Virulent Newcastle Disease or VND, Lots of Anguish, Little Solutions Offered

Good question. A "recovered" bird would test positive both for antibodies (blood test) and swab tests for direct virus at shedding areas.
Can you see them doing blood tests in such a wide spread contagion? I might be wrong, but what I saw on the SOB thread and Facebook page was "do a test, come back in a few weeks and kill chickens". I would doubt if they are actually testing more than a small sample of the collected swabs. A, kill em all and let God sort it out kind of thing. Sad, but very likely the case.
 
Thanks for this detailed info. What you're describing with the swabs is an antibody test, which always shows up later than a test for direct virus. Multiple sources have stated that wildlife is not a substantial vector in this outbreak. It is direct contact, contaminated fomites (clothing/equipment/shoes) and humans transporting them.
I agree that is what the authorities are saying but I have doubts if it is true. If a human can bring it home from a feed store walking down the isle and putting a bag of feed in a cart then surely a fly or a wild bird eating or drinking out of an infected flock's coop can bring the disease. A fly spitting on chicken feed or scraps to eat or just walking around would do fine as a carrier. Wild birds can be carriers and/or infected without visible signs I have read.

But, for the sake of argument, if it is clothing or shoes, wouldn't the backyard flocks be fairly "safe"? Commercial flocks are not getting their feed at the local feed store. If they are slaughtering uninfected backyard flocks it makes no sense unless there is a connection between the commercial flocks, backyard flocks, and chicken fighting chicken barn employees.
 
I don’t agree with keeping birds locked up 24/7. Obviously if you’re in an area with a disease outbreak but otherwise no.
What the reason for having birds locked in a secure coop and run aside from protection from predators. If chickens are allowed to get fresh air they can come in contact with wild birds and or droppings. That’s a total pipe dream along with the biosecurity that most wont follow long term.
 
You cannot eliminate wild bird droppings from falling into the coop but you can radically minimize it by forcing the birds to go elsewhere for their food. Read this article about how eliminating feed theft also drove the birds away. This company's salad green crops were being destroyed by the birds that came for the chicken feed. Once they installed the feeder they saved the greens crops as the birds were forced to go elsewhere for food.
https://fifthcrowfarm.com/new-grant-funded-chicken-feeders-installed/
 
You cannot eliminate wild bird droppings from falling into the coop but you can radically minimize it by forcing the birds to go elsewhere for their food. Read this article about how eliminating feed theft also drove the birds away. This company's salad green crops were being destroyed by the birds that came for the chicken feed. Once they installed the feeder they saved the greens crops as the birds were forced to go elsewhere for food.
https://fifthcrowfarm.com/new-grant-funded-chicken-feeders-installed/
You could also feed them inside a coop while still letting the birds out. Also feed doesn’t need to be scattered all over the place. There’s many things someone can do to minimize the wild bird interaction with chickens besides keeping them locked in a cage.
 
So yeah, you can have outside runs and minimize wild birds, not eliminate all birds but there won't be much for a bird to eat in a chicken pen once you have the feed in a proper feeder. Still a chance a bird flying overhead but if you want the birds 100% safe put em in a freezer and hope the power doesn't go out for too long.
 
I'm one of those dreaded soft-hearted owners of pet chickens. I'm also of the belief that all sentient creatures deserve the right to live. I also live in California (albeit the Northern half of the state). I have tremendous compassion for the chickens, backyard or commercial, and their owners. And I see your point. You might try to see ours. I love my birds, and the main reason I have them is because I am not a fan of animal treatment in many commercial operations. Now I know where my eggs come from, and my chickens have the best possible life I can give them in my semi-rural yard.

I'm also a Libertarian who is currently registered Republican (for access to the vote during Primaries). So there you go. Compassion and conservatism can coexist!
 
You're not safe in hot areas whether you free range them or raise them in a hermetically-sealed environment. They're all going to be killed. You have absolutely no control over that.

OK. I note the fact that I should be using "safer".

Yes, until this virus is eradicated, there is no safety from its potential spread. That's why I'm so firmly committed to being part of the solution whatever it requires of me and my birds.
 
So yeah, you can have outside runs and minimize wild birds, not eliminate all birds but there won't be much for a bird to eat in a chicken pen once you have the feed in a proper feeder. Still a chance a bird flying overhead but if you want the birds 100% safe put em in a freezer and hope the power doesn't go out for too long.
Even free range not just an outside run where the wild birds would actually be drawn to. I understand your point but keeping birds totally locked up and not allowed to run around is a much more recent idea for keeping chickens safe regardless of quality of life. To each their own.
 
I might be wrong, but what I saw on the SOB thread and Facebook page was "do a test, come back in a few weeks and kill chickens".

But what the authorities said in the SOB video was that they were there not in response to test results of her birds but in response to the fact that she was located 1/2 mile from a contaminated and depopulated commercial operation in one direction and 1/4 mile from an uncontaminated commercial operation in another. They were trying to secure the large uncontaminated flock.
 

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