show run by 4-H( provincial level, regional winners). If some of you are 4-H leaders, I hope you will perk your ears to this. Some magnificent birds were on display, raised by the young people of the organization. While they were in great shape and vetted at the show, the cages were so close that birds could touch each other through the wire. If your group does not do so, I suggest that barriers be provided to the exhibitors and that cages be positioned in such a way that there is a reasonable distance between exhibits from different farms. I also think that projects on biosecurity would be an excellent choice for winter research...